Kimberly Garrison

I love a good salad. However, just because it's green doesn't mean it's good for you or even healthy. There can be loads of calories and fat lurking in your leafy greens. The typical Cobb, Chef, and Spinach salads can average between a whopping 1200-1500 calories. If you add a roll or big slice of bread with butter you are already at 2000 calories - and that's just lunch. Don't be fooled. If it taste too good to be true - you know it is.

Eating 100 grams of dark chocolate each day for 15 days lowered blood pressure in a recent study conducted by The University of L'Aquila.

Antioxidants called flavanols are responsible for the effect because it neutralises potentially cell-damaging substances known as oxygen free radicals. Read the entire story here Pak Tribune.

SHE'S FINE, fit, and bursting with flavor! She calls herself America's leading African-American nutritionist, and Rovenia M. Brock, otherwise known as Dr. Ro, is on a nationwide mission to stamp out obesity among African-American women one community at a time.

Last week, I interviewed the 50-year-old D.C. native on the state of black women's health, her book, "Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy," and more.

Like many, I've been a fan of Dr. Ro since she hit the scene in the '90s as the host of BET's national health and fitness program for black women, "Heart and Soul." These days, Dr. Ro is the in-resident nutrition expert at BET.com, where she pens her syndicated column, "Livin' Healthy with Dr. Ro." And I'm pleased to announce that Heart and Soul magazine returns to the stands this fall, featuring a new column, "Eating Healthy with Dr. Ro."

Q: So, tell me, what inspired you to pursue a career in health and nutrition?

A: Well, I lost my mother [when I was] 7 to stomach cancer. She was 51. She was overweight, smoked, drank and she never met a steak she didn't like. You name it, she ate it, pig feet, chitterlings, hog-mogs. She had a diet of excess. Between my mother and other friends and family I began to see a connection between diet and health.

Q: I see. So, your passion for health is like a tribute to your mother and other loved ones

you've lost. What is the current state of African- American women's health and fitness?

A: Generally speaking, our lifestyle sets the stage for disease. Sisters are suffering disproportionately from heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. This is largely due to the fact that four out of five black women in this country are either overweight or obese.

Q: Yes, I agree with you 100 percent, but I think there's a lot of denial in our communities. I'm deeply concerned about the future. What are the projections if we keep trending in this direction?

A. Devastation. In the next 20 years, if we keep trending in this direction, our families and communities can expect a shorter life expectancy, not to mention quality of life. The consequences will be major, impacting the workforce, economy, and the health-care industry.

Q: That's a pretty daunting picture, but the current data does seem to support it. In chapter seven of your book, you caution that "heart disease begins at six" and that 22 percent of African-American children are obese. Surely, this should be a wake-up call to us all.

A: Well, it should be because we are setting our children up for obesity and illness. In fact, doctors are now seeing fatty plaque development in children as young as 3 years old. We are in for a rude awakening if we don't wake up. Diabetes is on the rise in both pre- and adolescent black children.

Q: Not to change the subject, however, I'm dying to know what you thought of [comedian-actress] MoNique's beauty pageant, "Fat Chance"?

A: I like and admire MoNique as an entertainer and I applaud a healthy self-esteem. However, when you are obese you have to do something. When you have extra weight on your body, putting undue stress on the heart and all of your internal organs, you are setting yourself up for disease.

Q: Are sisters confusing beauty for health?

A: Definitely.

Q: What are some of the cultural myths and misconceptions that African-American women have around diet, health, and beauty?

A: Culturally we tend to live for the day. Our focus tends to be on the "quick fixes" like getting our hair and nails done. Get your hair done, get a couple of comments, and you feel good. Changes like diet and exercise require lifestyle changes. Focusing on externals is easier to do.

Also, our healthy body image is sometimes a double-edged sword. We tend to rationalize our behavior with statements like, "Hump, I look good in my clothes and there's nothing wrong with having a little meat on your bones." The problem is it's usually a lot more than "a little."

Q: Why do we tend to resist exercise?

A: Lack of time is the No. 1 reason. Sisters are out here working two jobs and managing single parent households. We take care of everyone else except ourselves.

