From Fat to Fitness Blog

Surprising facts about that time of the month.

Multitasking items under $30 to help you build a proper kitchen arsenal.

Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com gives you meat-free alternatives that will tempt even the hard-core carnivores.

No Halloween celebration is complete without drinks to match your costume. Try these cocktail recipes.

Here, Top Chef runner-up Stefan Richter's straight-from-the-stove tips.

Master mixer Dave Wondrich shakes up MC's signature Turkey Blaster to fight off the food coma.

Help, $3.99 (helpineedhelp.com)

WHAT IT IS: A chic, easy-to-decipher line of pills and bandages for common ailments.
WHAT'S COOL: Biodegradable containers; plus, the pills contain the least amount of fillers, coatings, and dyes possible so that they get to work, pronto.
WHAT WE LOVE: The color-coded labeling and says-what-it-does product names—because who can be bothered with medical-ese when your head feels like it's about to explode?

The best time to get tested for STDs? Before you enter a new relationship. Los Angeles County recently instituted a free service in which women can log on to dontthinkknow.org and receive an at-home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Send your test back, and get the results texted to you within a week—embarrassment and hassle-free. The program, based on one originally designed by a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor, has since spawned sister programs throughout the country. To find out if the service is available in your city—and what to do if it's not—log on to iwantthekit.org.

Think your usual flu shot will be enough to keep you safe from nasty chills, aches, and fever till spring? Not this year. Get updates on cdc.gov about the introduction of a second shot later this year. This never-before-used vaccine is specially designed to help prevent swine flu—likely to be in the grab bag of viruses coming our way.

With Colorado being the nation's leanest state, according to a recent study, we asked Anne-Worley Moelter, Boulder resident and co-owner of Movement Climbing + Fitness, how she and her neighbors do it. "The nice weather," she insists. "Plus, everything is accessible—hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing." Experts say varied workouts prevent overuse injury and allow you to beat fitness plateaus. So it makes sense that Moelter's new gym is a cross-training oasis, replete with an 18,000-square-foot climbing wall, a yoga room, plus cardio and strength equipment. Check out movementboulder.com, sure to inspire even those of us in wetter, fatter regions to mix up our regimen.

Despite reports that a glass of wine a day can increase the risk of breast cancer, Dr. Christy Russell, an oncologist at the University of Southern California, admits that she likes wine "on occasion." Here's how:

1. Stick to just a glass or two of wine per week. Moderate amounts of red wine have been shown to help prevent heart attack.

2. On the days that you do drink, make sure you get enough folic acid. I eat a lot of green, leafy vegetables and cereal that's fortified with folate. Studies have shown that adequate folate intake (430 micrograms a day) can mitigate the cancer-inducing risks of alcohol.

Experience a run as only a New Yorker would! The Empire Hotel is offering guests a City Running Tour. The 5-mile run begins and ends at The Empire Hotel and incorporates all the hidden treasures of architecture, history, residences and culture of this vibrant neighborhood.

Some of the run highlights include:
* Lincoln Center
* Ansonia Apartment
* The Dakota
* National History Museum
* 79th Street Boat Basin in Riverside Park
* Strawberry Fields and Bethesda Terrace in Central Park

This "taste" of New York running tour is a perfect way to work off those other New York City flavors like irresistible Central Park pretzels, 5th Avenue hot dogs and Lower East Side slices.

If we told you that you could lower your cholesterol, lose weight, help your digestive track and ward off cancer all with one simple change to your daily routine would you believe us?

A change to your morning routine could make a big impact on your health. Adding more fiber to your breakfast will not only help with the issues mentioned above but will also kickstart your day so you have more energy in the morning and you stay full until lunchtime. Women should get 25 grams of fiber each day, but currently 95% of Americans aren't meeting their fiber needs.

Not a fan of twig-like cereal for breakfast? Try Kashi's GOLEAN which has 10 grams of fiber - that's 40% of your daily need. If GOLEAN isn't for you, Kashi has 16 other cereals on the market that have between 22 and 47 percent of your daily fiber needs. With names like Cocao Beach, Summer Berry and Cinnamon Harvest, who can refuse?

"http://www.kashi.com/outreach/tasty_fiber/coupons" target="_blank">Click here to get a coupon for $1.50 off

Even Taming Your Inner Brat author Pauline Wallin, Ph.D., a psychologist who helps patients manage their rage, sometimes gets steamed. Here's how she deals:

Start by saying "At least." As in, "At least I won't have to see this rude waiter ever again." It shifts perspective from problem to solution.

Actively decide not to pick a fight. Say you have a dollar's worth of energy to spend every day. Is this person worth 80 cents of that energy? In the grand scheme, unless the situation is life-changing (like a maniacal boss, in which case you might consider a new job), taking deep breaths and letting it go is a wise choice.

