FitSugar

Planned Parenthood Wireless: Powered by Working Assets

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 02:17:03 -0800

If you're unhappy with your present cell phone service, and you're thinking of switching, here's an option. Planned Parenthood Wireless through Working Assets.

"Planned Parenthood Wireless is a new choice for your cell phone service. By signing up for this service, you will help preserve reproductive rights, and ensure access to comprehensive family planning and medically accurate sex education for women and families around the world. You'll do something you do every day - talk on your cell phone - and you'll be helping Planned Parenthood as 10% of all monthly charges goes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, at no extra cost to you."

When you switch to Working Assets, Planned Parenthood will refund any termination fee you might have to pay, up to $175.

Making the choice to switch to Planned Parenthood Wireless is similar to buying Fair Trade chocolate or sweatshop-free clothing. It's a conscious choice to do something that helps to support a cause you believe in.

I know Planned Parenthood is sometimes considered a controversial organization, but if you believe in their mission then this is a great way to support them.

What's the Deal with The 100-Mile Diet?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:55:00 -0800

Another day, another diet. Or so it seems, but I actually like the idea of this new so-called diet.

The 100-Mile Diet is a meal plan that encourages you to eat only foods grown, raised or crafted within a 100-mile radius of your home. In a nut shell, even though it is called a diet, the goal is not losing weight, but I can imagine you'll end up eating way healthier because most of us will be missing a lot of highly processed foods (unless the Lay's Potato Chip factory is in your neighborhood). The mission of the diet: Local eating equals global change for a lifestyle that promotes sustainable agriculture where you live, while cutting down on the amount of energy and resources it takes to get food to the table.

I gotta say, this diet is great in theory, but it can get pretty tough and expensive. For example if you live in the Ocean State, I am pretty sure that Rhode Island's cattle market is not so booming, but boy you'll be loving life if you're into lobsters. Or what about the abundance of veggies (or lack of) during the winter in North Dakota? I know it may sound a little crazy but think about it...before highways, airports and the internet, it was a normal way of life. (Though the inequality of women was normal too and I'm not sure I want to go back there, but ah, I digress.)

Interested? Check out the 100 mile diet site to learn more and find what 100 miles means for you.

Fit's Tip: Things to think about -- Vermont maple syrup, Maine lobsters, Iowa corn, Idaho potatoes, California raisins, Wisconsin cheese...Try doing one meal first, then consider the diet.

You Asked: What's the 10 Percent Rule?

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Recently, I wrote about how to increase your mileage when running without exhausting or injuring yourself. I mentioned the 10 percent rule, and FitSugar reader TidalWave asked,

"Can someone give me an example of the 10 percent rule? I read it over and over and over but don't know how to implement it into my training."

This is a great question, especially considering many people's enthusiasm for running has probably increased just as the temps have. Plus the wide trails and fresh Spring air make you feel like you can run forever. So before you go from 10 miles last week to 30 miles this week, you must obey the 10 percent rule. It's a way to gradually increase your mileage while preventing overuse injury and allowing your body time to adapt.

If you need to see what this rule means when it comes to how many miles you run, then see the chart I made after you read more.

The 10 percent rule states: Never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent as compared to the previous week. Let's say you're starting off with running 10 miles (two miles each day). Check out the chart below to see how many miles you should increase each week. Most people run about 12 to 20 miles a week, so you can stop increasing once you reach your weekly mileage amount.

Week 11

	Amount for 10% increase	Total Weekly Mileage
Week 1	starting point	10 miles
Week 2	1 mile	11 miles
Week 3	1.1 miles	12.1 miles
Week 4	1.2 miles	13.3 miles
Week 5	1.3 miles	14.6 miles
Week 6	1.5 miles	16.1 miles
Week 7	1.6 miles	17.7 miles
Week 8	1.8 miles	19.5 miles
Week 9	2 miles	21.5 miles
Week 10	2.2 miles	23.7 miles
2.4 miles	26.1 miles
Week 12	2.6 miles	28.7 miles

Source

Dieting Concept: The 10% Plan

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:45:00 -0700

I am not sure which is more difficult, losing the weight or keeping it off. After research involving thousands of overweight to obese subjects, George Blackburn, an associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School, created the 10 percent plan to help people keep off the lost weight. Since the body unfortunately evolved to hang onto excess weight, losing it in stages helps combat the boomerang affect that can happen with rapid weight loss.

His plan works like this – basically you lose 10 percent of your body weight and then maintain that weight for six months before beginning another round of weight loss. For example, a person weighing 220 pounds would have the goal of losing 22 to pounds. Once the weight is lost, it takes six months for the body to adjust to that weight, or as Black burn refers to it, the new, lower "set point." As you lose weight you need to take a pause to let the complex mechanisms of the body recalibrate to your new set point. Once this recalibration happens, your body is no longer conspiring to maintain your predieting weight, but your new lower weight. From there you can proceed to lose more and stand a much better chance of keeping it off.

Sounds fascinating to me. If you are interested in more details check out his book Break Through You Set Point. You can find it here.

Source

Many Probiotics Short on Bacteria

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:09 -0800

With claims that they improve digestion, bolster immunity, and fight acne, it's no wonder that probiotic supplements are big business. Newsweek reports that sales of these supplements have more than quadrupled in the last 10 years. I will admit, I'm a fan these friendly bacteria found in yogurt and miso, but it's the quality of the supplements that's raising eyebrows.

