Dear Sarah,

As the weather slowly gets nicer, it's dawned on me that I can't hide my little bit of winter weight gain under my warm, cozy sweaters too much longer. I work out four to five times per week and this usually consists of three step aerobics classes and two weight sessions. Can you suggest some ways to boost my workouts and get my body ready for less bulky clothing?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

It is great to hear that you have a regular workout schedule, but your body can become accustomed to a workout routine and thus it constantly requires a boost to keep your metabolic engine burning (rate at which you burn calories).

Here are three things you can easily incorporate into your existing routine to give you the boost you need to shed the winter weight.

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Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Sushi is a favourite meal choice for people everywhere. Yes, it's low in fat and full of healthy nutrients, but it's also associated with health risks -- so is it healthy or not?

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While you're at it, want some more easy tips for slimming down? Here are a few simple changes that can make an impact on your dress size.

Well, this just isn't fair -- surveys show that men have an extra hour and a half leisure time per day that women are missing out on.

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Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Will noshing at night pack on the pounds? Here's an honest look at how much when you eat affects what you weigh.

Had a little too much fun over the weekend? Grab some sparkling water -- bubble drinks will help ease the pain.

Don't fear the frozen foods aisle -- studies show that some frozen veggies are actually healthier than fresh ones.

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Now that spring is on the way, it's probably a good idea to clean out your bathroom drawers and medicine cabinet.

To answer the question posed in the title, no, it doesn't; the opposite is true.

Please don't shoot the messenger.

I'm a big fan of exercise for a number of reasons, one of which is that it increases the rate at which you burn calories, but this is just temporary; it ONLY increases the caloric-burning furnace while you're actually engaged in exercise.

Exercise enough so that you "get in shape" and lose a bunch of fat, and your metabolic rate drops. This means you will burn fewer calories while you sleep, while you exercise, while you watch reality TV, or while you do... other stuff.

Bummer.

Think of this: You're in lousy shape and you run a mile. You sweat like crazy, your heart races, your lungs burn etc. Your metabolism is operating at a high level because it's not used to this kind of crap, and your heart and breathing rates stay elevated for a while even after you stop running.

Next scenario: Six months later you weigh less and are in much better shape and you run that same mile. You hardly sweat, your heart rate isn't that high and you aren't breathing very heavy. Also, your metabolic rate returns to normal not long after you stop. Ergo, your metabolism isn't working that hard because it has become accustomed to the exercise.

Guess which mile burned more calories?

Find out more after the jump.

Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Trying to do it all? Slow down, Superwoman -- stretching yourself too far is dangerous for your health.

Apparently scientists have discovered a kind of booze that won't give you a hangover. Hello, what!? Sign me up.

Your weight, potential health risks, diseases ... new studies are showing all these things might be down to the kind of bacteria lurking in your gut.

Want to help your significant other slim down without insulting them? Here's some advice on helping your loved one get healthy with a few gentle nudges in the right direction.

Got puffy, sleepy eyes? Here's some expert advice on how to look bright-eyed at all times.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

A good rest has always been called beauty sleep-but how about a lean body sleep? New research shows that individuals who are not sleep-deprived have an increased capacity to lose weight and keep it off.

Sleep reduces stress hormones, important for fat loss. Sufficient rest and recuperation effectively reduces our stress hormone, cortisol. When we are sleep-deprived, cortisol levels rise. Cortisol controls our appetite, often making us feel hungry even when we have eaten enough. It also raises blood sugar and insulin levels and results in increased fat deposition around the abdomen. To further complicate the situation, high cortisol can negatively affect our sleep patterns, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep when we finally do go to bed. This increase in stress hormones also has detrimental effects on other aspects of our endocrine system, like thyroid gland function which governs our metabolism.

Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Keep you teens away from the computer and television -- studies show too much exposure to screens can affect how they deal with people.

Fad diets are typically regarded as dangerous, but according to recent research, they can actually help reverse artery damage in obese people.

Do small changes in your diet add up to big results? Actually, the evidence is pointing to 'no,' but good effort I guess ... ?

The Government wants to keep you safe ... that's why they've announced an Environmental Health guide to help make Canadians aware of environmental dangers around them.

Ever been told to quit biting your nails? Here's a look into why you do it ... and how you can stop.

Dear Sarah,
My regular exercise routine includes spinning, yoga, and weight lifting. On average I spend about eight hours a week working out ( I love to exercise!), and I eat a fairly clean diet full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. I am 32 years old, 5'6 and 150 pounds, and I when I look in the mirror I always feel like I could lose 5- 10 pounds. How do I know if I really do or if this is just a body obsession?

