FitSugar

Why Weights?

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:00:00 PST

Some women fear strength training, but lifting weights twice weekly will probably not get you Madonna's arms. So don't skip it; there are many reasons to add resistance training to your fitness routine and here's a new one. Combo workouts that include both cardio and strength training are more effective at curbing appetites, which for most of us is a good thing.

Participants in two 16-week studies performed in South Africa and the US who combined aerobic and strength training elements in all their workouts had the greatest control over their intake of carbs, fats, protein, and overall calories when compared with groups who did these two forms of exercise independently. Recently we learned that running had a greater impact on appetite reduction than weight training, but now it looks like combined they are even more effective. Researchers feel that the one-two punch of cardio and weights somehow alters the metabolism making exercisers feel full sooner.

Next workout warm up with 20 minutes of cardio and keep your heart rate up with a circuit workout. If you need a workout to follow, I have a few circuit workouts for you to try.

Source

10 Post-Workout Snacks Under 150 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:40:22 PDT

Just as important as it is to fuel up before you exercise, don't forget to eat a little something once your workout is complete. (Your body needs a combo of protein and carbs to build and repair muscle and quickly recharge lost energy.) Don't go overboard and consume so many calories that it cancels out the ones you burned while sweating it out. Here are some ideas for post-workout snacks, all under 150 calories.

4 oz. lowfat cottage cheese (81 calories) mixed with half a cup of diced fresh pineapple (41 calories): 122 calories
One extra small apple (53 calories) with one tablespoon peanut butter (94 calories): 147 calories
15 baby carrots (53 calories) with two tablespoons of hummus (70 calories): 123 calories
One Horizon organic mozzarella cheese stick (80 calories) and 15 grapes (51 calories): 131 calories
6 oz. container of Peach Chobani Greek yogurt: 140 calories

Keep reading for more

Could My Post-workout Snack Be Making Me Fat?

Shape — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:37:39 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to nutritional consultant Mike Roussell, PhD, for some help!

Q: Could my post-workout snack be making me fat? I've read that chocolate milk is a great post-workout drink, but is that still true if I just took a beginning Zumba class (or did a similar low-intensity workout)?

20 Foods That Can Ruin Your Workout

A: No, your post-workout snack is not making you fat. In fact, quite the opposite. The holy grail of nutrition is to be able to preferentially send the nutrients in your food toward your muscles for energy and repair and not to your fat cells. Exercise is the one thing that can do this. Exercise causes your muscles' cells to actively pull sugar out of your bloodstream and into your muscles with much more fervor than any other time of day.

Find out if chocolate milk makes the best recovery snack after the break!

How Supermodel Miranda Kerr Got Her Prebaby Body Back

Self — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:17:28 PST

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

Sure, your chances of becoming a Victoria's Secret model may be as remote as winning the lottery, but looking like one is an entirely different story. When Miranda Kerr needed to tone up fast after giving birth to son Flynn with actor Orlando Bloom, she turned to FITiST celebrity trainer Andie Hecker to whip her back into supermodel shape.

"She came to me shortly after Flynn was born so we needed to I focused on pulling her abs back to Victoria's Secret model-flat and strengthening and toning her arms so she could easily and safely tote her growing baby around," says Hecker, founder of LA-based dance studio Ballet Bodies.

Their workout routine consists of Pilates fused with ballet techniques, a fat-blasting combo that burns 300 to 500 calories per workout. "Ballet Bodies is a classical ballet-based workout," she explains. "It's actually a workout that utilizes true ballet fundamentals placed atop Pilates, traditional personal training, and various cardiovascular activities such as jumping and kicking."

To do Kerr's postbaby arm workout at home, incorporate these four moves into your regular workout four to six times a week. Add one- or two-pound hand weights for "optimum muscle exhaustion and results." Get the workout after the break!

Jillian Michaels's Top 5 Snack Picks

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:20:00 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Don't you ever wish you could take a peek in the pantry or gym of the fitness and diet pros you see on TV to see if they really practice what they preach? We do, too! That's why we asked Jillian Michaels, celebrity personal trainer, author, motivational expert, and soon-to-be mom (!), to share her top snack picks that keep her energy high on even the busiest of days.

"These snacks are quick, easy, and they all taste good. Plus they're preservative-free, contain no trans fats, MSG, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners," Michaels says.

