FitSugar

Fit Tip: Be Seen on Dark Morning Runs and Rides

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:00 PDT

When I asked yesterday if the dark mornings were making it difficult to work out before work, a few of you mentioned safety issues about running in the dark. I agree with this challenge as I try to fit my runs into days with fewer hours of light. If you can't rearrange your schedule to move your workouts to a brighter time of day, you want to make sure you can be seen by cars, bikers, and fellow pedestrians. Wear light-colored clothes, preferably ones that contain reflector strips. If it's really dark out, a blinking LED vest ($35) will allow you to be seen up to a mile away. If that's a little too much for you, attach this Petzl Safety Light ($15) to your jacket or these Cat Eye front and rear lights ($30) to your bike. Once you have your safety gear on, you'll feel good about working out in the dark.

Fit's Tips: For added safety, find a buddy to run or ride with you. But do remember, just because you are wearing lights and reflectors doesn't insure that you can be seen. Take to the streets defensively and always run towards traffic.

From the Community: the Best Exercise You Aren't Doing

Fit Community — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:10:46 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin has shared a how-to on an overlooked exercise that everyone should be doing.

Running, cycling, squatting, jumping, curling, crunches, and lunging - you do it all, right? Well, the one move you aren’t doing is probably the one that can keep you doing all those things (and more), pain and injury-free for a lifetime.

What is it? Dorsiflexion. In layperson’s terms, dorsiflexion is the action of the foot that occurs when you pull your toes back toward your shin, engaging the foot and ankle muscles (the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus).

Weak muscles in this part of the leg can cause everything from muscular imbalances to an impaired gait and even tripping and falling (as we age, we lose even more strength in this area, which makes it harder to step properly), says Dr. Yoav Suprun, PT, Dip. MDT, a certified personal trainer, physical therapist, and owner of SOBE Spine in Miami Beach, FL.

Learn what exercises you should be doing to combat these muscle strains, after the break!

Organize Your Life: Weelicous's 5 Tips For Getting Mealtime Under Control

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:07:01 PST

It's no coincidence that dinnertime falls during the witching hour. While trying to make my kids a healthy dinner, I usually find one tot rifling through the pantry and another racing cars under my feet, until I turn on the TV in hopes of distracting them for 10 minutes so I can simply open the hot oven door without worrying that any lil hands will end up in there.

If this scene sounds familiar at all, then you - like me - are ready for a mealtime makeover. I spoke with kiddie-chef extraordinaire Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious and mother of two, for some simple, proven tips for getting the kids out from underfoot and up helping to make weekday mealtime run smoothly. Check out her tips!

Source: Weelicious

3 Things I Learned From My First Indoor Cycling Class

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:15:09 PST

Since it's important to vary workouts and keep the body guessing, this year I resolved to add indoor cycling to my usual running-and-weights fitness routine. I made sure to wear and bring the right items to the gym, but I learned a few technique-related tips during class that I wish I'd known earlier. Planning to try an indoor cycling class for the first time? Keep these three pointers in mind to steer clear of injuries and make the most of your workout.

Regularly shift your hands: To avoid stiff, sore wrists, be sure to move your hands around the handlebars by correctly incorporating the standard cycling hand positions. You should try to keep your hands slightly loose - no death grips necessary - and do your best to let your weight fall into your feet, rather than leaning your entire body into your hands. It's also important to keep your shoulders down and relaxed.
Keep pedal rotations pause-free: Aim to make each pedal revolution as smooth as possible so that you don't put any extra strain on your ankles or the balls of your feet. There's a natural tendency to pause at the bottom of a rotation - especially during standing intervals - so make sure that your leg and glute muscles stay in a constant push-and-pull rhythm. To achieve this, try keeping your feet flat rather than letting your heel turn up and toe push down.
Focus on technique, not resistance: As you ease into indoor cycling, don't worry too much about the resistance level on your bike. Instead, strive to stay moving throughout the entire class and learn to fluidly transition between the sitting and standing positions. Later, when you've grown more comfortable on the bike, you can begin to worry about increasing resistance and amping up your workout.

Your Winter Workout Woes - Answered!

