A Healthy Take on Italian Food

If you love Italian food, here's good news! You don't have to give it up as part of a healthier lifestyle. But it may be a good idea to make some changes to the items you usually order. You can trim calories and fat while still enjoying a great meal. Try these tips for eating Italian the healthy way:

• Skip over the bread dripping in garlic butter or dipped in olive oil.
• Start your meal with a green salad or a healthy appetizer like marinated vegetables.
• Choose pasta paired with low-fat sauces like marinara, primavera, red or white clam, mushroom, white wine, or tomato and basil.
• Control pasta portions. Aim for a 1½-cup serving. Since many Italian restaurants serve about twice that amount, it may be a good idea to have half of your portion boxed up to go right away. You won't be tempted to overeat if there isn't too much food on your plate, and you will have leftovers to enjoy another time.
• Be careful with pastas stuffed with cheese. Watch portions and choose a low-fat sauce like marinara.
• Avoid creamy sauces like Alfredo — they're high in calories and fat.
• Watch out for risottos made with butter and cheese.
• Cacciatore, scampi, and marsala dishes are good lower-fat choices (remember to watch the portion size and inquire about preparation).
• When eating out, consider splitting an entrée with someone else. If you share one pasta dish and one lean protein dish with a companion, you can both have a balanced meal and enjoy a reasonable portion.
• End the meal with fresh fruit or an espresso or cappuccino. If you'd like to order a richer dessert, share it with your companion.

A Trick to Look and Feel Better Instantly

Want to know a secret about how you can look better instantly? It's simple: Straighten up your posture! Proper posture truly does affect the way you look and feel. Unfortunately, many of us walk with less-than-upright posture, and it's even worse when we sit. Ever find yourself hunched over your computer at work? Yep, most of us do! It's a matter of training your body to sit or stand up nice and tall.

First, assess your current posture; then make improvements. Imagine balancing your head squarely over your shoulders; realign your shoulders so they are neither in front of your chest nor behind it. By perking up your posture, you'll dramatically improve your appearance and look pounds lighter — and you'll feel more confident too. Focus on how amazing your body feels, and try to make your body memorize the position.

After a few weeks, your new posture will become a habit. All it takes is a few seconds, so try it now! You'll feel self-assured and look your slimmest — one step closer to being the best YOU you can be!

Coping With Cravings

This week, let's focus on cravings. You know, those urges that tell you to stop everything and eat a certain food? The truth is, these cravings and urges are normal and to be expected. They are not a sign of failure. Instead, they provide an opportunity to learn what your triggers are.

Try thinking of cravings as ocean waves. Just as a wave recedes after it peaks, a craving will recede if you do not feed it with your thoughts or actions. Instead of giving in to a craving right away, give it some time to pass. Distract yourself for a few minutes by reading or writing in your journal, taking deep breaths, going for a walk, talking about how you feel, or using such positive self-talk as "This urge won't last forever, and I am in control. I am feeling uncomfortable, but I can wait this out." Remember, bingeing might make you feel better for a short while, but you will feel better in the long run if you find a healthier outlet instead.

After a few minutes, check in with yourself. Feeling better? If not, give yourself a few more minutes. Once the intensity of the moment passes, look back and try to analyze what was going on at the time the craving began. Can you identify what triggered it? A feeling? Situation? Person? Event?

Once you've identified the trigger or triggers, develop a short list of other ways you can react to them besides eating. In time, you'll learn to recognize situations that trigger cravings in advance and be better prepared to face them. Be patient with yourself. It takes time to break old patterns.

Remember, the more you confront your cravings, the better you will be able to deal with them. So when you experience a craving, don't run away or give in. Use it as an opportunity to become aware of what you really need. Soon you'll be riding the wave instead of the crave!

9 Healthy Carbs to Help You Lose Weight!

Who hasn't been tempted by no-carb diets? They seem to work, and they yield results quickly. But what about those of us who can't part with fresh-baked bread or steaming rice? I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to give up all that good, nutritious food that quickly! Plus, breads and cereals can add important fiber to your diet and give you energy to keep going! We all need those benefits!

