Fitness Buzz: Recipe Calorie Counts, Movie Music Workout, and More

Too busy to catch all the week's fitness, diet, and workout news as it happened? Here's a quick wrap-up of what was getting buzz beyond usnews.com.

Cookbook Recipe Calories Can Add Up
It's a rule of thumb that you'll save calories (and dollars) by cooking at home rather than going out. But as the Associated Press reported this week, portions and calories at home are on the rise, too. Research conducted by Cornell's Brian Wansink (who studies the environmental cues that encourage us to eat more) and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that recipes in the Joy of Cooking have seen their calorie counts per serving rise over the years. The seminal cookbook, first published in the 1930s, is updated regularly. All but one of the 18 recipes that have survived through all the iterations of the book have more calories per serving now than then, either because of increases in the serving size, revisions in the total recipe calorie count, or both.

First VitaminWater, Now Candy Nipples
Fresh off the publicity from its suit over VitaminWater, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is taking aim (not in the courts) at Topps and its part owner, Michael Eisner. The nonprofit, a frequent critic of the food industry, objects to the "candy nipples" on Topps' Baby Bottle Pop product. The Big Money's Daily Bread blog gives perspective on the issue, and New York University nutritionist Marion Nestle adds her own thoughts about Topps's business motives in her Food Politics blog.

Stairway to Heavenly Fitness
The New York Times writes about stair climbing as an inexpensive, efficient workout. The American Council on Exercise expert quoted in the article says stair climbing burns more calories per minute than moderate jogging or cycling without an incline. The story chronicles the difficulty many stair climbing fans have in accessing building stairwells in this post-9/11 world. It also mentions the various tower running races that are springing up. One famous race: the Empire State Building Run-Up. Over at Runnersworld.com, you can watch video from the perspective of its correspondent, who ran all 86 floors of that event.

Lots of Cycling a Route to Bone Loss?
Stair-runners won't share the dilemma of some serious cyclists, who face problems related to low bone density, reports the Los Angeles Times. While cycling is great exercise, especially for those whose joints no longer allow them to run and jump around, the lack of impact means bones don't get a load-bearing workout. That, plus other factors associated with the sport, can mean susceptibility to fractures. To avoid it, mix in some on-your-feet exercise and be sure to strength-train. (Here are 7 tips from the government's new fitness guidelines.)

Two Great Workout Ideas
Here are five variations on the common push-up, complete with video links, courtesy of DietBlog. Strength-training is great for you, and these exercises require no fancy equipment or a gym, making them part of a recessionproof workout. (I recently offered my own 5 ways your workout can weather the recession.) Meantime, in honor of this weekend's Oscars, the Fit Bottomed Girls offer a workout playlist made up of great movie tunes. Fab idea, since research shows that music can put a spring in your exercise routine.