FitSugar

Fit Gift Guide: Gym Rat

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:30:00 -0800

If someone on your holiday gift list has found a second home in the gym, then it's safe to say you have a gym rat on your giving hands. A buff bod can never get enough fitness accessories, so why not enable their healthy habit with these gift ideas?

Power Block: Help your gym rat get lifted even when he can't make it to the gym. These compact weights take up little space and can replace up to 37 pairs of dumbbells.
Perfect Push-Up: Always striving to get the maximum out of every workout, any gym rat would appreciate this gadget that puts less stress on joints during push-ups while engaging more muscles.
Nike Running Shoe Wallet: Anybody who runs to the gym, likes to travel to the gym relatively empty handed, or wants to avoid the locker room, will appreciate the ease of a shoe wallet. It holds essentials like keys or cards and simply clips on to shoelaces.

Fit Gift Guide: Avid Biker

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0800

If your brother, boyfriend, hubbie, or dad is into road biking, your gift options for him are endless. Nobody loves gear like cyclists, but I have found a few things the avid biker in your life would truly appreciate.

Castelli Hotflex Leg Warmers: Layering through the seasons is a must for cyclists. Leg warmers are a great way to extend the biker's wardrobe, and they help make the temperature transitions for all day rides, cool mornings to hot afternoons, super easy. Plus, how can you put a price on the joy of giving a man legwarmers?
Cannondale Morphis Shell: This jacket is just totally rad and converts easily to a vest. The sleeves come off in one piece (like a shrug) and fit easily into the back pocket of the vest. Attached with magnets, not zippers, the sleeves reattach easily. This jacket has a lot of useful pockets too.
Custom Bike Fitting: Many unnecessary aches and pains can be avoided with a custom bike fitting. Riding for hours at a time can create many overuse injuries, but having a professional help with subtle tweaks to adjust the bike to fit the cyclist can help keep a rider on the road for hours. You may miss your man as he extends his rides after the fitting, but he will be happy in the saddle for hours.

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Fit Gift Guide: The Golf Pro

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

I have fond memories of going to the driving range with my grandpa. To thank him for introducing me to the game, I wanted to get him some golf gear this year. If you have a golfer in your life, they might enjoy these gifts too.

Vineyard Vines Golf Tie: From far away, this looks like a regular tie, but if you look closely, you see tiny golf balls and tees. If you don't like light blue (shown), it also comes in mint green, dark blue, red, and pink.
ProActive Sports Pro-Circuit Putt Return System: This indoor putting mat allows golfers to work on their short game anytime. The best part is that when it drops in the hole, the ball comes right back to you.
Chocolate Truffle Golf Balls: Lake Champlain makes these dark chocolate truffles that are covered in white chocolate and dimpled like oversize golf balls. Three deliciously edible balls come in a gift box with ribbon.
A Good Walk Spoiled: Days and Nights on the PGA Tour: When the golfer in your life isn't on the green, they can relax with this book to learn more about the PGA tour.

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Fit Gift Guide: The Camper

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:00:00 -0800

My Dad taught me the joys of camping. This holiday season, I decided to celebrate the outdoorsy side of him with presents to help him out when he is roughing it in the woods. I think these gifts would be great for any camper in your life, from the seasoned camper to the newbie.

Coleman 2-Burner Stove: If you need to boil some pasta or beans while camping, this two-burner stove will cook your food fast so you can spend more time exploring.
Coleman Camping Coffeemaker: There's no reason you should go without your morning cup of coffee just because you're in the woods. This coffeemaker can make up to 10 cups of coffee, and can also be used to make hot chocolate, tea, or instant soup. The only snag is you need to use it with the camp stove.
Petzl Tikka LED Headlamp: A headlamp is a must so you can see at night and have both hands free. It weighs less than three ounces, requires only three AAA batteries (that are included), and lasts for 120 hours. The lamp body can be tilted to direct the light where you need it.

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Exercise, Weight Loss, and the Fat Burning Zone

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:50:01 -0800

Much has been made of late about exercise and its relation to weight loss. There was the Time cover story The Myth About Weight Loss and a recent article on the topic in the New York Times, which recommended working out in the fat burning zone.

You see the phrase on all types of cardio machines: the fat burning zone, aka the "weight loss zone," means working out at a lower intensity to burn fat as fuel. But these workouts also burn considerably fewer calories. I was confused about how we should all be spending our cardio time, so I took my questions to exercise physiologist Jason Karp, who also happens to be an avid runner.