No need to sneak peeks at someone else's trainer to pick up new exercise ideas. Instead, log on to ideafit.com/exercise-library. A site created by the nation's largest association of fitness trainers, it features 30 free one-minute videos that illustrate inventive variations on the usual moves.

Cool tool: The search engine lets you select muscle groups you'd like to target and the equipment you happen to have handy. Figure-eight lunge with kettle bell, anyone?

If you’re skipping your workout way too often, you’re not necessarily lazy - you just might not have the right head for it. In a time when kids and curious weekend warriors are taking DNA tests to find their perfect sport, trainers are customizing workouts to their clients’ psychology. According to Linda Shelton, a trainer’s trainer in Los Angeles who developed this personality-centric program, everybody is one of five shapes, each of whom require a special workout and teaching style.

If you: are dependable and predictable; a stick in the mud
You’re probably an: “L” for Linear, Literal
You respond best to: a consistent non-competitive regimen; workouts alone; a trainer that provides detail-oriented instruction and gives you your space

If you: are laid back and a social butterfly
You’re probably a: “C” for Chatty Cathy
You respond best to: Group exercise classes; or activities, like a run-walk with friends, that offer rewards upon reaching a goal

If you are: fiercely competitive and results-oriented; a thrill-seeker
You’re probably an: “A” for Ambitious, Accomplished
Your respond best to: goal-driven training, such as preparing for a 5K; keeping a log; training with someone fitter than you

If you: like consensus-building and are broad-minded
You’re probably a: “D” for Diverse, Discerning
You respond best to: group classes or non-competitive sports outings, such as hiking, which you help organize and design

If you: are creative and spontaneous and get bored easily
You’re probably an: “S” for Spontaneous, Stimulated
You respond best to: constantly changing, think-outside-the-box workouts (circus training one day, boot camp the next)

RETAIL THERAPY

Philips Wake-up Light, $169.99 (philips.com)

WHAT IT IS: A new, chicly designed alarm clock that won't jolt you out of bed. HOW IT WORKS: A faint light grows more intense over the course of 30 minutes, like a sunrise—after which you'll be wakened by nature sounds or (with the premium model that'll cost you an extra 30 bucks) songs from your iPod. YOU, WITHTHIS CLOCK: More energized, less cranky.

Organic: A USDA-regulated label that says no pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, or growth hormones were used. Produce, meats, and dairy with a USDA Organic seal are 100% organic, while other foods may use the designation if 95% of their ingredients are organic.

Natural: This label, regulated only for meat and poultry, signals that no artificial ingredients have been added. Don't confuse the term with nutritious when, say, reaching for the Cheetos Natural Cheese Puffs.

No hormones administered: An unverified certification that a cow was never given hormones in its lifetime. A "no hormones" stamp on pork and poultry is entirely irrelevant since, by federal law, chickens and pigs may not be given hormone injections.

No antibiotics administered: Another unverified term that purports to tell you that meat or poultry has not been given any antibiotics. Don't bank on it.

Cage-free: This egg carton label means nothing nutritionally and not much ethically. Cage-free hens can still be packed wing-to-wing in a windowless indoor space.

Free-range: This USDA- defined, but unregulated, term means that a bird has outdoor access for more than half its life. Still, many free-range chickens live in crowded barns, with access only to a cramped yard.

Grass-fed: Indicates only that a cow ate grass at some point in its life—always true, even of animals raised on big commercial farms. Look for "grass-finished" beef (the animal ate only grass in its final weeks) or "100% grass-fed."

Pastured or pasture-raised: Though unregulated, this term usually means that an animal has roamed grassy fields throughout its life. Visit eatwild.com for farms that sell pastured products.

If you're in a weight-loss rut, blame your predictable workouts (pilates? Yawn). Sign up for these new high-intensity regimens that promise fat-blasting fun. Really!

1. It's too expensive. Organic does cost more—unlike commercial farming, it isn't subsidized much. So cut back on meat (legumes are protein-rich—and cheaper) and shop for produce when it's in season.

2. Fresh food spoils quickly. It's true—once you stop buying flash-frozen food, you'll need to stay on top of what's in your fridge. Some tips: Many stone fruits, like peaches, and tomatoes keep longer at room temperature; refrigerate herbs in a glass of water, stems down.

3. Who has time to cook organic? Our advice: prep in advance. On a lazy Sunday, chop some fresh veggies and stash them in the fridge. They'll be there when you're in the mood for a home-cooked meal.

4. I don't even know how to cook. There are hundreds of organic-recipe demos online. Better yet, at the farmers' market, ask the strapping fella in the mulch-stained overalls for some cooking tips.

5. Summer's over—I can't buy local anymore. Though it may sound too Little House for your taste, stock up for winter—vine tomatoes, corn niblets, peas, and beans can be frozen and remain fresh for several months.