I've learned that you can eat carbs and still lose weight. You just need to make good choices and watch your portion sizes. Here are some seriously healthy carbs for you to experiment with:

• Whole-grain bread
• Whole-grain or legume-based pasta
• Whole-grain cereal
• Barley
• Quinoa
• Brown and wild rice
• Oatmeal
• Popcorn
• Sprouted grains

Dive Into Aqua Fitness

Do you wish you could find a workout routine that could provide you with a total body workout without making you break a sweat? Maybe it's time to get into the swim of things!

Water aerobics and other aqua fitness programs are a good fit for people who don't like to exercise, haven't exercised in a while, or who have health problems like arthritis or back pain. The buoyancy of the water offsets the pull of gravity, making you feel lighter. Water also provides some resistance (as you know if you've ever tried walking in water) without putting a lot of strain on your joints. Water workouts cover all the bases at once: cardio, strength training, and flexibility. And like any other form or cardio exercise, they can help you burn excess body fat.

Perhaps the best part is that even though you're getting a strenuous workout, your body doesn't feel like the workout is strenuous. Odds are, you will leave the pool feeling refreshed — not exhausted. Plus, you are much less likely to experience pain or an injury than with land-based exercises.

When choosing a water fitness class, look for one that provides a good warm-up followed by cardiovascular and strength-building sessions and then a gradual cool-down focusing on flexibility. Ask your instructor about his or her background — the instructor should be certified in water fitness. If you have arthritis, make sure the pool is kept at a temperature between 83 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In that range, the water will help warm up your muscles without overheating you.

Sound like a good workout for you? Check out the options at your local community pool, YWCA, or gym — and dive in!

Resisting Food Advertising

Have you ever noticed that the foods advertised the most heavily also tend to have the highest calorie counts and lowest nutritional value? Promoting junk food and fast food is big business. Companies spend millions of dollars a year in an attempt to get you to choose their burger or chip over another brand. These highly advertised foods are plentiful, easy to get, inexpensive, and engineered to taste good.

Ironically, there is little advertising promoting the foods we should be eating — like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and beans and legumes. Bombarded with powerful advertising images saying that nutritionally poor foods are best, it's no wonder we're reaching for the wrong foods! Some have compared the effort of trying to eat healthy in modern society with trying to be a recovered alcoholic in a town with a bar on every block.

How can you maintain a healthy weight in spite of the pressure to eat unhealthy foods? Try these tips:

Get the info. After you see an ad that makes junk food look tempting, boot up your computer, check out the manufacturer's Web site, and find the nutrition information for that food. When you see that the food is packed with calories, fat, or sodium, it probably won't seem so appealing.

Empower yourself to make healthier choices. We've all been in a situation where we need to eat and the only options for miles around aren't particularly healthy ones. If you find yourself with nowhere to go but a fast-food restaurant or convenience store, you need to know which choices are better than others. Reach for fresh foods like salads and sandwiches with lean meat and vegetables. Hold the dressing, mayo, and other high-calorie toppings, or have them on the side so you can easily control them.

At the grocery store, stick to the perimeter. Most heavily advertised, processed snack foods live in the inner aisles of the grocery store. To avoid temptation, skip those aisles altogether (or just pop in to retrieve healthy items on your shopping list). The perimeter aisles, which typically house fresh foods, are where you want to be.

Question the ads. Would you be as tempted to eat that cheeseburger if it were promoted by an overweight and out-of-shape model (which would be more realistic) rather than the thin, fit, happy-looking one taking a bite? Is the food really the best choice for you and your waistline? Do you really "need" it? Probably not!

Eat More Often, Lose More Weight!

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You didn't have time to eat breakfast, and you got so busy with work or errands that you missed lunch; now it's about 3 p.m. and your tummy is rumbling, so you pull over at the closest convenience store, grab a pack of doughnuts, and proceed to devour them in the car as you race toward your next appointment. Whew!

If some version of that scenario happens to you more often than not, it's time you get on a regular eating schedule. Sticking to a schedule is important because it will help you control your hunger. You may think that skipping meals will help you lose weight because you'll eat fewer calories — but the opposite is actually true! People who skip meals actually tend to eat more calories when they finally do eat.