Hummus and veggie sticks."This is an incredibly healthy snack that's filling and tasty," she says. The protein from the chickpeas in the hummus and the fiber from the veggies will keep you satisfied.

One hard-boiled egg and one piece of fruit. This combo offers an ideal proportion of healthy fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

Barbecue or sweet potato popchips. "A serving of popchips is packed with flavor and a great savory, salty crunch," Michaels raves, and the 100-calorie bags are handy for on-the-go eating.

Read on for the rest of Michaels's healthy snack picks!

More from Fitness:

The Secret to Jillian Michaels's Amazing Arms

Makeover Mania: the Best Celebrity Body Makeovers

The Top 10 Workout DVDs of 2011

From the Community: Blake Lively Video Workout

Fit Community — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:38:11 PST

Want to get a long and lean body like Blake Lively? FitSugar reader FitFabCities developed this video workout based on a circuit from Blake's celebrity trainer.

Blake Lively is in amazing shape; she has great muscle tone while still keeping some curves - a combo that looks killer in all those fabulous outfits she wears. To get in shape for The Green Lantern, Blake worked with one of my favorite celebrity fitness trainers, Bobby Strom, who is also responsible for Jessica Biel's Blade Trinity body and Britney Spears's "Oops I Did it Again" body. Together, Blake and Bobby did lots of circuit training where they worked the core, then upper, then lower body. You can tone up like Blake, too, with this workout video inspired by those circuits . . . grab a set of dumbbells and a stability ball (or chair) and you are good to go!

Learn more about this workout after the break!

8 Tips For a Healthier Brunch

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:42:25 PST

Weekend brunch is one of my favorite meals, but with all the deliciously decadent foods to choose from, like a Belgian waffle smothered in maple syrup and whipped cream, it's easy to overindulge. To avoid having to spend the entire afternoon in a coma on the couch, here are some tips for making your weekend breakfast as healthy as it is satisfying.

Load pancake batter with fruit: Mix in at least three different kinds of fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, cut-up cherries, apples, or bananas. With all that fresh, warm fruit, you might even skip the maple syrup.
Don't stop at oatmeal: Any cooked grain makes a hearty and satisfying breakfast. Cook up some brown rice, farro, quinoa, polenta, or millet and add yogurt, nuts, and fresh fruit.

I'm just getting started, so keep reading to check out my other tips for a healthier brunch.

6 Weekend Weight-Loss Tips to Slim Down

Shape — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:44:06 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

After a week of spartan lunches, rigorous workouts, and sleep-depriving presentations, it's easy to feel you've earned a happy hour margarita and a plate of cheesy nachos. But topping off a tough week in this way can undo all your hard work and even pack on the pounds. According to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, women consume about 115 more calories on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday than they do on weekdays. "Those extra 300 to 400 calories can leave you nine pounds heavier by the year's end," says Barry Popkin, Ph.D., the study's lead author. Fortunately, when armed with the right advice, it's possible to avoid the most common dietary traps while savoring that delicious downtime. And you may even wake up on Monday a little slimmer. Not a bad way to start the week!

FRIDAY

Overdoing It at Happy Hour
Alcohol isn't only high in calories, it also diminishes resolve - making it harder to keep your hands out of the pretzel bowl.

Keep reading to see the solution to this and many more weekend dilemmas!

Gear Review: Ibex Synergy Tank

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:25:02 PDT

After posting the 10 Affordable Fitness Tops Under $40 slideshow, a few of my friends said they actually prefer tops without attached shelf bras. They want to be able to wear their sports bra to get the support they need without the oh-so unattractive uniboob. If you're well-endowed, I'm sure you can relate.

I've always been a fan of Ibex, and I recently got their bra-less Synergy Tank ($55), and I'm in love. To find out why keep reading.

Healthy Dose Link Time: How to Clean a Yoga Mat

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:09:47 PDT

Get the funk out! The best way to clean a yoga mat - Mind Body Green
The things you should know before buying athletic shoes - Real Simple
Cheap and healthy meals that cost less than a Lincoln - Fitbie
Seven steps away from a calmer, more collected you - Health
The workout routines that get celebs like Jessica Biel and Sandra Bullock ready for the big screen - InStyle
Ways to trick yourself into fitness - Fitness
10 ways to get fit without any equipment - Fit Bottomed Girls
Unusual flavor combos that add flavor, not fat - Daily Spark