FitSugar

Look Who's Getting Fit For 2009!

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:00:00 PDT

With the new year came many fitness and health resolutions. That's why we decided to give away an amazing package of prizes - double gym membership to Bally's, a $1,000 Nike gift card, and a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa Fishback, author of the Daily Fix - to one lucky winner. Help me in congratulating the winning TeamSugar member, eswan512. She is well on her way to getting fit for 2009 with her slew of prizes. Have a blast at the gym!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest! Don't fret if you didn't win, because you can still get fit for 2009 and win a heart rate monitor to help motivate your fitness life. Enter to win a Polar FT40 by taking this short quiz after logging into TeamSugar. Stay tuned! Next week, we will be giving away a Polar FT60 heart rate monitor with GPS.

Enter Our Super Giveaway to Get Fit For 2009!

FitSugar — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:59:27 PST

I'm a big believer in starting fresh in the New Year, but those resolutions aren't always easy to keep. So to help you out, we're giving away a super-duper Get Fit For 2009 prize package worth more than $3,000. Seriously?! Yes, seriously.

One lucky winner will receive a year of personalized nutrition plans by nutritionist Alexa L. Fishback, plus a copy of her book; a $1,000 Nike gift card; and two annual memberships to Bally Total Fitness along with some great Bally's gear. To enter to win, just log in and take the quiz below by 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, Feb. 8. Your eligibility isn't based on getting the questions right, just on completing the quiz once you are logged in. See the complete rules here.

Question 1 of 10

T/F: It's proper gym etiquette to wipe down any equipment you used in your workout, especially if it was a particularly sweaty one.

Get Fit For 2009 Giveaway Ends Sunday

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:30:00 PST

Here at FitSugar we take New Year's resolutions seriously. Whether you call them goals or resolutions, we want you to succeed. We created a super-duper giveaway to help one lucky winner get fit and healthy in 2009. The prizes include all the tools you need to take care of yourself.

Here's the lowdown on the prizes:

A personalized nutrition plan by nutritionist Alexa Fishback: Alexa wrote the helpful book The Daily Fix, which is full of great tips for busy ladies. This month she shared her 12 healthy habits with us - just another way to help us all get on and stay on the healthy side of the street.
A $1,000 Nike gift card: Think of all the cool gear you could get on that shopping spree. If I won $1,000 from Nike I would pick up their new gym bag and some Zoom Sister One+ training shoes. One Sugar user said she would stock up on some Tempo track shorts, and that sounds like a good idea.
Two annual memberships to Bally Total Fitness: Working out is half the equation in living a healthy lifestyle. Bally understands that, and they also understand that you are more likely to work out if you don't have to sweat it out alone. That is why we are giving away two memberships. If you are ready to start that healthy living right now, here are 10 tips from a Bally Fitness Director to help you get fit for 2009.

The giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on Feb. 8. That is this Sunday. To enter just take this fun quiz once you are logged in. Just do it! And good luck.

Shawn Johnson Talks Weight Loss and Learning to Love Her Body

espnW — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:05:26 PDT

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

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow hers other Olympic hopefuls' journeys on espnW.com.

Four years ago, I was standing on an Olympic podium, wearing a gold medal, and still thinking to myself how I could have been better. It had nothing to do with my performance - it was all how I looked. Back then, I always felt like I could have been a few pounds lighter. But the irony is, when I look back at the pictures, I look unhealthy and too thin. It's easy to get into a trap as an elite athlete, because you're made to feel that you're never perfect, that you can always be better. That's how you improve in your sport, but it's also tough because you aren't satisfied with yourself ever - it's second nature not to be. I'd always think, "Just get a little stronger, a little lighter," until it was completely ingrained in my mind.

Shawn Johnson takes us inside training camp

It's easy for people to blame gymnastics for this mentality, but I feel like the sport has improved a lot. The horror stories we heard from generations ago (think Joan Ryan's infamous book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), you don't hear at all anymore. But I do believe it can improve further and that good nutrition could be a key to all of this, if it were only taught at a young age. Many gymnasts go into the elite level at 13 or so, and a 13-year-old isn't going to go to the library to read some book on nutrition! She needs to be given the right information on how to eat well. Otherwise, it's not until she's out of the sport that she realizes the damage she's done to her body by not eating enough over the past 20 years.