Many sisters feel they can't afford a gym or a trainer. Ironically, African-American women spend a small fortune on the things they want: acrylic nails, hair, makeup, clothes and massages [61 percent more than their white counterparts]. But if money is an issue, walking in the park or the mall, roller-skating, and jumping rope are free.

Q: There are still a lot of misconceptions about weight and very little understanding about body fat. Briefly, tell me what you think a good body fat level is for sisters to strive for.

A: That's not an easy question, but 20 percent body fat would be good.

Q: Give me three nutrition tips to de-fat soul food.

A: Use herbs, fruit and vegetable juices in place of ham hocks, neck bones, and fat back. For the smoked flavor, use smoked turkey necks; it's very low in fat.

Q: Any closing thoughts?

A: Celebrate the greatness in you and care for your temple. Get more out of life by committing to living the highest quality of life meant for you.

For more information on Dr. Ro visit her Web site at . Ask Dr. Ro*

Ask yourself the following questions:

.Does my child eat fruit every day?
.Does my child eat vegetables every day?
.Does my child eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources
.Does my child eat only when she/he are hungry.
.Most of the times we eat together as a family without the TV.

Exercise Habits
. Is my child physically active everday?
. Does my child like her/his body?
. Do we exercise together as a family?
. Do I lead by example and exercise too?
. Does my child particpate in sports or have access to balls, ropes, or bikes?

If you answered no to three or more of the above questions your child's health could be at risk.

DON'T have access to a gym or weights?

No problem. You can still tone up and add some shapely muscle by using, you guessed it - you!

Full body-weight exercises can provide plenty of resistance to get you into world-class shape. Historically, body-weight exercises were the only form of weight training available. Even today, most military organizations use body-weight exercises to condition troops.

Body resistance, also known as somatotropic exercises, are excellent for decreasing body fat, developing control, and increasing strength.

Calisthenics, dance, and gymnastics are all examples of somatotropic exercises.

Additionally, body weight exercises can be performed any time and place you decide and they can be modified to all exercise levels.

So, if you're ready to tone-up, drop a few pounds, and fit into a smaller size, then incorporate my "10 for 10" body weight exercises into your fitness routine.

Shoot for 10 repetitions of the following 10 exercises:

• Push-ups. Hands down, push-ups are superior for developing an outstanding upper body. The standard push up, or "military push-up" as it is commonly referred, will tone your chest, the front of your shoulders, and triceps. A strong abdomen, hips, and back are essential to the performance of this exercise. If you're not strong enough to do standard push-ups, then modify to bent knee push-ups or wall push-ups.

• Dips.Standard dips performed on a dip station offer the ultimate solution for triceps that jiggle. Triceps are the muscles located in the back of the upper arm. Dips also target the upper back, core, and shoulder, and will test your balance and control as you try to manage your body weight while legs dangle in mid-air. Beginners and intermediate exercisers can do a modification of the standard dip using a chair or a bench with feet firmly on the floor.

• Pullups. Banging biceps are the pride and joy of all, novices and fitness enthusiasts alike. The bicep is the muscle located in the front of the upper arm and is generally the first muscle in the body to show definition and shape. Pullups target the abs, too. Go on, jump on those monkey bars and do a few close-grip pullups. An assisted pullup, hang pullup, or horizontal pullup are all modifications of the standard pullup.

• Wide-grip pullups. Similar to regular pullup, a wide-grip pullup is a compound movement, which targets primarily the back, shoulders, and arms. An overhand grip is required and hands are wider than shoulder width apart. Wide-grip pullups are tough and many will need assistance to tackle this exercise.

• Handstand push-ups. For dynamic delts, handstand push-ups are unbeatable. The handstand push-up is an advanced inversion movement. To perform a handstand pushup, position yourself a few inches away from the wall and kick into a handstand position.

Your feet will be against the wall as you bend your arms up and down in a push-up movement.

• Lunges. Lunges are multi-joint exercises that target the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the calves.

If you're trying to shape and tone your butt, thighs and legs, lunges are the answer.

This simple but tricky exercise can be done using just your body weight, or made more complex with bands, dumbbells, or a medicine ball.