When I asked him if we should all be scaling our workouts back and aiming for the fat burning zone, Karp explained that it's not the type of fuel your body is burning, but the overall calories that count. "It doesn't matter if you're using fat or carbohydrates. In order to lose fat from your waistline you don't have to be using fat as fuel during workout," he said. He offered up the example of sprinters; they don't train in the fat burning zone, but they're mighty trim in the torso. Losing weight comes down to math - you want to be in a calorie deficit to shed pounds and body fat. Higher intensity exercise puts you at a higher burn rate. To burn the most calories in a cardio workout, skip past the fat burning zone and work out with more intensity. To really burn up calories, Karp recommends intervals. To learn why, read more.

Essentially, interval workouts give you the most bang for your sweat buck. Karp explains that with "intense exercise you're pushing your body more out of homeostasis," that is, the equilibrium of energy the body prefers to maintain. During the few hours after an interval workout, the body must go through a recovery period, and a lot needs to happen to return to the body to pre-exercise levels. "You've got to drop the heart rate, synthesize glycogen for the muscles, remove lactate from muscle and take it to the liver," says Karp. All these actions require energy, which raises the metabolic rate for many hours after exercising. Thirty minutes of exercise at a low intensity doesn't place nearly as much stress on the body as intervals, so you burn fewer calories both during and after the workout.

Before you hit the track and start running intervals, Karp recommends building a strong cardiovascular fitness base and working with a trainer for guidance. Even if you're not ready for sprints, play with your speed during your next cardio session. Slow and steady might win the race, but intervals will burn more calories.

Source: Flickr User pistoldrawn

The Ultimate Date: Indoor Rock Climbing

Fit Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:32 -0800

Women That Rock (Climb) community members Spacekatgal and her husband Spacekatdude give you their take on why indoor rock climbing makes a perfect fitness-inspired date.

Spacekatdude and I are married, so we're always looking for fun new things to do. Recently, we decided to give indoor rock climbing a shot! We totally loved it! We wanted to post a bit about it for newbies.

We each signed up for a $160 class, which included gym membership for two weeks. We got free equipment rental and a really great instructor named Nate that taught us the basics, focusing on safety. We were taught to tie our own knots and how to "belay" your partner safely, meaning how to catch them if they fall off the wall.

I will be honest and say it's a real trust building exercise. I love my husband dearly, but I also know it's in his nature to be distracted. It was a little hard for me to put my life into his hands and trust him to catch me if I fell. Throwing myself off the wall for the first time was very scary - but I quickly learned that I could count on him for this. Working as a team to guide the other person up the wall is both fun and good for your relationship!

It's also a great workout. Within a few weeks of rock climbing, I've greatly increased my upper body strength. If you have moxie, I would definitely say it's a sport you should try!

To hear Spacekatdude's perspective, read more.

A guy's perspective - Spacekatdude here. Rock climbing is awesome. It's not just a physical thing - it's very mental, as you try to figure out set paths up the wall, only being allowed to touch rock outcroppings of a particular color - very challenging. Whenever we go to the gym there are a lot of women there, and it's great to watch those who love the challenge and love to push themselves, I think that's awesome. Our instructor Nate also told us that it was great for kids - one of the best rock climbers he knew was an eight-year-old girl, who showed him some excellent routes during an outdoor climb.

I mentioned that climbing is a mental exercise. This is because you have to constantly concentrate on what you're doing. If you go in mentally weak or lazy, bad things can happen: I read of some climbers who went to Half Dome at Yosemite, all ready to hammer in their own ropes to descend from the top. But there were ropes already there, embedded in the rock, and they just used those. As they climbed down, the ropes gave way, and they fell to their deaths. So laziness has no place in rock climbing.

Also, as you climb, it's important to remember to use your feet for power, and not to try to pull yourself up by your arms. So the mental challenge is to keep concentrating the entire time you're roping yourself in, climbing, and belaying.

Share your climbing tales in the Women That Rock (Climb) group and spread the love! Not a climber? Be sure to take a look at our other community groups - there's something for everyone!

Source: Flickr User Charlie Brewer

Elizabeth Hurley: Unlikely Organic Farmer

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:59 -0800

Off the top of my head I can't remember the last time I've seen British bombshell Elizabeth Hurley on screen, but for good reason - she's packed everything up Green Acres style. The former actress has left the high life of London to live on a 400-acre organic farm in Gloucestershire where she shares space with cattle, poultry, sheep, and pigs.

She's not stopping there either. This week Hurley launched an organic snacks line in conjunction with Harrods using ingredients straight from her farm. All the organic snacks are low-calorie (100 or less), low-fat and include beef jerky, oat bars, and fruit snacks.