If you eat regularly throughout the day, however, your hunger level will always be in control, so you won't have a hard time keeping your portions in check and staying away from unhealthy foods. In fact, your body will get used to specific mealtimes, so you won't find yourself feeling hunger pangs at random times during the day — when you're out and about with no healthy food in sight!

Here's your goal for the coming week: Stick to your eating schedule! That means eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one to two snacks. Space your meals so that you eat at least every four hours or so. You should also try to eat your meals and snacks around the same time of day every day. I promise you, this will NOT make you gain weight — eating on a schedule will help you look fabulous and feel energized throughout the day!

Make Social Events Work for You

For many people, socializing means eating and drinking. There's a wonderful social aspect to eating, and you don't have to lose that pleasure — when you learn how to make it work for you and not against you. You can have plenty of fun and pleasure, as you discover the secrets of smart socializing. Here are some strategies you can try:

• Change the location. Suggest a non-food-centered outing from time to time. Plan a trip to a museum, for example, rather than a dinner out.
• Work the clock. Try to plan the outing either before or after standard mealtimes — at 10 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, or 8 at night, for example. That way, a meal won't be on your or your companions' mind.
• Eat before you go. You'll be less tempted to reach for unhealthy foods in social settings if you eat a balanced meal before you go.
• Watch the alcohol. In addition to providing empty calories that your body doesn't need, alcohol can also impair your judgment. Stick to one drink and then switch to water, iced tea, or a diet beverage.
• Visualize success. If you know food will be the focus of an outing, spend some time visualizing yourself making good food choices and managing your portions before you go.
• Bring a healthy option. If the event is a potluck, bring along a green salad, a vegetable tray, a low-fat dish, or a fruit salad to assure there will be a healthy dish available.
• Enlist your friends. Your friends can be your best supporters. So don't be afraid to let them in on your needs. For example, a friend may be more than happy to choose a restaurant with healthy options or split an entrée with you if you suggest it.

This week, imagine yourself facing some of the common social situations in your life. Journal about the challenges you might face and how you plan to handle them.

Boost Your Body Image

When you think of your body, what thoughts come to mind? Do you focus on what's "wrong"? Do you feel embarrassed about your body? Like so many people who struggle with weight, you may find it difficult — or perhaps not even know how — to work toward a healthier relationship with your own body. But you can learn to accept and appreciate yourself.

A healthy lifestyle is about more than eating well and exercising — it is about accepting and embracing your body and treating it well. It's not about waiting until you've reached some ideal weight or some particular goal before learning to notice what's good about yourself and your body. After all, staying motivated requires that we celebrate every success. Maybe your clothes feel a little looser or you're feeling better about the way you look — it's important to notice all the steps along the way.

Remember, few people fit into or can ever obtain the supermodel standard of beauty. Yet, media images bombarding us with cellulite-free thighs, rock-hard abs, and flat tummies create unreasonable, expectations and can leave us feeling inferior if we feel we don't measure up.

This week, pay particular attention to the messages you send yourself about your body. Are they mainly negative? If so, practice replacing them with more self-accepting thoughts. Take a look in the mirror and find the things about your body that you like, and say that you like them out loud. Start thinking of your body as something special that deserves your great care and attention.

Healthy Pre-Workout Snacks

Do you often have a snack before your workouts? While eating before you exercise may seem a little counterintuitive — after all, isn't one of the aims of exercise to burn calories? — it can actually be a good move. If it's time for your workout but you haven't eaten anything for a few hours or more, a snack can give you the energy you need to get going. And it can prevent you from being so hungry when you're done exercising that you make poor food choices.

The best pre-workout snack is one that includes carbohydrates, which provide an energy boost, and protein, which sustains the energy boost and helps you feel satisfied longer. Here are some ideas:

• Half a bagel with low-fat cream cheese
• An apple with reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• A banana with peanut butter
• Yogurt with berries
• A few crackers with tuna
• One slice of bread with turkey

The key is to keep your portion small — around 50 to 100 calories. Eat your snack 30 minutes to an hour before you work out, keeping in mind that the body takes a little longer to absorb the energy from foods containing fat.

