That's Fit

Want to tone your body? Eager to become lean and sleek? I know, the workout options are mind boggling -- there's yoga, pilates, weights, and everything in between. This is good news, really -- there are so many ways to get fit and fabulous in a hurry. Prevention magazine knows this and recently tested a few methods to see what worked best out of the following: Weights, resistance bands and balls, pilates, yoga, and body weight moves like push-ups.

The clear winner? Resistance bands and balls. Perfect -- because not only is the equipment inexpensive, it's portable, it's lightweight, and it fits easily into any space. Owning a set of resistance bands means you have access to a good, effective workout every day. Which means -- you guessed it -- that you have virtually no excuse to skip the workout, whether you're at home, on the road, or anywhere else.

Curious about how to use these wonderful workout gems? Head over to Prevention for some tips on sculpting in a hurry.

Last week, we celebrated Love Your Body Day. We hope you did too by having a good think about all the things you love about yourself. In honour of the day, we asked you what you love most about your body. Here's what you had to say:

• 20% of you love your legs
• 16% of you love your arms
• 16% love your hair
• 11% of you love your face
• 9% of you love your back
• 8% of you love your abs
• 8% of you love everything about how you look and feel
• 5% of you love your butt

There are few things I love more than bread, butter and garlic. Combine them into one and you've got what I consider a perfect side dish -- garlic bread. I'll have it with Italian food, a steak dinner, or as a meal on it's own. But I'm a little worried about the nutritional content -- after all, white bread and butter aren't exactly the healthiest ingredients and while garlic is pretty good for you, it's not going to offset the damage the rest of the meal could do.

So what do you think? Garlic bread: A calorie-conscious choice or a dieting disaster?

You've probably heard that mirrors can make a room look bigger. They also might help you lose weight. Here's how.

A while ago, we told you about a woman who was poisoned by her seemingly harmless 'detox' diet. Then, famed health nut and TV celeb Gillian Keith came under fire for calling herself a 'Doctor' when her PhD designation had little to do with her dietitian career. Now, British Dietitian Jane Clarke has weighed in on the subject in this article, saying you shouldn't trust just anyone -- after all, your health is at stake. Read the full article here.

Bottom line: Not all nutritionists are quacks -- but you have to be cautious about who you trust. And here's something to keep in mind: In the United States, the term 'Dietitian' is legally protected, but 'Nutritionist' is not -- make sure yours is accredited and licensed. Check credentials. And remember: Trust your instincts. If something seems odd, unhealthy or just not doable, speak up.

You know that we love to gawk at fit celebs -- but we also love to gawk at the non-fit ones. You know, the ones who stumble from scary skinny to curvaceous and all the way back again. Our friends over at AOL Health recently compiled a list of celebs who are guilty of riding the yo-yo rollercoaster of weight loss. Here are some of the top offenders:

• Nicole Ritchie. In The Simple Life, she was sweet. Prior to daughter Harlow's birth, she was skeletal. Now she's somewhere in between -- let's hope she stays that way.
  
• Matthew Perry. Yes, it was all down to drugs, but that didn't stop Perry's alarming weight loss to raise a few eyebrows.
  
• Christian Bale. Already-slim Bale reportedly lost 63 pounds to play a heroin addict. Yikes - that cannot be healthy.
  
• Beyonce Knowles. The bootylicious star resorted to drastic measures -- the lemonade diet -- to slim down for a role.
  
  

Check out AOL Health for more scary slimdowns.

Bad news for those of you living in Seattle, England, or any other place where a rainy forecast is the norm: Rainy weather can make it harder for you to shed weight.

Researchers in Scotland say rain can make you fat because this type of weather causes your levels of vitamin D to dip, which affects a hormone associated with hunger. Makes sense -- however, I think it definitely has something to do with cravings, as in, you're more likely to crave comfort foods when the weather has you down. Plus, when you're cooped up inside, what else is there to do besides snuggle up to a good movie with a big bowl of popcorn and mug of hot cocoa?

Either way, the point is this: Bad weather is no excuse to give up your healthy habits. After all, the gym is open in all seasons. When a craving hits, head for the treadmill or fill up on something healthy.

Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

It seems wherever we go, we're surrounded by images of of gorgeous models and stars with flawless skin, teeny tiny waists and virtually no excess fat or cellulite. But few of us look as polished, and it's hard to accept our own curves when the idea of the 'perfect body' is defined by the media as size two. It seems only natural to compare our bodies to others -- do you?

Most parents are used to hearing a constant, whining plea for a dog from their children -- and most stick to the old standby answer of No, insisting it's too much responsibility. But parents, maybe it's time to change your tune.

New studies out of Australia show that kids raised with a canine companion are 50% less likely to be overweight or obese. Well, duh -- I probably could've told you that. The surprising part is this: According to the findings, it didn't matter if the kids walked the dog or not -- just playing with it was enough to keep the reading on the scale at a healthy number. That's not to say you shouldn't make your kids walk the dog -- it's great exercise and it's a good lesson in responsibility.

Worried about your little one walking alone? Make it a family affair and walk with them. Getting a dog out of the question? Go for a daily walk anyway. The bottom line is this: Just get your kid moving.

Fresh fruits and veggies are an essential part of a healthy diet. But once they're fresh, they're hard to keep that way -- know the rules of the produce aisle to keep your healthy snacks as tasty as possible:

• Store on the counter: Basil, cucumbers, peppers, watermelon, tomatoes.
  
• Store in the Fridge: Beets, blueberries, corn, radishes, raspberries, strawberries, yellow squash, zucchini.
  
• Store in a cool, dry place: Butternut squash, yams, potatoes, onions.
  
• Ripen on the counter, then refrigerate: Avocados, peaches, pears, kiwis.
  
  

Other things you can do: Keep produce in a perforate bag, and be sure to keep fruits and veggies in a separate drawer in the fridge. If you start to notice something close to spoiling, use it or freeze it.

Got any additional tips? Let us know in the comments.

Over at Fitness Fixation, they're talking about exercise personalities. Let's face it -- everyone has one, and it has to do not only with how you work out but why you work out. Here are the four types:

• Fighters are competitive exercisers.
• Robots usually work out hard but don't show it.
  
• Comrades are team players, the exercisers who are supportive, friendly and chatty.
  
• Independents do what they want to do. Read more about these types here.
  

Me, I'm definitely an independent -- I like to do my own thing, when I want and for how long I want. I don't mind having a workout buddy along for the ride, but ultimately, I find I work harder on my own. What about you?

Few can deny that Britney Spears is back on the top of her game -- she has given up her old hard-partying ways, gotten her recording career back on track and worked hard to get her famous figure back. Now, with only a few pounds to go before looking as stunning as she did early on in her career, she's given up her final vice -- alcohol -- and it's helped her lose an extra 10 pounds, the Daily Mail reports.

Says a source close to the star: "She has decided to give up drinking alcohol, because not only does it cause weight gain but she wants to be on the ball. Britney has lost 10 pounds since giving up her one remaining vice, which obviously she is ecstatic about."

Britney's got it right -- alcohol is just a bunch of empty calories, so giving it up is important to weight loss.

From the mind-boggling number of diet books out there to the overwhelming amount of weight-loss programs being advertised on TV, it seems that everyone is trying to make a profit off your decision to get fit and healthy. But do traditional diets works? That's what we asked you last week, and here's what you had to say:

• 31% of you lost weight on a diet ... but gained it back again once you were off the diet.
• 24% lost weight on a diet ... and kept it off.
• 24% of you couldn't stick to any traditional diet
• 11% of you tried dieting but didn't lose any weight
• 6% have never dieted

Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

Body image is a complex issue, but we think it's important to love yourself and all your curves. Still, just like bad hair days, everyone has their share of so-called fat days (and skinny days, though those seem to be a bit more rare). But, in honour of Love Your Body Day, we're wondering how you feel overall about your body? So do us a favour and complete the following sentence.



Got any specifics to share? Tell us in the comments -- we love to know what you're thinking.

Make the most of your pasta -- here's a quick tip on how to up the nutritional value of your favourite noodles: