Hey Sam: Do you have a good exercise to get rid of fat on top of the knees? —Jennifer, Orlando, Fla.

You can’t really spot reduce the fatty tissue on the top of the knees. I would recommend strengthening the underlying muscle tissue and connective tissue by doing leg extensions once or twice per week with a heavy enough weight that you can manage 3-4 sets and 12-15 repetitions.  This will build stronger, more attractive quadriceps (the muscle directly above the knee).  To reduce fatty tissue, you will need to follow a program of cardiovascular exercise combined with a proper meal plan. More information after the jump. (more…)

If you’re like me, it’s impossible to turn away rocky road, cobbler, and Toll House cookies, especially if they’re homemade and offered by a hunky spouse in a Santa hat. I wondered: could I be a holiday foodie while not sabotaging my fitness goals?  I here’s what I found:

Avoid alcohol. “The average alcoholic drink contains about 200 calories per glass,” says health writer Patricia Zelkovsky.  “Have enough of these and you will end up with the same amount of calories in a meal and you may still be hungry. Instead, save the calories on the alcoholic drink and have yourself a nice meal.”

Work out early—work out first. The holiday months are typically full of family gatherings, social commitments, and other parties which can sneak up on you. Don’t let them derail you—get up an hour early and make time for an extra hour of cardiovascular exercise.

If you don’t LOVE it, don’t eat it. When selecting food and beverage, follow the French Women Don’t Get Fat philosophy and choose only items of the highest quality. Don’t just drink “any” wine that’s offered, be a little bit more selective. The same is true of food. You have choices. Choose to eat only the best.

Parties are more than just eating and drinking. The whole point of holiday ‘get togethers’ is to see people, not food— so enjoy the social aspect. Forget about eating and drinking, and try “being in the moment” with the people in your life.

Book a long weekend getaway at a warm destination for January or February. Even if it’s somewhere within driving distance, it will force you to think about how you want your body to look in a swimsuit.

Eat (and drink) 25 percent less. This is a game I’m playing with myself, which is to eat only 75 percent of the food on my plate. That way you can eat your favorite dishes and drink what you want, but without the additional calories.

Fill half your plate with vegetables, and each remaining quarter with protein and carbs.

Eat a small snack before you head out to a holiday party—it might prevent you from overeating.

Plan your workouts, and work a new plan. The holidays are the perfect time to set new goals for yourself, and to start working toward those goals. By planning your workouts into your busy holiday schedule, you’ll ensure that you “get ‘er done,” as we say in the rodeo.  No excuses!

Remember the mistletoe. If you’re single, keep in mind that people are attracted to healthy, fit bodies. Keeping up your fitness demonstrates self-confidence and self-mastery—two traits that are trés attractive.

Don’t ask me why, but I used to be pretty certain that I would die young. Sadly, the belief was only perpetuated when I came out of the closet 12 years ago.  It wasn’t until 2003 that I came face to face with being HIV-positive, determined not to let the diagnosis suffocate me.

In the years since, I’ve met a couple of men in their 90s, one of them is Jack LaLanne, the father of fitness and a pretty major inspiration to me personally. And then there’s Val Lewis, the patriarch of the Lewis family of San Francisco, who embraced me with open arms when I first met him 11 years ago.

Of course, I don’t know how long I’m going to live, but both of these men have inspired me to re-think my own intention of what’s possible in old age. And now I intend to live to see my 100th birthday.

This cool aging calculator says I’m pretty much on target. I just gotta floss more.

As featured on Livestrong.com | Reuters

Today a client shared with me a few ideas he’s adapting to control his appetite. He discovered them in the September issue of Bon Appetit. (more…)

If your travel plans call for a long flight, try Airplane Yoga to help you preserve your health and sanity. Very long periods of in-flight inactivity can lead to “coach-class syndrome” (medically known as deep-vein thrombosis). This condition can actually become dangerous, leading to (yikes!) a pulmonary embolism if a blood clot breaks away and lodges in the lungs. Tightly-arranged coach class seats just make the condition worse, and here’s the kicker: the longer you remain seated, the greater your risk of developing this condition, with the risk being greatest on flights 12 hours or longer. Only about 1 in every 2.4 million passengers actually develops a blot clot. Some people, higher at risk, wear special compression socks that improve blood flow to the lower half of your body. But you can do other things to lower your risk of developing these conditions. Most research shows that the people who develop pulmonary embolisms generally sit through the entire flight. So, just getting up and walking around during long flights can really help. It’s also crucial to drink lots of water and juice and keep your body well hydrated. As we all know, that stale airplane air does have dehydrating effects, and dehydration increases the chances of a blood clot. Avoid caffeine and alcohol because they increase dehydration and pull fluid out of your blood.