Many popular probiotic supplements were tested by Consumer Lab, an independent agency that monitors vitamins, herbal remedies, and supplements not regularly tested by the government. The lab's findings are a bit startling. Some of the products contain as little as 13 percent of the amount of "viable bacteria" claimed on the products' labels, although most products do contain one billion organisms - the amount needed to register some health benefits.

When it comes to misleading marketing with these supplements, much of the problem stems from the fact that the term probiotics has no legal definition and can be used loosely by manufactures. Of the supplements tested, ConsumerLab ranked Advocare Probiotic Restore, GNC Nature Brand Best Super Acidophilus, and Jarrow Formulas Jarro-Dophilus as having the highest quality. You can buy a full review from Consumer Lab for $12.

Another Reason to Trail Run: Increased Calorie Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of trail running for so many reasons. It's peaceful in the woods, all those hills are great for toning your quads and booty, the shade is cooler and protects you from UV rays, and the soft dirt is easier on your joints than pavement. I also love that unlike the gym, I don't have to wait in line or be tied to time limits, so I can run whenever I want for as long as my feet will carry me. Running in the woods also means I can bring my pooch along.

As if I needed another reason to love trail running, research shows that choosing the trail over the treadmill or pavement burns 10 percent more calories. That's because the terrain tends to be uneven, there are hills to conquer, and also obstacles to jump over. So if you've been loving the treadmill because you're trying to avoid the Summer heat, now is the perfect time to make the switch and hit the trails.

Smarter Eats: Gwyneth Reminds Us to Get a Healthy Dose of D

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:31 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow's dishing out some healthy advice on GOOP this week - get your daily dose of vitamin D. The super-fit star points to Dr. Frank Lipman's healthy tips for getting our fair share of the vital D, who reminds us that, especially this time of year -when we head into the colder season and see less sunlight - it's even more important to supplement our diets with the vitamin, and avoid a vitamin D deficiency.

If you're wondering why it's so important, just remember that vitamin D was first recognized for its importance in maintaining healthy calcium levels for our bones. According to Dr. Lipman, it's now becoming increasingly apparent that we've underestimated the value of the vitamin, and a lack of it has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and breast cancer - to name a few.

Since we rely on the sun to generate the most reliable way of getting vitamin D, it's a good idea to up your intake of foods that can naturally deliver the goods - try fortified milk in your cereal, dried shitake mushrooms with your stir fry or salad, and wild fatty fish, like salmon and halibut. Just be aware that only 10 percent of your vitamin D intake can come from food, so to really eat smarter and healthier, it might just be a good idea to supplement with the active form of the vitamin, D3. Be sure to read all of Dr. Lipman's great tips, and until we see some sunlight this Spring, make sure you're getting your daily dose with fortified foods.

Tyra Gets a Nutritionist to Get Her Shape in Shape

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:17 -0800

You may already know that Tyra's made a lifestyle change, thanks to a little healthy competition with her girlfriends that began last January. While being more active and committing herself to regular cardio sessions certainly helped her tone up, an episode of Tyra's show this week reveals that her slim-down is in large part due to working with a nutritionist and drastically changing her eating habits. With recent studies debating that weight loss has less to do with exercise, and is more about food, Tyra's revelation seems a timely bit of healthy advice.

Overall, I'm totally impressed with Tyra's take on getting fit - proclaiming the episode "Get Your Shape in Shape," she emphasizes the focus on individual body type, rather than on being skinny, and offers constructive tips for shaping up your shape - like making a decision to get healthy for yourself and keeping a food journal to monitor what you're eating.

A true believer in the power of food, Tyra also claims that new eating habits put and end to her "stomach attacks," which she suffered from since she was 10, and reveals that her weight loss is 80 percent attributable to diet and 20 percent attributable to exercise - she didn't even hire a personal trainer. Are you a believer yet?

Photo Courtesy of Warner Brothers

Online Sale Alert: Lucy One-Day Anniversary Sale

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:54 -0800

When it comes to fitness wear, I love Lucy. This sporty company is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, not with cake but with a one-day sale. All day Friday, Nov. 6, you can save 30 percent on all regularly priced merchandise. Just print this coupon and head to your local Lucy store (here is the store locator ) or if you're more of an online shopper us this code: HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Here are few items I have my eyes on:

View 5 Photos ›

The Dieting of Mothers Visits Daughters in Eating Disorders

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:00:16 -0700

Parents model behavior for their children, whether consciously or not. A recent survey conducted by British teen mag Sugar (no relation to the PopSugar Network) found that a dieting mother can have unfortunate consequences for daughters.

Out of the 512 girls surveyed, ages 12 to 18, six percent had an eating disorder; that number rose to one in 10 among girls with mothers who dieted. Girls learn how to create a self-image from observing their mothers, and when mom labels certain foods bad and dangerous, her daughter internalizes the message. It has been shown that regular family meals can help prevent eating disorders, and when the female head of household removes herself from the ritual of the family dinner impressionable eyes are watching. Negative body image from mothers affects girls too. This is why I learned to stop talking smack about my thighs. Did your mom diet? Did it affect your relationship with food?