Kim Clijsters: Balancing Family and the US Open

Filed under: Fitness , Celebs & Entertainment Julian Finney, Getty Images Kim Clijsters returned to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center yesterday to defend her title at the US Open . After stepping away from tennis in 2007, Clijsters returned last year with her new daughter, Jada, in tow. Clijsters told That’s Fit that during tournaments like the US Open , she typically practices an hour or two a day and then hits the gym to follow a basic workout schedule. But during the off-season, her workout schedule can vary from four to six hours a day in the gym. She admits that training after pregnancy was frustrating at times. “I started from zero,” she said. “In the past, I would really focus on just the weak parts of my body, but this time I had to train everything again.” Now that the 27-year-old Belgian tennis star is also a mom, she said that her busy training schedule comes with trade-offs. “I have help from our nanny, my husband and other family members,” she said. “But, of course, I have days when I feel guilty about being away from [Jada].” Off the court, sports are a family affair. She met her American husband, Brian Lynch, while he was playing professional basketball in Europe. To relieve stress, they go mountain biking during the off-season and take their dogs for long walks. Clijsters said she also loves yoga and swimming to relax. Sports are in Clijsters’ blood: Her father was a soccer star, and her mother was a professional gymnast. But Clijsters said while sports, in general, were always a priority, tennis was always her first love. “Sports have always been important in my life. I feel better when I work out, and it has become a way to relax, get rid of stress and makes me feel good about myself,” she said. “So even if I’m not practicing tennis, I will always find a sport where I can challenge myself.” As for Jada, there is no pressure to choose professional sports, but rather to embrace an active lifestyle. “She can choose whatever sport she would like,” said Clijsters, “but we will teach her that playing sports and healthy eating is a good way of life.” Although Clijsters has extra support as a professional athlete, her love of activity and healthy living — and making it something the entire family is involved in — is a lesson all of us can learn from. Want to give your own tennis game a boost? Enter to win a Prince EXO3 Black 100 racquet! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Kim Clijsters: Balancing Family and the US Open

A Healthy Bite: Rebecca Romijn

“I try to break a sweat every day. It doesn’t always happen that way, but that’s the goal.” - Rebecca Romijn shares her workout regimen with Us Weekly . The star says that losing her pregnancy weight hasn’t been easy since giving birth to twins in December 2008. Rebecca, 37, gained 60 pounds while pregnant. The star says she tries to work out for at least 30 minutes every day, and also keeps active with her family. She and husband, Jerry O’Connell, stay active by going on tandem bike rides and playing badminton .

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A Healthy Bite: Rebecca Romijn

Having a Sister Improves Mental Health

You may have spent your youth squabbling over everything from Barbies to boys, but according to new research, having a sister could be good for your mental health . A new study from Brigham Young University shows that positive sibling relationships - particularly sisters - have lasting positive effects on mental health and can even help fend off depression. The close bonds encourage traits like kindness and generosity, shaping a positive future. And their findings seem to span all sets of siblings, no matter the age gap. The research team followed 400 Seattle families who had two or more children, with at least one child between the ages of 10 and 14. They found that having a sister was more beneficial than having a brother because sisters prevented their siblings “from feeling lonely, unloved, guilty, self-conscious and fearful.” And one researcher on the study says that this is more pronounced in females than males because girls tend to take on the role of a caregiver and communicate more openly, and because relationships between sisters tend to be more mutual. The study also showed that parents’ actions impact their children less than siblings’ actions, and that siblings have twice as much power to reinforce positive behavior than parents do. Unfortunately, this means that hostile sibling relationships can promote negative behavior, and siblings who fight often are more likely to experience aggression in other relationships. Do you feel like this research rings true in your sibling relationships?

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Having a Sister Improves Mental Health

I Think My 62 Year Old Sister Has An Eating Disorder [Forum]

Is it possible for someone age 62 to become obssessed with weight loss? My sister is having trouble with aging and trys to keep up with the latest styles and trends…and I think she is also trying to become excessively thin. She has always been about a size ten but starves herself now to stay about a size 3. She looks awful…her skin is a strange color, her bones protrude and she complains of being cold constantly. She also is very fatigued all the time. Another obssession is constantly pointing out how “Fat” everyone else is. This is hurtful as I am trying to lose about 40 pounds since I was ill with adrenal insufficiency two years ago and piled on the weight when treated with steroids. The rest of the family (six siblings) also feel she is getting a bit “off” and unstable in her thinking. I am worried for her but she takes great offense when I tell her she is getting too thin for her health and age. She basically thinks I am just jealous but I am not since I am taking off abut three pounds a week now due to a life time change in eating and recovering my health naturopathically. She seems so insecure and is very lonely due to a recent break up. I feel like she is trying too hard to keep that “young” look and instead this is making herself look “very old” beyond her years. How does one approach something like this since she denies she is “too thin”?

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I Think My 62 Year Old Sister Has An Eating Disorder [Forum]

Recipe Rehab: Fresh Apple Cake

Filed under: Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot , Nutrition & Supplements Commanding Artists, Getty Images Gwen writes to us from Lufkin, Texas, with the request to reduce the carbohydrates in a family-favorite recipe for Fresh Apple Cake. Everyone in her household suffers from diabetes , and she would like to continue to bake the foods her family loves while keeping blood sugar under control. She tried to replace the sugar with Splenda but feels the substitution causes the cake to lose its moistness. Gwen, I commend you for your attempt to make lower-carbohydrate substitutions, and I will show you how to retain the moistness in my lighter version of your recipe. For starters, I will reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe and replace it with a small amount of Splenda. To add moistness to the cake and reduce the calories even further, I will replace the oil with unsweetened applesauce. Replacing the eggs with Egg Beaters is another way to further reduce calories. Fiber is important to help slow the absorption of carbohydrates and prevent blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes, so I will use whole-wheat flour and rolled oats to enhance the base of the cake. Finally, dried fruits and nuts add a lot of natural sugars and calories. I will replace the dried dates by increasing the amount of apples, and I will toast the pecans to enhance their flavor so that I will be able to use a smaller amount. With these simple substitutions, I was able to cut the carbohydrates from 54 grams per serving to only 23 grams per serving. Additionally, the 3 grams of fiber will help with blood sugar control. This apple cake is sure to please your family’s sweet tooth without causing huge spikes in blood sugar. Ingredients: 1 cup sugar OR 1/2 cup Splenda 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce 3/4 cup Egg Beaters 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat flour 1 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4 cups apples, chopped (about 5 whole) 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Place the pecans on a cookie sheet and place in the oven as it is preheating. Toast pecans for 5-7 minutes, until slightly browned. Be careful not to burn. 3. Mix together the sugar (or Splenda), applesauce and Egg Beaters. Beat until well blended. 4. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Mix until combined. 5. Fold in the apple and toasted pecans. 6. Bake for one hour or until toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. Serves: 16 Nutrition Content (per serving): 182 calories , 4 g fat , 0 g saturated fat , 35 g carbohydrates , 18 g sugar , 3 g fiber , 4 g protein , 275 mg sodium Note: Using Splenda will reduce the nutrition content to 136 calories, 23 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugar. For another low-carbohydrate treat, try my Bread Pudding . Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REAHB! Everything from your mom’s meatloaf to your kid’s favorite dessert — let me lighten it up. Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com and www.theskinnyondietitians.com , has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you’re eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Recipe Rehab: Fresh Apple Cake

Shape Move of the Week: Get Sexy Legs

Filed under: Fitness Toning your legs doesn’t have to be difficult. This walking lunge and modified squat are two surefire ways to get great thighs and shape your butt . Check out the Shape Move of the Week : Find out more about the benefits of weight training at Shape.com. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Shape Move of the Week: Get Sexy Legs

Toning Up for College [Forum]

Hi-i! So I start college in 5 weeks, and I want to try and tone up and shape up before then. I have about 10-15 pounds to lose before I can feel comfortable in myself. I am a guy, 5′10, and fluctuating between 165-170, but slowly stabilizing at 170. My father is overweight, so I want to stop this before, quite bluntly, I end up like him. So I may not be overweight, but I’m just looking for support, since I can’t find a stable support system within my family nor my friends. I’ll try to post regularly and I just hope I can find support here. So if you have any healthy eating tips and such, or any experience that can help tone a chest (my main problem area), then that would be very helpful! Thank you!!!

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Toning Up for College [Forum]