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:09:05 PST

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

Baby, it's cold outside! But for those of us training, sans gym membership, or just yearning for some fresh air, we can't let the chilly weather keep us from an outdoor workout. If you find your morning runs too cold, have achy joints, or just want to make it through a run without wiping out, we hear you! That's why we asked Dr. Scott Weiss, clinical director and owner of Bodhizone Physical Therapy, your burning cold-weather workout questions. Read on below to see how you can have a successful workout no matter what the weather.

The cold weather makes my joints hurt! What stretches can I do before a workout to stop constantly feeling sore?

If cold weather is making you sore, the worst thing to do is go and stretch since you're more likely to pull a muscle or tear some cartilage. In the cold weather, the key is total body warmth. Spend a little more time warming up, by adding 5 to 10 minutes to your normal warm-up routine. Stretching while your joints are warm will then enhance flexibility and range of motion while also reducing your chance of injury.

Sometimes when I go for a run in the Winter, my toes lose feeling. Why is this happening and how can I fix it?

Most of the time numb toes are a minor circulatory or footwear issue. Try making a fist with your toes, or do some calf raises to get the blood pumping. Once you get home, be sure to elevate your feet to relieve the pressure. If tingling persists, it could be something more serious (like frostbite), and you should contact a physician.

I'm terrified of black ice. What are some tips to avoid it?

Make sure you stay focused on the heel contact portion of the running cycle in icy conditions. Oftentimes, we don't think about how we are landing our feet, and if even slightly unbalanced while landing on ice, you risk falling. If you live in an especially icy area, consider trail shoes, which have a better grip.

Read on for more Winter workout solutions from Dr. Weiss.

More from FITNESS:

• Oops-Proof Your Workout

• Immunity-Boosting Tips to Stay Cold-Free This Winter

• Get the 2012 Best Body Ever Plan

How to Stay Warm During Morning Runs, Minus the Sweat

Heather Dale — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:19:01 PDT

So long sweltering Summer, and hello crisp, cool Fall! I find that the drop in temperature this time of year inspires me to get back on track with my morning runs. Problem is, seasonal weather changes can make it tricky to dress appropriately. For a smooth transition to Fall, here are some gear tips to keep you dressed for running success.

Dress like it's 20 degrees warmer. The actual temperature when you start your run is going to feel quite warmer once your heart rate rises, which is why it's important to factor in an extra 20 degrees. This way you'll never overdress. And you can always use this handy tool on Runner's World's site, which tells you the right running clothes to wear for the current weather conditions in your city.
Layer up. Layering is key during the Fall season. You don't want to be freezing as soon as you start your run, so wearing the proper clothes will prevent this. As soon as you start heating up, you can undo zippers, roll up sleeves, or tie your windbreaker around your waist (I like fairly fitted ones so they aren't a pain to keep tied on my hips).

Find out what factor is most important.

Dry Cleaning Dos and Don'ts

SavvySugar — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:43:35 PST

Tough-to-clean sequins and silk shine this time of year, which means regular trips to the dry cleaners. Since the fancy fabrics tend to be used for more expensive items, it's important to care for them correctly. Keep your party wear in celebratory shape by following these essential tips.

Don't bring a giant basket of inside-out items into a random cleaners. You should research beforehand to be sure that the business is reputable and well-established.
Do take stock of your clothing before making the trip. Check to see that all items are right-side-out, yes, but also inspect the tags and take note of any special care instructions.

Don't simply drop your bundle and go. Sure, you have plenty of other things on your to-do list, but it's worth taking the extra time to confirm that your clothing is tended to properly.
Do get to know your dry cleaner. Spend a few extra minutes talking to the person in charge to discuss any concerns and ask about available deals that may cut costs.

Don't shove your ticket to the bottom of your purse. It will inevitably fall into the deepest depths of your bag where the gum wrappers reside until you throw it all away a few days later.
Do keep the ticket in your wallet. Leave it in a place that you look through daily so that you remember to pick up your order on time. If you leave your clothes at the cleaners for too long, you run the risk of pieces getting lost.

