FitSugar

Should Yoga Be an Olympic Sport?

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:30:06 -0700

When I first started practicing yoga, my teachers made it clear that it wasn't a competition. So what if Peggy Pretzel over there could do Handstand Scorpion in her very first class? It's not your ability to do the poses that's important, but rather your intentions and emotions while on the mat. I can certainly om to that. But wait, what's this? Last weekend was the seventh Annual Asana Yoga Competition in New York City. Yoga competition? Sounds crazy, I know, but it's real. See for yourself in the video below.

Competitions like these are part of the movement pushing to have yoga included as an Olympic event by the year 2020. Yogis would be judged on their body proportions, grace, composure, and execution of postures. People will either see this as a brilliant idea to encourage men and women to get serious about their yoga practices, or as an oxymoron. So what's your opinion of competitive yoga and the notion of it becoming an Olympic event?

FitFlops Mukluks: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:02 -0700

From MBTs to Skechers Shape Ups, there are plenty of toning shoes shaped like sneakers. A few years ago FitFlops, the exercise flip-flop, debuted and the company has been rolling out all sorts of fitness-y shoes ever since. For Fall, you can cover your tootsies and tone your backside, according to FitFlips marketing copy, with the Mukluk ($140).

You can walk about on the "muscle-loading FitFlop Micro-wobbleboard midsole" wearing breathable shearling booties. Would you drop that kind of dough for a pair of toning shoes? Or would you rather spend the $140 on series of yoga classes or a couple of sessions with a personal trainer?

Blood Energy Potion: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:00:14 -0700

I consider myself a big fan of True Blood and Twilight, but I'm beginning to think the whole vampire craze has gone too far. I recently came across a blood energy drink and I've been creeped out ever since.

Blood Energy Potion ($6) is the same color and consistency of blood and it comes packaged in an IV bag. Besides an four-hour energy complex, it contains iron, protein, and electrolytes. It's suppose to mimic blood right down to its nutritional value.

This drink lets you play blood-thirsty vampire except you don't have to go out and kill anyone, and your blood is fruit punch flavored. I can't see myself sipping on synthetic blood, but it might be kind of hilarious to see someone drinking this at the gym. What do you think of this latest gimmick in energy drinks?

D-Mix Energy Elixir: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:54 -0700

There's a ton of energy boosting stuff out there - drinks, bars, gels, and chews, to name a few. Now there's D-Mix, an energy elixir that tries to set itself apart by billing itself as the "world's first customizable energy elixir." D-Mix comes in coffee and mint flavors and is a concentrated liquid serum, which, according to the website, you can pump into just about anything. They even provide non-alcoholic cocktail recipes that they think D-Mix will complement.

Each one-ounce bottle of D-Mix contains:

400 mg of energy (caffeine and guarana)
14 vitamins and minerals
5,000 mg of antioxidants
50,000 percent of vitamin B12
21 amino acids
23 fruits and herbs including acai and goji berries

We tried the mixes in our office, first on their own and then in water. Given all the stuff they're made of, I was surprised they weren't too medicinal tasting. Instead, they were similar to children's chewable vitamins, but with a fake-sugar aftertaste that sits on your tongue for a while. I think if diluted enough you'd probably not taste much of the flavor at all.

There's a little chart on the back of the bottle for the amount of liquid you should pump into your drink depending on your weight, but the idea is you can take in as little or as much as you want depending on your needs.

I can see how this product might take off, since the needs of a six-foot-tall bodybuilder are probably different than my own. But the slick marketing campaign and flashy packaging has me wondering if this is bad media hype. Would you use D-Mix?

Electronic Foldable YikeBike: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:29:51 -0700

If bikes were as ubiquitous as cars, the ozone might not look like lace. In addition to being a great form of exercise, biking is also a great way to deal with heavily trafficked urban streets. In case you don't want to pedal, but still don't want to sit in traffic, there is the YikeBike. This mini two-wheeler is electric, so there is no need to pedal. It has been redesigned in other ways as well. The handlebars are next to the seat so you sit upright instead of hunched over to improve visibility. The speed is limited, so it can only go about 12 mph (20 km/hour), even downhill. Being fairly new, this bike costs around $5,500 - considerably more than a really nice road bike. Check out this video to see the YikeBike in action.

Do you like the Yike?

No!No! Face Trainer: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:00:42 -0700

My friends over at That's Fit recently tried out the new Face Trainer by No!No! While the name of the company is silly, No!No! has been making beauty products for a while now - Bella reviewed its hair removal gadget.

The Face Trainer ($199) is a mask that provides resistance while you perform a 10-minute facial exercise series. Toning the muscles of your face with the mask is said to decrease sagging and wrinkles as well as improve skin tone and color. The tester at That's Fit could feel her muscles getting a workout - the mask and exercise series left her face tired, similar to the sensation when you hold a smile too long for photos. The device is approved by the FDA. While I like to think of exercise as a panacea to any ill, I am not sure working the muscles in my face will reduce the appearance of my crows feet. What do you think?

PETA Save the Whales Ad: On Target or Over the Line?

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:30:10 -0700

The animal rights group PETA has never been known for employing subtle tactics, but they are known for showing some skin.

Their recently unveiled ad, a billboard in Jacksonville, FL, shows some flesh - that of an obese woman in a bikini and they compare her to a whale. Needless to say, people are outraged by fat shaming tactics being used to promote vegetarianism. PETA stands by their ad and here are excepts from their press release:

A new PETA billboard . . . reminds people who are struggling to lose weight - and who want to have enough energy to chase a beach ball -- that going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep them from looking good in a bikini. The ad shows a woman whose "blubber" is spilling over the sides of her swimsuit bottom . . .

Trying to hide your thunder thighs and balloon belly is no day at the beach.

What do you think of their tactics?

Source

Fried Food Ban at Hospitals: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:35:15 -0700

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what does fried food bring? Ultimately a heart attack according to many cardiologists. This is why more than 250 hospitals across the country are participating in the Healthy Food Pledge, which not only involves serving healthier fare in hospitals but using locally grown food as well.

This pledge means no more fried food in one New Hampshire hospital cafeteria. Although the nursing staff is lamenting the lack of "chicken finger Monday," the staff is sympathetic to the nutritious cause since patient meals will be free of fried food as well. The only drawback is emotional: french fries, the ultimate fried food, are America's comfort food. Hanging out in a hospital usually implies stressful times, so this ban will be forcing patients, staff, and family members to seek new forms of comfort food, which is maybe not such a bad thing after all.

This healthy food initiative comes on the heels of the smoking ban imposed by many hospitals. What do you think?

Skechers Shape Ups Shoes: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:00:45 -0700

If you're not willing to pay nearly $250 for MBTs, you might consider the Skechers version. Skechers Shape Ups Strength ($100) and Shape Ups Metabolize ($100) mimic walking barefoot, helping you tone your muscles and get in shape. Would you wear them?

Soda-Free Summer: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:00:49 -0700

I am not much of a soda drinker. After repeatedly reading that liquid calories are the bane of weight loss, I am not often tempted by soft drinks. Even the promise of a calorie-free soda doesn't sway, since diet soda is not really good for your health.

This morning, I saw this public health advertisement on the back of a bus, challenging folks to a soda-free Summer. Of course I think it is a great idea, but I wouldn't be giving up anything so it is easy for me to think it's cool. What about you? Do you think this a good idea? Would it be easy or hard for you to do?