And before you stock up on energy bars or other products that promise to give you a boost during your workout, take note: While these products can be a convenient option, they can also be high in calories. If you do choose a sports bar, look for small ones that contain 100 calories or less.

When Life Throws You a Curveball

Even if you're not a baseball fan, you know a curveball is a tricky pitch: It doesn't follow the path you expect, it can surprise you by arriving when you're not ready for it, and if you're not careful, it can leave you with a painful bruise. That's why we refer to unexpected developments in life as curveballs.

Change can be an unsettling experience. And yet, it's been said that the one thing you can count on in life is change. Life's curveballs often force you into situations you wouldn't have chosen otherwise. However, if you look at change as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, you can harness the opportunity to change and guide it to your advantage.

The key is to use problem-solving skills when you're coping with unexpected change. Identify the problems that the change presents, come up with a plan for dealing with them, and then try the plan out and adapt it as necessary. In addition, try these tips:

• Look at the big picture. This can help you gain perspective on how the change fits into your life. It's the whole game that counts, not a single inning.
• Stay on base. Turn to the constants in your life — your values, beliefs, and passions — as a way to offset the discomfort the unknowns of change can bring.
• Be realistic. Expect that there will be some difficulties along the path of change and that things may not happen as quickly or as easily as you want.
• Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest and exercise, and eat a balanced diet. Avoid self-destructive coping techniques like binge eating, drinking too much, or burning the candle at both ends. They'll just leave you less able to cope with the stress of change.
• Ask for help. If the change is too confusing or overwhelming to cope with on your own, ask for help in facing the challenge from others.

Take some time this week to think about how you've handled change in your life in the past and what you'd like to do differently going forward. Are there changes in your life you are fighting now? Write in your journal about what they are and how they could be good for you. Soon, life's curveballs won't throw you for such a loop.

Taste This Unbelievably Low-Fat French Toast

Whole-Wheat French Toast With Fresh Strawberries

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons sugar-free raspberry or strawberry spreadable fruit
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2/3 cup low-fat (1 percent) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
8 slices thin whole-wheat bread

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a serving platter in the oven to hold the French toast.

Place the fruit spread in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Stir in the strawberries. Set aside. In a pie plate or shallow bowl, beat the egg, egg white, milk, vanilla extract, and nutmeg with a fork until blended. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip a bread slice into the egg mixture, letting it soak briefly on both sides. Place the soaked slice in the skillet; add 1 or 2 more soaked slices. Cook, turning once, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes per side.

Place the cooked French toast in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining bread slices, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter as needed. Serve the French toast hot with the strawberry mixture on top.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving (2 slices): 270 calories, 38g carbohydrates, 11g protein, 10g total fat, 70mg cholesterol, 4g dietary fiber, 300mg sodium

Dealing With "High Risk" Situations

Do you ever feel as if you're in a situation in which your eating can easily get out of your control? Perhaps it's every time you go to a party, when you're at a buffet, while you're doing certain activities like shopping, or when you're feeling very hungry, bored, tired, or stressed out.

Whatever the reasons, it's a good idea to think back over situations that led you to overeat in the past — to learn about yourself and develop strategies for dealing with similar circumstances should they arise in the future. Take some time to write about a past situation, answering the following questions:

• What were the circumstances? Where were you? Who were you with? What were you doing? And so on.
• How were you feeling physically? Were you hungry? Sleepy? Feeling a little weak or run down?
• How were you feeling emotionally? Were you anxious or sad? Angry or tense? Happy or joyful?
• What thoughts were going through your mind?
• Were you aware of any specific cues to eat, such as the presence of trigger foods, or friends eating in front of you?

Be as specific as you can, and remember that the important thing is to recall the details of the situations that led you to overeat — to identify the triggers but not dwell excessively on "what went wrong." This is not an exercise in beating yourself up!

Once you've written about a high-risk situation, brainstorm some strategies you could have used to avoid overeating. Evaluate these options, and then choose a couple of helpful and realistic ones to keep in mind for the next time you find yourself in a similar situation.