Sean Shed 258 Pounds Without a Single Salad

Filed under: Motivation , Success Stories Sean Before Every week, we introduce you to bloggers who share their weight-loss journeys and hefty doses of inspiration with their readers. This week’s featured blogger is Sean from the Daily Diary of a Winning Loser . Name: Sean Anderson Age : 38 Start Weight: 505 pounds Current Weight: 247 pounds Goal Weight: 230 pounds My weight loss approach: After years of trying to lose weight , I realized that I was looking for something to do the work for me. I was always searching for a simple means to lose weight, while completely ignoring the habits and behaviors that kept me near, at, or above 500 pounds for almost 20 years. I simply suppressed those habits and behaviors long enough to enjoy temporary results on whatever plan I was doing at the moment, then I’d gain it all back when I returned to my old ways. My approach this time had to be different. I set a calorie budget of 1,500 calories a day and focused on spending them like cash. My “Calorie Bank,” as I call it, doesn’t have an overdraft — when the calories are gone, they’re gone, and I’m “issued” another 1,500 the next morning. I avoided feelings of deprivation by allowing anything and everything, as long as I could fit it into my calorie budget that day. I eat what I like, and never anything I don’t. I’ve lost 258 pounds and I haven’t had a single salad . The difference is in the portion sizes, and that’s what this approach has taught me; for the first time, I know what a normal portion of anything really looks like. I also started walking on day one — back then, I was barely able to do a quarter-mile. The walking became easier every day, and now I still walk , jog , cycle and lift weights . I even do regular 5Ks and even the occasional 10K. But the food and exercise is really only about 20 percent of my success equation. It’s a mental journey. I made an iron-clad decision to do this once and for all, and I’ve had to battle one ultimate enemy at every turn: Me. The two most important elements of my success have been self-honesty and consistency. No more excuses and rationalizing bad choices in an effort to make myself feel better. I battled the emotional ups and downs by putting up my imaginary “Steel Curtain Zone.” This steel curtain zone is a place mentally where my defenses are at their highest, where I can’t be compromised by emotions , stressful triggers and unforeseen circumstances. This has helped me succeed on this road despite deaths in the family, financial strain, a stressful high-profile job and the end of my twenty-one year marriage. Why I wanted to blog about it: Every other weight loss attempt I’ve ever made was kept a secret, so if I failed, nobody would be the wiser. This time it had to be different — I wanted the accountability factor. Originally, it was a blog featured on my MySpace profile, available only to close friends and family. I really didn’t care if anyone else read it or not, as long as my oldest daughter who was away at college did. Our bad habits over the years have undoubtedly influenced her, sending her off to college 100 pounds overweight, and I felt horrible about it. If I was going to dig deep and write my personal blueprint for change, I wanted her to read and understand every word. Sean Now The best part of blogging is: I didn’t realize the introspective power blogging held — it’s been incredible therapy! I’m learning about myself through my blog. Plus, the unexpected gifts of emails and messages from people that tell me how this blog has changed their lives makes me so happy and proud. The tremendous outpouring of support from so many incredible people has inspired me, enlightened me, and absolutely made this journey so much easier. I’m extremely blessed to have so many friends. Best comment I’ve received: I have two here — one from each of my daughters: “Not only does this motivate me, but I sense a little humor in there too. I seriously love reading this … keep it up Daddy! I can’t even tell you how proud I am of you. You will do this. We all will,” wrote Amber, my oldest, from her college dorm room on day two of my blog. “Daddy, your blogs are amazing! You have such a talent to write, I really hope this blog does motivate you in every way possible … I’m very proud of you daddy, I know we’ve been saying we need to lose weight for quite sometime, but this time it’s just different. All together as a family, we will lose weight. No doubt about it. Keep up the good work Daddy. I love you with all my heart,” wrote my youngest, Courtney, on day three. What’s next for my blog: My blog will continue long after I hit my goal in 17 short pounds — It will evolve into a weight maintenance blog. I also plan on writing a book. I feel I must write the overall story of this life-changing transformation — it’s just in me. I’ve written one to three hours a day, everyday, for almost two years — now I’ll focus that energy on other writing projects. He’s almost there! Cheer Sean on as he battles those last 17 pounds by visiting his blog . Julie is another devote parent who slimmed down for her kids — check out how this mom of seven took her life back . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Sean Shed 258 Pounds Without a Single Salad