Thanks,
Ellen

Dear Ellen,

It's sad but it sometimes seems as though our culture is raised to look in the mirror and pick out our flaws, and for many of us, that means thinking we need to lose weight. Of course, excess weight does put one at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, so if you're wondering whether or not you're risk and need to shed a few pounds, ask yourself the following three questions:

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Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Have the Olympics inspired you to get healthier? If so, here are five winning eating tips that will help you eat like a real champ.

If you're planning to lose weight, here are six things you need to ask yourself before starting any diet.

Want to be happy? It takes five crucial steps.

Getting your eight hours of sleep every night? You better -- studies show that a lack of sleep actually shrinks your brain.

The Biggest Loser is a great show -- but is it a healthy way to lose weight? Some experts aren't so sure.

• Go for frozen fruit (berries only). Have a ¼ cup of these. It's hard to eat too many and, because they are frozen, you have to eat slower.
• Drink herbal teas. Those with fruit flavours tend to be more satisfying.
• Glutamine: Open up a 500mg capsule under the tongue to beat your cravings.

More tips, after the jump...

If you're not lifting weights, then you should be. And no matter your gender, it needs to be done at a certain level of intensity. You can't just half-ass it the way so many people do. If you decide to do it, get yourself a certified trainer and learn how to do it well.

Earlier this week, I wrote a post that busted the myth about how muscle mass burns extra calories, but it was not meant to discourage you from lifting. While gaining muscle is no magic bullet for fat loss, it has so many other benefits that I believe it should be one of the first exercises of choice for anyone who plans to get in shape, or for those looking to take their fitness to a new level.

Here are just some of the benefits of weightlifting:

Look Better!
Male or female, weightlifting makes you prettier from the neck down. Of course, this can be taken to extreme, but those bulging freakazoids you see on the cover of magazines with the word "muscle" in the title are almost always taking anabolic steroids. As long as you stay clean, you have little to worry about getting too big.

I've trained hard with weights for the last 16 years, yet at six feet tall and 175 pounds, I'm still well within the "normal" range for BMI. I certainly don't look like one of those oily, fake-tanned, body-waxed, Speedo-wearing, over-inflated aliens who participate in bodybuilding competitions. Even with all the effort at building muscle my wife asserts that I'm not too muscular, and she's not known for keeping her opinions to herself.

If you've ever lost weight in the course of a regular exercise program or playing sports, you know how much easier it becomes to run down a court or bend into downward dog or even walk to the corner store as you shed those pounds. So does that mean that the thinner you are, the fitter you can be?

For runners, it's been said that a one percent reduction in weight leads to a one percent increase in performance. But it turns out it's not so simple. Over at The New York Times, Gina Kolata tackles this topic (Slimmer Doesn't Always Mean Fitter). So how do you know when you're at the right weight for optimal fitness performance? And when does thinness start interfering with fitness?

Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Time to move to the interior of BC? Studies show that obese and overweight people have an easier time losing weight when they live at high altitudes.

In honor of Superbowl this weekend, Lemondrop is counting down the 10 best butts in the NFL.

Runners, you are not going to like this -- studies show that jogging might be a waste of time.

Does your digestion feel more like indigestion? Here are some tips to help get you back on track.

Do you eat 'clean' food? The issues is far more complex than you'd think, so read this before you answer.

After shedding over 60 pounds to reinvent herself and her health, Carole Carson inspired a weight loss mass movement in her hometown. Now, she's trying to encourage women around the world to lose weight and reduce their risk of breast cancer and other diseases. Here, she explains the link between breast cancer and excess weight, and the weight loss tips that finally helped her go from "fat to fit" after 40 years of failed attempts.

Q: What was your motivation for getting in shape and how did you accomplish it?

A: I stepped on the scale and it broke, taking with it my elaborate system of denial. My 5-foot-2-inch frame had reached 183 pounds. When the scale broke, I was forced to acknowledge that I wasn't simply pudgy or stocky as I'd told myself -- I was fat. In that moment of epiphany, I decided to get fit and lose weight. Equally important, I decided I wasn't going to diet but rather adopt a new lifestyle -- one I could sustain indefinitely.

I wrote about my makeover -- from butterball to butterfly -- in the local newspaper of my small town in northern California. Later, I invited friends and neighbours to join me in getting fit. Over 1,000 people showed up for the Nevada County Meltdown. During the next eight weeks, over 206 teams lost nearly four tons of excess weight. To encourage others to follow our example, I condensed what I had learned on this remarkable journey in a book, From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction.

Q: What is the connection between weight and breast cancer risk?