Don't immediately hang the clean clothes in your closet. Yes, it's annoying to deal with the plastic wrap, but dry cleaning is a chemical-filled process, and you'll be exposing those chemicals to the rest of your wardrobe.
Do remove the wrap right away. Once the items are uncovered, slide them onto your own hangers and hang the pieces in an area with regular ventilation. It's important to let the clothes air out to ensure that the fabric is chemical-free and ready to wear.

End-of-the-Year Tipping Cheat Sheet

LearnVest — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:15:42 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

But before you rest on your laurels, let’s tackle one of the trickier holiday practices: end-of-year tipping for the service people who regularly help you.

They help you when you’re struggling to get a package in the door. They fix your leaky faucet before it becomes a flood. They brave rain and snow to get you your mail every day.

All around us, there are real-life angels - our manicurist, doorman, superintendent and more - who make our lives easier just by doing their jobs with care and pride.

So, at the end of the year, we want to thank them for their great service. And the best way to do that is to give them an end-of-year gift, which can be an actual present or a cash tip.

But if you were to indiscriminately tip all the service people in your life, you could easily end up in the red. It might sound easy enough to keep an informal running tally of how much you’ll tip each person, but that type of mental accounting can be bad for your budget. Here’s why.

Before You Start Stuffing Envelopes . . .

Here a few helpful guidelines you can use in deciding who to tip and how much.

First, weigh the quality of service. This means that you should prioritize those who have provided you exceptional service this year, like the super who dug you out after the surprise blizzard.

Read on for more.

Nutrition Myths That Can Cause Weight Gain

Shape — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:04:23 PST

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

Myth: Going Vegan Will Make You Lose Weight
"While various research shows that vegetarians and vegans, on average, consume fewer calories and less fat than omnivores (a 2009 Oxford study found that vegetarians weigh 3 to 20 percent less than their meat-eating counterparts, and a National Cancer Institute study found that subjects who consumed four ounces or more of red meat weekly were 30 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate less), these numbers may be misleading," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a certified nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You.

Going vegan solely for weight loss can backfire, big time. If you aren’t vigilant with a vegan diet, it’s easy to lack in vital nutrients, vitamins, and proteins, which give you energy and help keep your metabolism stoked. Many first-time vegans may also find themselves reaching for more processed foods like vegan cookies, chips, or even ‘ice cream’ more often with such a restricted diet, and many end up packing on the pounds instead.

If you do decide to adopt a vegan diet, be sure to keep the ‘treats’ to a minimum and plan balanced meals (we love ‘Domestic Vegan’ Diva Jessica Olson’s tips for "going veg"). "Aim to get about 10 to 20 percent of your calories from protein (or about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight), replacing animal protein with healthy plant proteins, like those found in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products," Batayneh says. "And, whether you are vegan or not, eating more green, leafy vegetables is great for your health and your waistline."

See which other diet habits may also being causing weight gain after the break!

3 Important Reasons to Run Outside This Fall

Leta Shy — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:00:40 PDT

Gone are the searing Summer days that forced you to find refuge inside a gym, but before long there will be stormy skies to thwart any outdoor exercise plans. Before Winter arrives, here are three reasons to get off the treadmill and get on the trail.

Burn more calories. You go outside, run the same distance you usually run on the treadmill, and wonder why you seem so much more out of breath. The fact is, the treadmill helps propel you forward by pulling your legs back as you run, and the lack of wind resistance helps you, too. Without that extra help while you pound the pavement, you burn more calories running outside than on a treadmill - about five percent more, according to studies.

Become a better runner. In addition to burning more calories, that wind at your face and those obstacles at your feet can make you work harder during your outdoor route, which means you'll see improvements in your endurance and stamina much faster than if you stuck to your treadmill. If you're training for a race, want to increase your endurance, or otherwise want to up your runner's game, it's essential that you incorporate a few days of outdoor running into your normal schedule.

Beat the monotony. I love a good treadmill session for catching up on Bravo reruns, but sometimes you just can't stand another 30 minutes of channel surfing (or staring at the wall). Running outside can turn boredom into fun, and you may be amazed at how much scenery you're missing when you're in a car or on the bus. Plus, you can download a smartphone app to track your progress, pace, and route without having to stare at a countdown the whole time.

Whether you're new to running or just new to running outside, here are five important tips for beginning runners.