If you give this exercise careful thought, then the next time you face a high-risk situation, things won't feel so out of control. Think of it as planning for success!

Four Teas That Will Help You Catch Some Extra Z's!

There's nothing like a hot cup of tea to make you feel all warm and relaxed before turning in after a busy day. Not only is tea delicious, but routinely making a mug at night might help you unwind and sleep better — especially because some caffeine-free herbal teas, such as chamomile and peppermint, are said to help relieve insomnia. Here's a list of teas that might help you catch some extra z's!

• Chamomile: Besides being able to soothe the occasional upset stomach or bout of nausea, chamomile is also a calming sleep aid with no known side effects.
• Peppermint: Although it's associated more with relieving indigestion, peppermint tea is a relaxing before-bed treat.
• Jasmine: Known for its ability to help relieve headache pain, this soothing herbal supplement makes a fragrant and flavorful tea that's effective in promoting sleep in adults; it's considered mild enough to treat children's sleep disorders too.
• Sage: Said to be an effective sleep aid, sage may also help alleviate depression and certain nervous conditions that might keep you from getting a good night's sleep.

With so many types of teas, and flavors, to choose from, you'll really be able to make this a personal part of your nighttime ritual. Feeling relaxed and calm in the evenings — I'll drink to that!

Get the Best Workout Gear!

Unsure about what to wear to the gym, or feeling reluctant to shop for exercise clothes? It's not uncommon. Good news! You can wear anything you want to when working out — whatever you feel most comfortable in! Just make sure your clothing isn't too baggy or tight, so that you can move around properly. If you want something new, ask a friend to go shopping with you, or talk to a saleswoman at a department store. Some exercise clothing is specially made to absorb sweat or give your body enough air circulation so that you don't overheat. In general, cotton is an excellent fabric for exercise clothes because it is super-absorbent, comes in a huge variety of thicknesses and is easy to care for. You may want to layer your clothes or tie a sweatshirt around your waste — the air conditioning in the gym might be cold, the sun outside can get hot (even in the winter) — especially when you start working up a sweat!

Old sweatpants, your husband's extra large T-shirt (ask him first!), a pair of cargo shorts? It doesn't matter! It's all 100 percent acceptable attire for working out. There is one standard rule, though: for safety reasons, you'll probably want to wear athletic sneakers, which have good support for your feet and ankles.

Self-talk and Exercise

When you work out, what messages are running through your head? How you think about exercise greatly influences how you feel about it — and how likely you are to stick with it. If your self-talk during exercise is all negative, your experience with exercise will be negative, too.

Do any of the following thoughts sound familiar?

• I don't like exercise.
• I'm not a natural athlete.
• I'll never get better at this.
• Everyone is looking at me.
• I missed a workout, so I may as well give up.
• I'm too tired for this.
• I'm never going to reach my goal.
• If I exercise, I'll feel exhausted afterward.

If any of these — or any other — negative messages come to mind during your workouts, try replacing them with the following:

• I will keep trying until I find an activity I enjoy.
• My body is made to move.
• I will gain skill over time.
• Others can think what they like — I won't let it stop me.
• I may have missed a workout, but I can get back on track today.
• I'm tired, but I'll aim for just 10 minutes of exercise and then see how I feel.
• I can and will reach my goal.
• After I exercise, I really feel good about myself.

This week, pay attention to the thoughts you're having during exercise and focus on replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Doing so will make your workouts more productive and enjoyable.

Best Sugar Substitutes

A big myth about diets is that they force you to eat less tasty food. When you make the choice to cut your calories by cutting sugar, don’t think that you have to cut out the sweetness. You can use sugar substitutes as long as you steer clear of chemical sweeteners, which are linked to a number of heath issues. Here is a breakdown of the sugar substitutes I recommend:

1. Stevia. Originating from subtropical South America, stevia is grown throughout the world from China to New Zealand to Canada. Also known as sweetleaf or sugarleaf and primarily marketed as a dietary supplement, one form of this plant has been recently granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the FDA and can now be used in food. This is great news as stevia is prized as a sugar substitute because it has a negligible effect on blood sugar, making it a favorite of those who are on a carbohydrate or sugar-restricted diet. Even more encouraging, recent research shows that stevia has promise in helping treat obesity and hypertension.

