by Jonny Bowden, MA, CNS

ivillage.com

So many diet programs are about what you can't have, but what about focusing on things you can add to your diet? What a concept! More food instead of less?

Well, of course there's a catch.

Just adding more of these foods to a bad diet won't cause a drastic overnight weight loss. But adding them -- even to a bad diet -- will improve your health in some significant ways. And the good news is that if you begin to replace some of the foods that keep you fat with the foods on this list, you may well begin to see benefits not only in the health department but on the scale as well.

1. Blueberries. High in fiber, low in sugar and calories, and delicious right out of the box. (I don't even mind if you add a spoonful of fresh cream, especially if the combination replaces a dessert). Some studies suggest that regular consumption of blueberries protects the memory.
   
   
2. Oatmeal. Use the regular, slow-cooking kind instead of the sweetened, overprocessed "instant" variety. Oatmeal is the second-best source of the essential fatty acid GLA in the world. It contains fiber and protein as well.
   
   
3. Cabbage. This lowly vegetable may elicit bad memories for many people, but it's time to get past that and try it again. Cabbage contains a cancer-fighting phytochemical called indole-3-carbinole. One cup of cooked cabbage delivers about 100 mg of this powerful ingredient, not to mention fiber, other beneficial phytochemicals and vitamin C.
   
   
4. Kale. This green leafy vegetable is loaded with antioxidants. It's particularly delicious with lemon, garlic (another amazing food) and butter.
   
   
5. Sardines. Sardines are like a health food store in a can. They're cheap, they're widely available, they're convenient, and you can take them with you anywhere. And sardines are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. All that and a superb source of protein and calcium (if you eat the bones).

by Liz Neporent, MA

ivillage.com

Dear Fit by Friday:
My underarms (the part that waves with your hand) are flabby. Well, they're loose and fatty. When I walked a lot and lost over 35 pounds, the problem wasn't so noticeable. Lately I haven't been exercising. I've gained weight, and the problem has gotten much worse. Any suggestions?
--cyndy

That underarm flab -- often referred to as bingo arms, Hi Janes and the Hadassah hang -- is certainly a common problem. It's a result of out-of-shape triceps (the muscles in the back of your upper arms) and the extra fat that for some reason likes to deposit itself there.

There are three factors to take into account: weight, body composition and muscle tone.

by Liz Neporent, MA

ivillage.com 

Who needs machines when dumbells do the trick? You don't -- if you use this step-by-step routine with your favorite free weights!

General Guidelines
Aim for 8 to 15 repetitions per set using a moderately heavy weight; you should feel as if you've pushed yourself hard by the time you complete the last rep of each set. Do 1 to 3 sets of each exercise and rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets to give your muscles plenty of time to recover (unless otherwise noted).

One-arm Dumbbell Row
(Back, shoulders, biceps)

1. Stand to the right of your weight bench and hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in. Pull your abdominals in and bend forward from your hips so that your back is naturally arched and roughly parallel with the floor and your knees are slightly bent. Place your left hand on top of the bench for support and let your right arm hang down. (You may see this exercise performed with your left knee up on the bench, but that variation can increase pressure on your back and make you tilt your body to one side.) Tilt your chin toward your chest so that your neck is in line with the rest of your spine.
2. Pull your right arm up until your elbow is pointing to the ceiling and your hand brushes against your waist. Lower the weight slowly back down.

Dumbbell Chest Press
(Chest, shoulders, triceps)

Triceps-Tightening Workout 

by Catherine Censor

ivillage.com 

That jiggly stuff under your arms that keeps waving goodbye after you've stopped? It's history with this triceps-firming program.

The back of the arms is a common trouble spot for females. Although the triceps (the proper anatomical name for the waggly part) make up about two-thirds of the upper arms, they are somewhat underrepresented in the tasks of daily life.

Compared to your triceps, your biceps are something of a stage hog. Every time you bend your elbows, your biceps are pressed into service. They work particularly hard when you pick up something that's heavy ‑- groceries, files, kids, bags of pet food. Your triceps straighten your arm, and you use them when you push away something. But how often do you give them a workout by pushing something heavy? Although stuck doors and loaded shopping carts give your triceps something to do, unless you make your living moving pianos, chances are they could use a little extra attention.