The 44 year old married mother of one couldn't be happier trudging through the mud in a pair of Wellingtons and says that leaving London was the only way to give her son a healthy upbringing free from paparazzi "I would be bursting into tears and just be so angry. There is something about motherhood that makes you very protective of anyone coming too near your child, and the paparazzi did things like take pictures of him nude on the beach and put them online. It was disgusting, disgraceful."

Hurley says that the inspiration for her organic line came from her own experiences with fad diets. “It’s compulsory portion control. I’ve never been able to chop a Jaffa Cake in half and just eat one piece,” she said.

Gifts For the Fly Fisherman

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:04 -0800

Here at Sugar, holiday season is already in full swing - you better believe I've been making my list for who's been naughty and nice! To make gift shopping a breeze for you, we'll be offering up a bevy of gift ideas in the coming weeks for all the special fit folk in your life.

If you're like me, you have a man in your life that likes to fish. As a young girl, I always looked forward to weekend fishing trips with my dad, but I've since traded in my reel for a yoga mat and a day on the rocks. My dad is still going strong, though. Here are a few things I'm scoping out for him that may come in handy for the special fisherman in your life, too.

Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die ($16) Beautiful photographs and descriptions of the 50 best fly fishing spots in the world. This book gives the fish fanatic something to dream about, or inspiration for his next trip.
Tie-a-Fly ($22) Bob Henley's fly kits are an easy and inexpensive way to learn how to tie fly patterns. Each kit comes with enough material to tie 12 flies.
Gallatin Lanyard ($39) Every good fisherman needs to have his gear handy, and a lanyard is an easy way to keep the essentials within an arm's reach. It's padded with foam to keep the neck comfortable, and it has an adjustable length of nine to 27 inches.
Embroidered Clearwater Mesh Vest ($57) Even knee-deep in water, you still gotta look good! No fly fisherman is complete without his vest, and this one gets you remembered for the personal embroidered pocket.
Fly of the Month Club ($60-220) For three, six, or 12 months, the Fly of the Month Club will send that special someone premium flies right to their door.

Reasons to Try Mountain Biking

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:47:34 -0700

Road biking was my first taste of exercising on wheels. I loved the smooth terrain, how fast I could speed along, and how much distance I could cover, which made for great sightseeing. I never gave much thought to trying mountain biking, until my hubby persuaded me to go with him. I tell you, it's a completely different feeling riding on a woodsy trail than it is riding on the road. Here are some reasons you should give it a try.

It's the perfect time of year - the air is chilly so you won't overheat, there are no bugs, the ground is less muddy, and the foliage is gorgeous. It's a great way to celebrate Fall.
It's a major calorie burner. An hour of mountain biking burns over 500 calories.
You can forget about doing endless squats and lunges because mountain biking will effectively tone your thighs and booty. Since you have to pedal hard up steep hills, you really feel the burn in your lower body.
Once you purchase a mountain bike, cycling shoes, and a helmet, the trails are usually free, so it's a great way to stay fit during a time when we're all pinching pennies. Visit a bike shop and purchase an old model that stores are trying to get rid of, or check out Craigslist if you're on a budget.

To see why else you should start mountain biking read more.

It's a great alternative for people who say that running hurts their knees or back.
Since you're biking through narrow trails, over roots and rocks, dodging tree limbs and holes, you really tune your sense of balance. It also requires more awareness and quick thinking, so boredom just isn't an issue.
It's a great form of exercise you can do with a friend or whole group. Not only is there safety in numbers, but your pals can suggest new places to ride.
It's hardcore. I feel so tough after a ride in the woods because mountain biking is so challenging. I come home with scratches from branches, bruises from falling (since I'm a beginner), and mud on my legs. Aside from strengthening my body, my inner self feels stronger.

Tell me, have you ever tried mountain biking?

Recession Proof Your Workout: Beg, Borrow, and Deal

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:50 -0700

Despite Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's claim that the recession is over, most Americans aren't buying it. I'm not sure what you think of Bernanke's outlook, but the last two years of economic downturn have taught me a lesson in frugality I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

My husband bought a new bike recently - new to him anyway. After visiting nine different bike stores and confronting the truth that he could not afford to put thousands of dollars toward a bicycle, I directed him to Craigslist. Not only did he find the bike of his dreams, he ended up having a few to choose from. Within a week of looking he found a barely used 2008 Cannondale for $650, a bike he saw at a store a week earlier for $1,250.

I've used Craigslist quite a bit but never for pricier items because it seemed to risky to me. After this experience I'll be turning there when I'm on the market for something new. A quick look on the site yesterday showed hundreds of barely used elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and treadmills averaging around $200; that's at least an 80 percent discount off retail prices and has me seriously considering buying a piece of equipment for my home.

Have any of you had good experiences using Craigslist to find fitness equipment?