• Squats. Squats are an excellent way to tone and shape the legs and the butt.

Similar to lunges, squats can be performed with body weight or with additional equipment.

If you are a beginner, use a chair or bench to assist with your squats.

• Jumping jacks. If you are pressed for time and want to add some cardio to your routine, then jumping jacks are required.

Besides getting the heart pumping, jumping jacks work balance and coordination, too.

• Squat thrust. Second to jumping rope, the squat thrust is my favorite multipurpose, full-body exercise.

To execute the squat thrust, start from a standing position with feet together. Squat down and place hands on the floor in front of you. Kick feet back behind you landing in the push-up position. Jump feet back in and stand up. That is the completion of one squat thrust.

You can modify the squat thrust by walking your feet out and in and coming to a complete stand.

• Jump rope. The jump rope is the master-blaster.

Six minutes of jump rope at a speed of 120 rpms is equivalent to 30 minutes of jogging.

Jump rope is the most efficient cardiovascular exercise; it trains every muscle in the body, and blasts more calories per hour than any single exercise.

No more excuses.

Bootstrap your way to fitness by mastering your body weight, one exercise at a time. *

Working with women seeking to change their lifestyle, I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon. Often times when a woman decides to really commit to changing her life through fitness she receives a lot of resistance from friends and family. The more she accomplishes the more non-supporters attempt to undermine her achievements with comments such as: “Oh, you’re starting to look like a man” or “You’re losing your femininity”. What is that all about? Don’t hate - Appreciate!

Many are super-sized with excess calories and fat

I LOVE GREENS, and I usually eat a salad at least once a day. Really, what could be healthier? Salads are low in calories, delicious and nutritious, right?

Well, that depends on what's in them. Just because it's called "salad" doesn't mean the meal is low in calories or even nutritious.

As we did with burgers and muffins, we have managed to super-size and fatten up the honorable salad, especially on restaurant menus. Boston Market's Chicken Caesar Salad, for example, has 800 calories and a whopping 62 grams of fat - practically a day's worth. That's also 200 more calories and 31 more fat grams than a Big Mac, according to a recent study by Consumer Reports.

Here are five popular salads that may be sabotaging your health and fitness.

• Chicken Caesar salad: According to the "standard recipe" listed on its Web site, the Cosi restaurant chain estimates its chicken Caesar contains 641 calories and 48 grams of fat. Add that irresistible hot bread (265 calories) on the side, and you're looking at a grand total of 906 calories. The salad also has 149 milligrams of cholesterol and 934 grams of sodium.

• Chef's salad: Even calculating the numbers with half the salad dressing, a typical chef's salad has 900 calories and 71 grams of fat, according to the book "Restaurant Confidential" by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit education and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.

• Cobb salad: With its generous portions of chicken, bacon, blue cheese and avocado, the typical Cobb salad could easily set you back 1,200-plus calories and 90 grams of fat. Yeah, that salad's like a heart attack on a plate.

• Spinach salad: Spinach is the king of vegetables, full of nutrients and packed with flavor, not calories. However, a spinach salad layered with bacon, hard-boiled egg yolks and high-fat dressing is a recipe for clogged arteries.

• Chicken finger salad: A typical four-piece chicken finger appetizer is roughly 600 calories and 40 grams of fat. Throw that on some lettuce, add cheese and salad dressing, and you're asking for trouble. Trust me, you don't want to know the calorie total for this lethal combo!

Make it healthy

So what can you do to cut calories and fat from salads?

• If a salad comes with cheese, meat and nuts, select just one or ask for half-servings of each. These items are high in protein as well as fat.

• Always ask for your dressing on the side and dip or drizzle it on with a fork. This will save hundreds of calories. Most restaurants use 2 or more ounces of dressing. Two tablespoons is the recommended serving size.

• Remember, most restaurant servings are two to three times the recommended size. For instance, the recommended serving of chicken is 3 ounces, but restaurants usually give you 6 to 9 ounces. That doubles and triples fat and calories.

• Mix your greens. Try romaine, spring mix, arugula, radicchio or spinach.

• Instead of meat and cheese, use beans and whole grains like quinoa and couscous on your salads.

