Las Vegas is extremely hot during the summer and brutally cold during the winter. But it does offer some great outdoor running options. Below are the top three places to run in Las Vegas:

1. The Strip - Las Vegas Boulevard is one of the most populated streets in America every day of the year. Early morning runs offer great views of the casinos and tremendous people watching. There’s always something going on no matter what time of day you choose to run. Motivation seems to be at its peak during your entire run. I recommend a round trip run starting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, heading north until you hit the Sahara Hotel & Casino. After returning to the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino you should have run a little over seven miles. Good luck and have fun!
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Las Vegas, Nevada is one of the fittest and most health-conscious cities that I have ever lived. With a population of just more than 600,000, Sin City has a plethora of amazing fitness facilities that are jam-packed morning and night.

One of the most booming health clubs is the Las Vegas Athletic Club. It has six clubs in the Las Vegas area and each one has a steady membership base. It’s a step above most health clubs due to the hundreds upon hundreds of cardiovascular machines equipped with either personal televisions or cardio theater. It also offers a large variety of the best weight training machines, indoor running track, indoor pools, and tons of fitness classes for all fitness levels. For only $22 a month, this Vegas health club can’t be beat.
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In Monday night’s episode of DietTribe, Lifetime’s new reality show that chronicles five girlfriends’ 90-day journey to lose 30 pounds, the girls headed to Sin City for a night of fun, glamour and glitz.

Even though the girls were left unsupervised by their trainer Jessie and their motivational coach, Stacy, they did a commendable and impressive job at avoiding all the extravagant all-you-can-eat buffets that are part of Vegas’ signature charm and indulgence. Instead, they were treated to a gourmet, low-fat, low-calorie full-course meal by the Canyon Ranch Grill, which blends culinary excellence with nutritional wisdom.

The DietTribe feasted on lamb sausage, roasted fennel and peppers, duck breast and shrimp and goat cheese ravioli. Best of all was that the girls were told how many calories were in each meal before digging in. Most of the dishes had less than 300 calories per plate and what they lacked in fat, they made up for in taste. A few of the DietTribe actually got a bit weepy over how amazing the food tasted.
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While rising gas prices is generally seen as a negative thing, there are a few good side effects associated with it is as well. Firstly, it helps ween people off of gas guzzling vehicles. But another one is much more surprising: thinner waistlines.

The expense of filling up at the pump has gotten to the point where people are opting to walk or ride a bike, and hence, losing weight. Bike shops across the United States are reporting record sales, and Britain is even promoting a national “Bike Week” to encourage commuters to pedal to the office.

According to research by Charles Courtemanche of Washington University in St. Louis, for every dollar increase in the average real price of gas, overweight and obesity levels in the United States will decline by 16 percent after seven years.

Looking in the rear-view, Courtemanche’s study also attributes the expansion of American waistlines between 1979 and 2004 in part to falling gas prices. Similar research published in the European Journal of Public Health found that European countries with higher gasoline prices tend to have lower rates of obesity.

The economic impact also has us eating out less, which is bound to positively affect people’s waistlines.

If there are any initiatives in your community like the Bike Week in the U.K. – let Diets In Review know in the comments! Tell us how you’re staying active and saving money at the pump.

This season is just cruising right along. Nine episodes and seven to go- can you believe it? Last night’s installment of Biggest Loser was bittersweet, because something I’ve wanted to happen since probably episode two finally happened. Mark went home. Big brother/ranch bully was sent packing following his most disappointing weigh-in of only one pound. Let’s get something straight, it’s bittersweet because while the guy worked crazy hard there were several things pointing to his exit:
- A promise he made the night they let Trent go home
- He has nearly broken his leg
- He’s pretty much maxed on weight loss, not much room left to go
- He’s not particularly nice
- I don’t see him pulling through as THE Biggest Loser

Mark’s farewell and the decision to cut him were probably the most tear-soaked ten minutes of reality television in the decade-long history of reality television. Some of the largest, manly-men on TV blubbering away like school girls being separated at summer camp.

This came after “Vegas Baby, Vegas!,” a one day trip to Sin City that Jay won for being Biggest Loser of the Week. Not quite the debacle Trainer Bob imagined and the Black team hoped for. Shinanigans certainly ensued, as they will when surrounded by casinos, a free suite, hot new suits and wives thousands of miles away. Danny boy recently turned 21 and fully intended on living up his first trip to the strip. I was shocked that Roger and Dan rolled into bed at six a.m.- and Mark and Jay were in the gym an hour later.

For the most part, they got in their exercise and minded their new-found healthy eating knowledge at the buffet. I thought it was hysterical when the black team tried to sabotage them my ordering room service of every deep fried, drizzled, carby variety.

Back at the ranch team, black team was working out like this was the weigh in that could make or break their future on the show. And it sort of was. Jillian pushed the entire team to lose no less than 8 pounds each- which made for the most brutal, painful workouts yet. It seemed to work for the most part. It worked enough that with the guys’ trip to Vegas and following their impressive weight loss from last week, Black squeaked out a win. Bernie won Biggest Loser of the Week- so I’m anxious to see what his prize will be.

The Blue team had one heck of a difficult hour working through the emotions of letting one of the brotherhood go- a bond so strong that they all got “Pride” tattoos in Vegas. In the end, Mark made his most respectable move yet by stepping up and letting them vote him out. That’s where the bittersweet closes, because he’d finally done something that made him appear like a nice guy. Plus, he was my Biggest Loser eye-candy. Don’t ask me why- I thought he was the hottest one on there. His at-home pictures make him look even better!

Cry of the Week: Jay voting off Mark. He’s such a sweetheart.

Quote of the Week: “Strip Clubs!”- Roger’s first comment after learning of the trip.

Next week: Another switcheroo I think. Looks like the teams might be put back together all as one.