Losing It With Jillian: Toss the Indian Fry Bread

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss , Celebs & Entertainment Trae Patton, NBC ” Losing It With Jillian” headed to the Yavapai Apache Nation reservation in Arizona this week to answer a call for help placed by the multi-generational Plunkett-Marquez family. Seeing Type 2 diabetes and obesity rampant across the reservation, Jillian realized this whirlwind week needed to address the ways of the entire tribal community. Plunkett-Marquez Meet the Doc. Dr. Van Herle’s health assessment of the family wasn’t pretty. Grandmother Delores is grossly overweight, diabetic, and has survived two heart attacks and a stroke . Daughter Cora-Lei Marquez carries 203 pounds on a body that should ideally support only 120. Her LDL cholesterol and blood sugar are high. Daughter Delight weighs 257 pounds instead of a healthy 132. Fifteen-year-old grandson Brandon hides his 253 pounds behind baggy clothing and is a ripe candidate for diabetes. Dr. Van Herle emphasized Native Americans are facing some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the country. The future is bleak for their youth — there’s a 68 percent increase in diabetes for this culture’s 15-19 year-olds. Fry Bread Hits the Trash. Fry bread is a traditional American Indian food that instantly raised Jillian’s blood pressure without ever touching her lips. She first discovered fry bread is actually a white flour dough fried in lard, then witnessed dozens of patties being fried in anticipation of a tribal picnic. Jillian craves dramatic moments to spark changes in behavior, so she impulsively dumped the fry bread in the trash as the picnic kicked off. In response, one boy threw his fry bread loaded with toppings all over Jillian’s leather jacket. Others watched in disbelief. Jillian was shaken, not knowing if this diet statement would ruin her relationship with the community. Toss or No Toss? Cora-Lei sits on the tribal council. She later explained to Jillian that throwing away the fry bread insulted the Indian way of never wasting food. Let’s be honest here, it was shockingly rude. Perhaps Jillian could have symbolically tossed her own fry bread serving instead of every piece at the picnic. But Jillian’s way is impetuous, and that fried Frisbee had her angrier than a contestant threatening to walk off the set of ” The Biggest Loser.” She did make an excellent point when she asked Cora-Lei what lard and flour have to do with the ancient Indian tradition of hunting and gathering real food straight off the land. “Fry bread is not only 100 percent not of your tradition, fry bread is, seemingly, a representation of everything horrible that’s ever happened to your people,” said Jillian. “That food is poison.” Read Jillian’s book, “Master Your Metabolism ,” and you’ll understand why processed junk poisons our health. Also, Jillian isn’t the first to attack fry bread . The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that one fry bread on a plate yields at least 700 calories and 27 grams of fat — before the toppings. Apathy. In a fit world, talk is cheap and action is everything. Only a handful of the community showed up to hear Dr. Van Herle speak to the reservation about healthy living . Jillian could not figure out why Delight would feed her four-year-old son junk food, and seemed so apathetic about wanting to lose weight . Amidst tears of sadness and frustration, Delight explained it’s difficult to tell her son “no.” Also, she simply doesn’t understand how she can lose weight and get fit . She needs guidance. Those tears were a catalyst for Delight. She was emotionally armed and Jillian was educating her how to take action. It’s also time to tell your children “no,” then pull out a delicious plate of fresh fruits and veggies for them before your workout. Fry Bread Buzz. Turns out the fry bread incident generated a positive stir among many in the community, explained tribal elder, Don Decker. Jillian breathed a sigh of relief, then started marketing her end-of-week fun walk to the Yavapai Apache Nation. Over a hundred showed up — Jillian’s diet and fitness seeds were officially planted. Sign up for that late summer/early fall 5K in your community and maybe you’ll plant a seed yourself. Before Jillian departed for a six-week hiatus, Cora-Lei challenged her entire community to change their habits. Six weeks later, Cora-Lei was 33 pounds lighter, lost six dress sizes and feels empowered to accomplish any life challenge. Delight dropped 30 pounds and her blood sugar level is down 30 percent. Brandon amazingly shed 52 pounds, no longer wears baggy clothes and is planning to try out for football and basketball next year. Delores lowered her blood glucose by 21 percent, cholesterol by 43 percent and lost 18 pounds — proving that a modest six-week walking program paired with healthy eating can work miracles. Of course, Jillian handed the Yavapai Apache nation a generous check to fund a local fitness program. Let’s hope this 2,000-strong community ends up the star of a future “Losing It With Jillian” reunion special. See you next week as one dad struggles with Jillian for power by ignoring her gym commands. Not a good idea. Start eating healthier immediately with a few fun tips –like marketing the good stuff at eye level in your fridge . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Losing It With Jillian: Toss the Indian Fry Bread

Speak Up: What Diseases Run in Your Family?

I grew up in a household that never kept a salt shaker on the dinner table, because high blood pressure runs rampant in my family. Even I suffered from it in high school and all the way through college. My parents and grandparents succumbed to popping prescription pills, but I didn’t want to be medicated for my entire life. To get my numbers under control, I started eating healthier and exercising regularly (something my parents didn’t do or encourage). I’m happy to say my blood pressure is at a normal level, and I’m trying to motivate my parents to move more so they can stop taking pills. It’s important to know what conditions and diseases run in your family, because some can be avoided with a healthy lifestyle. Tell me, what diseases run in your family, and how are you living your life to prevent what you may be predisposed to?

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Speak Up: What Diseases Run in Your Family?

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