• Tease your palate with zesty fruits, colorful vegetables and nuts for texture. (But remember, a portion of nuts equals just one ounce.)

• Many restaurants serve bread or rolls with salads. The warm, chewy bread may be comforting, but if you're trying to lose a few pounds, ditch the dough.

Eating wisely

The federal government does not require restaurants to provide full nutritional information, according to CSPI, nor are independent laboratory menu analyses required.

Restaurants like T.G.I. Friday's may list nutritional information on their menus, but even that must be read carefully. For example, "net carbs" are given for some items, but that doesn't mean they aren't loaded with fat and calories.

As for items that are labeled "low-calorie," the numbers sometimes tell a different story. On the T.G.I. Friday's low-calorie menu, Santa Fe Chicken Salad and Bruschetta Tilapia are each listed as containing 500 calories and 10 grams of fat. According to FDA standards, a "low-fat" serving should contain no more than 3 grams of fat.

In the end, you can't trust restaurants to police your diet or to provide precise nutritional information. Portion sizes may vary, and servers often don't know what's in the food they serve.

Especially when it comes to salads and other supposedly low-calorie, low-fat dishes, it's a case of diner beware.

If you keep losing and gaining the same 5, 10, or 20 pounds don't blame your genes. If the weight you lost eventually returned it's because you started slacking and sneaking in old unhealty favorites. Genetics counts for a mere 20% to 40%. That means your in charge by 60 to 80%. To keep those pesky pounds from coming back change your lifestyle permantely with exercise and proper nutrition.

MARY AND JOHN Johnson are beaming in matrimonial bliss. But just six months after the wedding, the newlyweds discovered they've gained a combined 25 pounds. Does tying the knot make you pack on the pounds?

Going by the research, the answer is a big, fat YES! Newlyweds gain more weight than singles, widowed or divorced people, according to Cornell University researcher Jeffery Sobal.

Mary Johnson wasn't aware of the latest research, but she was stunned to discover she had packed on 15 pesky pounds and couldn't fit into many of her clothes. Her husband had gained 10 pounds in the same six months.

They aren't the exception. A two-year study of more than 2,500 people proved that couples gain an average of six to eight pounds, according to Robert Jeffrey, a researcher at University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Single, fit and free

There are benefits to being single. Maintaining your health and fitness is one of them. For example, when she was single Mary consciously lived a healthy lifestyle. On most days she exercised daily for 45 minutes to an hour and because she was cooking for herself, she naturally ate less.

Now married, John continues to spoil Mary by courting her on the weekends with candlelight dinners. Then there are Sunday nights watching football and snacking on nachos, beer, pizza, or cheesesteaks.

Recommit to a healthy lifestyle

If you are recently married and find yourself in a similar position, then get back on the horse and recommit to a healthy lifestyle. That's what Mary did.

First, she discussed making healthy lifestyle changes with her husband. John agreed, so they went through the kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator, throwing out all the junk food. Next, they shopped for healthy foods, filling their shopping cart with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Third, they recommitted themselves to exercise and went to the gym a minimum of three times a week.

Spousal sabotage

Ideally, everyone would like to have a healthy "happily ever after" scenario like Mary and John. However, for many couples that won't be the case. Often when one spouse seeks to change eating habits, his or her partner will covertly or overtly sabotage their efforts.

If your spouse is less than supportive about your decision to lead a healthy lifestyle, have an open conversation and assure him or her that it does not mean they will have to change their way of eating but that you want and need their support to reach your goals.

Make exercise a family affair

If you can't influence your spouse's eating habits, perhaps you can encourage him or her to exercise. Make fitness a family affair and work out together either at the gym or outdoors. Bike riding, power walking, or a little one-on-one basketball or soccer is fun and healthy. If you have children, include them in the activities. They'll learn by your example that fitness is an important part of life.

Stay on point

When you have more gut than butt, you've got a problem. To keep yourself in check, pay close attention to your appearance, check your weight once a week, and exercise daily. Be prepared and plan your meals in advance. A few naughty binges can set you back 5 to 10 pounds in no time. And remember the two magic words for weight loss are portion control.