Since the current topic here at FTBE is food, I figured I could keep up the trend.

Diet is the second deciding factor in overall health and fitness (first is genetics), and the word itself is enough to make most people run in fear. While it actually is just a term for what you eat, most people are reminded of starvation or fad diets that fail miserably.

You can, however, diet without depriving yourself - of either quantity or taste. Dieting is just a matter of eating better and smarter!

Tip: Instead of eating three large meals, aim for smaller portions more often. Keeping meals around 400 calories and making sure to eat every four hours will help you maintain energy, keep you full, and give you a healthy calorie count every day.

( A few delicious recipes for you to try )

Remember when your mother used to get on your case about slouching? She may have been on to something.

In a world of computers and text messaging phones, it's no wonder chiropractor are so popular. Most of us slouch when doing almost all of our daily tasks, and then can't explain why our backs are knotted later.

But recent studies show hunching over may be bad for more than just your medical insurance: it can lead to a host of health problems. Read on to find out what your posture might be doing to your body, and what you can do about it.

( Straighten up! )

Things have been pretty exciting here at FTBE.

Getting ready to move, uping the anty for Miss Hawaiian Tropic, working on a website and business cards, and finally getting an official portfolio together!

With all the goings-on, I've changed my diet and workout routine to adjust as well; I'll be posting the details soon.

One subject that comes up constantly in fitness and diet is organic food. It's a highly debated topic, and with good reason.

Doctors advocate an all-organic diet. But of course they do: it's easy for doctors, who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, to say you should buy a $7 gallon of organic milk. Most of us, however, can't really afford an entirely organic diet.

What these doctors won't tell you is that you can make a dramatic lifestyle change simply by switching only some of the biggest culprits to organic - and that there are several foods that it really isn't necessary to do so. By making just a few changes, you can still have a reasonable grocery tab while reducing your intake of pesticides and hormones by up to 80% (see Environmental Working's Group).

So what's the dish?

( What You Should Buy Organic )

So what about foods you don't have to buy organic? Save your grocery list and your pocketbook by checking out the list below.

( Fifteen Clean Foods )

A large part of being healthy is diet, and it's one thing most people neglect. These are usually the people you see who are in the gym everyday, but never show improvement.

Why? Because they haven't changed their diet.

Dieting isn't about depriving yourself of foods you enjoy. It's about moderating them, and making sure eating healthy is the "norm". By eating healthy most of the time, you can feel confident about that occasional cheeseburger and fries.

( An outline. )

It's been a while since I have posted because life has been kind of hectic. Between looking for a new job, getting my husband geared up for the new school year and celebrating my first wedding anniversary, it's been busy, busy, busy for FTBE.

On to fit matters.

My current goal is a simple one: a conscious effort to drink more water.

This is something I've always known I was neglecting. I'm terrible about drinking water, even though it's one of the most important components of any diet, if not the most important. If you think about it, you can go for several weeks without food, but can only survive an average of one week without water.

Water keeps your body hydrated. It also helps prevent premature aging in the skin, improves skin appearance overall, and helps with digestion. It's a crucial element of fitness that is often overlooked.

So this is my goal. I want to drink at least three bottles of water a day. Four would be ideal, but it's best to start small and work my way up rather than set a large goal I may not be able to meet to begin with.

Part Two: Weight training
What it is: A science-based workout proven to increase muscle mass and reduce fat
How it works: Using a variety approach, this workout trains all over. Cardio and weight training are used to double your burn and firm trouble areas on women while boosting circulatory health.

The weight training portion is used to tighten those trouble areas. So you've burned off the fat and you feel great. Unfortunately, your fight isn't over. You need to build muscle to smooth and firm your body.

( How It's Done )

Part One: Cardio
What it is: A science-based workout proven to increase muscle mass and reduce fat
How it works: Using a variety approach, this workout trains all over. Cardio and weight training are used to double your burn and firm trouble areas on women while boosting circulatory health.

The cardio portion in this workout is used to burn off fat using interval training. Interval training works because it is a double attack: it uses different speeds to force your muscles to work against each other, and the stair-step approach helps acclimate you to intense cardio without burning you out or causing injury.

( How It's Done )

The product: Murad Firm and Tone Gift Set
What it is: A set of three of Murad's products, the Activating Body Scrub, Firm and Tone Serum, and Body Firming Cream
What it claims to do: A three-point attack to reduce the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks
Verdict: Recommended

( Read the full review here )

Where can I get it?: After a few hours of searching, I've decided you can't purchase the gift set I bought anymore. However, you can purchase these products separately at Sephora and Murad.

Fitness Statistics

Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 123 pounds
Measurements: 34-22-37

My best feature is: My abs.
My worst feature is: My legs.
My favorite feature to work out is: My legs, because it makes my feel powerful.
My least favorite feature to work out is: My chest and arms, because they get really sore and stay that way for DAYS!
My favorite move is: Squats, butt crunches, crunches.
My least favorite move is: Benchpress.
I love: Weightlifting and stretching.
I hate: Cardio! It takes ages and it's boring.

My favorite supplement: Chocolate or french vanilla whey protein.
My least favorite supplement: Orange protein and L-cartinine pills.
What I swear by: WATER.

I'm not sure exactly what I think about this one.

Hydroxycut voluntarily recalled fourteen of their products after 23 reports filed with FDA concerning liver injuries ranging from jaundice to death. The company, along with the FDA, is now urging everyone taking their product to stop doing so.

First, I would like to hand it to Muscletech for voluntarily recalling their own product. They did this because of their own reputation as a company that provides safe, quality products.

But I also have to wonder exactly what caused the injuries that led to these reports? Was it really the product?

I have used an "energy powder" by Hydroxycut myself. I have never had any problems with it. My husband has also used Hydroxycut pills; in fact, I'm staring at his bottle right now. We never had any issues.

I think what concerns me the most is that the people who always purchased Hydroxycut seemed to think they could just take the pills and magically drop pounds. The product itself won't make you lose weight. It is only an aid to help you exercise, which is what makes you lose the weight, not the product. It even says on the label that you should not use Hydroxycut when you are not exercising or if you are not physically active.

Also, if you read the label, it says you need to be drinking at least 80 ounces of water per day while using the product. That is more than the cookie-cutter "eight glasses a day" 64 ounces recommended by most doctors. And reality is, most people don't even drink HALF of that 64, much less 80.

So is it the product's fault? Or is it user error?

I have other journals in addition to this one.

This one, however, will be focused on one of my favorite things: fitness.

Entries will be centered around fitness; there will be workouts, product reviews, and anything else I can offer. Hopefully you'll find something that will help you with your own goals!