FitSugar

5 Reasons to Exercise at Home

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:30:00 PDT

Me, I love the gym, but I know there are a lot of folks who despise it. However just because you hate the gym doesn't mean you have to hate to exercise.

Here are my top five reasons to workout at home:

It's open all the time. If you have a busy/odd schedule, think night nurses, or stay at home moms, you can fit it in whenever it works for you and are not limited to the confines of hours of operation.
It's not smelly. Gyms no matter how clean they are, always have the smell of a gym. So if you're finicky about smells, a home workout could be a good option.
It's any class, any time. All you need is a DVD player and a few DVDs and it's your choice what class you take and when. Don't like the instructor, turn it off and try something else.
It's just you. If you're not a fan of meat heads, toned bods or just other people in general, exercising at home means you're by yourself.
It doesn't require waiting in line for a machine. You can use the treadmill when you want and the only waiting you may have to do is the time it takes to pickup your clothes that are hanging off of it. Oh, and there's no 30 minute time limit!

I am sure you guys have your favorite reasons for working out at home, so share them in the comments section below.

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No Excuses! Try The Dailey Method No Excuses DVD

Angelica Marden — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 02:29:19 PDT

That lean and toned dancer's body is in thanks to Black Swan, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance and the growing popularity of Bar Method, The Dailey Method, and Body Bar. The differences between the systems may seem subtle at first, but each has a unique focus and avid followers. The Dailey Method, which has locations across the US and studios in Canada and France, has released its first DVD: No Excuses With Jill Dailey ($25). Like the classes, the DVD promises to help you get "longer, leaner, stronger, and more fit" and focuses on ballet bar work, core conditioning, light weights, and stretching.

Keep reading for four reasons you should try it and a video preview of the DVD.

When Kerri Walsh Doesn't Want to Work Out She . . .

Guest Writer — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:00:02 PST

The following post was written by Olympic athlete and mom Kerri Walsh, two-time gold medalist in pairs beach volleyball.

The weather is terrible and you're in no short supply of reasons to stay home and stay away from the gym. Here are some tips to help get you motivated . . .

State your fitness goal. When I'm feeling a little lazy I say out loud, "I want to be the best in the world." Sounds silly but it's true! Whenever I utter this sentence I drop my lazy attitude and fire up for whatever workout awaits!

When you find yourself looking for excuses to get out of your workout, hurry up and get dressed. Tie back your hair, put on your favorite leggings, tank and athletic shoes and start looking the part. Soon enough your mind will follow!

Trade a long, endurance work out for interval and/ or circuit training. My interval and circuit workouts are typically shorter than my mopeds traditional workouts. For example: I had a nasty little workout that absolutely kicked my butt and my lungs and my heart rate and it lasted only 5 minutes and 9 seconds. What was that crazy workout, you ask? I had to do 50 burpee/pull-ups as fast as I could! Yep, I dropped down into push up position, did a push-up, popped up into a squat position then jumped up as high as I could and did a pull-up on the pull-up bar. It was nuts, but so quick and so rewarding!

Be sure to catch up and read all of Kerri's great posts on FitSugar!

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:40:11 PDT

Eva Mendes shares her fitness, diet, and beauty secrets - Vital Juice
The ultimate hiking guide: a how-to on bringing your workout outdoors - Shape
Seasonal produce with superfood status - That's Fit
No need to get up! 8 challenging chair exercises - Daily Spark
9 foods with fat-busting properties - Self
Rise and shine! 5 reasons morning workouts rule - Active.com
Because your time is important - quick quinoa chili - (Never home) maker

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6 Moves to Say Goodbye to Lower-Back Pain

Self — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:37:54 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

We know planks and dead-lifts are great, but the real question is, how can they help relieve your aching back?

Back pain affects about 8 out of 10 people, according to the National Institutes of Health, and is one of the most common medical problems. It's costly too - in 2004, a team from Duke University found that treatment for back pain was estimated to cost nearly $26 billion annually.

A recent study from the University of Nevada found that those would walked backwards on the treadmill for 15 minutes three times a week reported less low back pain. But walking on the treadmill isn't the only option for relief; I asked Ian Hart, CSCS, co-creator of Back Pain Relief4Life and owner of EarthFIT fitness studio for simple at-home exercises that will strengthen the lower back, ease pain and help prevent injury in the long run.

Find out Ian's recommendation's after the break.

Break the Cycle of Yo-Yo Dieting With These Tips

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:30:32 PDT

Celebs like Oprah Winfrey and Kirstie Alley are no strangers to yo-yo dieting. For whatever reason, once people reach their weight loss goals, it can be hard to maintain it. Here are some tips to prevent the numbers on the scale from rollercoasting.

Lose weight the right way. Run far away from fad diets that offer quick weight loss, and instead embrace the slower yet more effective way of losing weight - healthy eating and regular exercise. You'll lose about a pound or two a week, but losing weight at this rate means it's more likely to stay off.
Maintain your healthy eating habits even after you reach your goal. Losing weight is all about eating a balanced and nourishing diet. So once you see the number you want on the scale, you can't just abandon your healthy ways and go back to chowing down bags of Doritos on the couch. You must change your mindset and take on this healthy way of eating forever. Don't think of it as a diet, but as a way of life.

For the other helpful tips,