2. Xylitol. A naturally occurring sugar alcohol, xylitol in its purest form looks like a white crystalline substance. It has a similar look and taste to sugar, although it is a little less sweet. Xylitol is found in beets, berries, mushrooms and corncobs. Despite its exotic name, our bodies produce small amounts of xylitol from the foods we eat. In fact, it’s an essential part of our everyday metabolism. Many types of gum contain xylitol and when chewed, this sugar substitute stimulates saliva production, which helps guard against tooth decay. Like stevia, xylitol does not raise blood sugar the way traditional sugar does, although it has been known to give people gas if consumed in larger quantities (more than 15 grams per day).

3. Agave Nectar. You may have heard of agave nectar in a context outside its use as a sugar substitute. Agave is the plant used to make tequila, a drink responsible for some of the worst hangovers in history. But the agave plant also provides a natural sugar substitute that is great for teas, coffees and other hot beverages. As a low glycemic sweetener, it doesn’t cause a sharp rise and fall in blood sugar and is ideal for diabetics or those on a low glycemic diet. Agave is much sweeter to the taste than regular sugar, so the amount used should be adjusted accordingly. For baking, agave nectar makes a nice lower-calorie alternative to liquid sweeteners such as honey. However, use caution because the nectar tends to brown at higher temperatures.

4. Brown Rice Syrup. One of the most distinctive sugar substitutes, brown rice syrup has a butterscotch taste, while others have detected caramel flavors as well. With only 13 calories per teaspoon, this sugar substitute is less sweet than sugar, making it a good sweetener for baking goods. (Coffee and tea drinkers may find it a little too bland, however.) Although less sweet than sugar and most other sugar substitutes, do not overindulge with this rice-based sweetener because it contains a fair amount of glucose.

Eating Healthfully While Traveling

When you're traveling for business or pleasure, it can be tempting to take a vacation from your eating plan. Even if your intentions are good, it can feel as if you're surrounded by nothing but fast food, junk food, and other unhealthy snacks in airports, hotels, convention centers, and tourist areas.

But wait — it's possible to travel and still eat well. Keep these ideas in mind when eating on the road:

Pack your snacks: You don't have to worry about healthy choices not being available if you plan ahead and bring your own. Some portable options include nuts, fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, low-fat granola bars, and mini carrots.

Fill up before you go: Don't travel on an empty stomach. If you have a healthy and sensible meal before you go, you'll be less tempted to reach for something to eat in desperation.

Search out your options: When you arrive at your destination, take a few minutes to locate some nearby restaurants and shops with healthy eating options. When it's time to eat, you won't have to worry about where to go.

Remember, vacation calories count: Don't fall into the mind-set that your trip can be a vacation from your goal to eat well. Remember to keep track of calories on the road, just as you do at home. If you're a Duke Diet & Fitness Online member, you can print blank copies of your Food Log to take with you.

Order on the side: Control portions of high-calorie extras by asking for salad dressings and condiments like mayonnaise on the side, or requesting that they be left off altogether. Most cooks use far too much of these fatty sides, adding calories and fat you don't need.

Indulge in moderation: Part of the joy of traveling is experiencing new cuisines. Don't deprive yourself of a taste of the local flavor — but do keep your portions in check and make healthy choices whenever you can.

Keep moving: Remember to squeeze some activity into your trip, too. Walk around the airport terminal while you're waiting for your flight, stroll along the sidewalks in your destination city, go for a swim in the hotel pool. Staying active will help keep you on track.

Building Your Network for Success

While much of the work to make your weight-loss program succeed is up to you, finding proper support can certainly improve your chances for success. Think about the following descriptions, and then for each one, name one or more people in your life who could play that role in your "support network":

• The Listener and Guide: Someone who will listen when you need it and can give advice when appropriate without being judgmental.
• The Kindred Spirit: Someone who is "on the same wavelength" as you and shares experiences similar to your own.
• The Helper: Someone who can lend a hand in practical ways, such as taking on a chore like shopping or watching the kids so you can have time to work out.
• The Partner: Someone who will exercise or make other lifestyle changes with you.
• The Motivator: Someone who will cheer on your successes and help you look on the bright side during rough patches.
• The Soul Mate: Someone who knows you, understands you, and has your physical and emotional well-being at heart.
• The Expert: A professional you can turn to for technical advice on exercise, nutrition, health concerns, and breaking old habits. Experts who may help include personal trainers (look for a trainer who has an exercise-related degree and certification from the American College of Sports Medicine or the American Council on Exercise), dietitians, and qualified health-care providers.

Remember, always be as clear and specific as possible when requesting help from your support network. Instead of a vague request like, "Can you help me lose weight?" try saying, "Can you watch the kids on Monday and Wednesday evenings from six to seven so I can join an exercise class?" or "Will you help me shop for and prepare healthy dinners three nights a week, so I can cut back on going out to eat?" The better you communicate exactly how the members of your network can help, the more supportive they can be.

Six Exercise Myths

Chances are you've heard all kinds of advice when it comes to working out. But are these maxims fact — or fiction? Don't believe these common workout whoppers:

Myth #1: Exercise should hurt. Whether you've been told "No pain, no gain," or that you should "feel the burn," the reality is that exercise doesn't have to be painful to be effective. In fact, pushing yourself too hard, too fast will most likely lead to an injury — not a fit physique!

Myth #2: You can target specific areas. Don't buy into the myth of spot exercising to reduce fat in a particular area. While it's true that strengthening exercises will target specific muscles — for example, crunches strengthen your abdominal muscles — no exercise can burn fat in a specific area.

Myth #3: To benefit from cardio, you have to do it for at least an hour at a time. It's just not true that if you don't have an hour to exercise, you may as well not bother. For weight loss, it's just as effective to work out frequently for shorter periods (such as 10 or 15 minutes). Remember, it all adds up.

Myth #4: If you strength train, you'll get bulky. Many people avoid strength training because they're afraid it will cause them to bulk up. The truth is, while resistance training helps you maintain your lean muscle mass, building substantial amounts of muscle is very difficult, especially when you're losing weight. Unless you're a bodybuilder following a program designed to increase your muscle mass, odds are you won't bulk up.

Myth #5: If you exercise, you can eat whatever you want. While exercise does burn calories, what and how much you eat still matters. For example, a one-mile walk burns about 100 calories — so you'd have to walk for 12 miles to burn off the typical 1,200-calorie fast-food meal of a hamburger, fries, and a soft drink!

Myth #6: There's a quick fix. When it comes to fitness, slow and steady wins the race. Don't buy into advertisements that promise certain fitness equipment or activities will get you in shape quickly or with no effort.

Get Lean While You Clean!

Could your house or apartment use a good cleaning? Got a basement or spare room thats packed full of who-knows-what? Well, roll up your sleeves and get to it! Here's why: Housework — like vacuuming, sweeping, lifting boxes, and gardening — is actually an effective calorie burner! Depending on the types of task, you can burn up to 400 calories an hour simply by accomplishing household tasks that need to get done anyway. By mowing the lawn, for example, you can burn up to 300 calories per hour; by sweeping, you can hit up to 250 calories per hour.

Set aside a time to tackle a project around your living space that needs doing — maybe a closet needs organizing or you can finally get around to hanging that new shelf — and work away until you finish. Just like that, you've completed your workout for the day and your home looks and feels more organized! You can't beat that!

Beware of Liquid Calories

Who doesn't love sugary drinks? I definitely do! Soft drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, and some fruit juices might not seem like much when you're drinking them, but they can add hundreds of calories to your diet — and your waistline! The diet versions are a little better, but only a little. They're still crammed with sodium and chemicals. Their sweet taste can even trigger cravings for other sweets!

Remember that you can have a can of soda or your favorite latte! Just be sure to consider these drinks as treats and not an everyday part of your eating plan. To quench your thirst, try herbal tea, seltzer flavored with lemon or lime, or the most sensible drink of all — refreshing water!