Shawn Johnson in the driver's seat

I see all the success we have as a country where the gymnasts aren't 100 percent healthy, and I imagine how amazing we could be if we were doing it in the healthiest way possible. I don't think it's a failure on anybody's part; the education just isn't there right now, and it's just not thought about in our sport. My parents have told me since I was little, "You're given your body for a reason. It's OK to be different. Being unique is a good thing." But I always struggled to believe it. I'm stocky, muscular and short, and I wanted to be thin and flexible so bad! My mom would say, "You're not made that way, and you're not going to become that, so you have to learn to accept and love the body you're in." Well, some people are born with that appreciation, and some people have to work really hard to get there. Put me in that second camp.

Read on for more on what Shawn Johnson has to say about body confidence and how she feels in her gymnastics leotard.

How a Determined Desiree Davila Won a Spot on the US Olympic Marathon Team

espnW — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:25:02 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar! This week's is an inspiring story about marathoner Desiree Davila, who will be representing the US in the Olympics for her first time. The following is an excerpt; read the entire story here.

By Bonnie D. Ford

At last January's Olympic trials in Houston, Texas, four top women had distanced themselves from the field: Desiree Davila, fellow favorites Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher, and Amy Hastings. Davila increased her tempo. Hastings dropped back. Davila forged on with Flanagan and Goucher, her five-foot-two, 98-pound frame dwarfed by her taller rivals. Then, with two miles to go, Flanagan kicked into a higher gear, and Davila was faced with another decision: should she try to match the surge and bid for the win, taking the chance that her cramping calves would betray her, or maintain her pace and protect her spot on the team?

Davila weighed the situation and decided not to risk it. Flanagan soloed to the line, and Davila secured her Olympic spot by finishing second, 17 seconds back, in 2:25:55. It was a tough, savvy race, and the latest evidence that Davila's gradual climb to the top is peaking at an ideal juncture.

After a largely anonymous high school and college career in the arid heat of Southern California and Arizona, she migrated to Michigan to join the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in 2005. The elite training environment in a harsher climate helped her transform herself into "a contender, not just someone who's on the line and might have a good day," as she put it.

The Lesson Learned From Second Place

Davila debuted at the marathon distance in Boston in 2007 and ran 2:44.56 in a raging northeaster. A year later on the same course, Davila thought she had progressed enough to make the Olympic team. At mile 21, running fourth, it looked as if she'd been right. But Davila, who hadn't hydrated and eaten enough before the race, ran out of gas and faded to 13th.

She was devastated. Fellow marathoner and friend Amy Hastings was there to comfort her, and so was sister Natalie Davila. "If I'm investing my money in someone right now, it's you," the older sister said. "You're going in the right direction - you're going up."

Read on for more of Desiree Davila's road to the Olympics after the break.

How to Stay Forever Young Like Madonna

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:16:27 PDT

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

When you see Madonna on a talk show this week promoting her new album, MDNA (out now!), or during one of the stops on her world tour, which kicks off on May 29, you’ll be checking out moves choreographed by former Broadway dancer Nicole Winhoffer. She appeared in shows like Wicked and 42^nd Street, among others, before joining the Material Girl for her Sticky and Sweet Tour in 2009. Winhoffer, who is also a personal trainer, now works in the gym with Madonna six days a week to ensure that she’s ready for her grueling performances.

We caught up with Winhoffer to take a peek behind the scenes and to learn more about how everyone can train just like the amazing 53-year-old pop star!

If our readers could steal one trick from your work with Madonna, what would that be?

Body awareness. They must engage their mind while performing their exercises. Time and time again, I see people reading papers or watching TV while they work out. This might bring about injury, and if the mind is not connected to the body, you can't exert the proper amounts of energy needed to gain the desired results.

You were in Indianapolis to help Madonna prepare for the Super Bowl and are now gearing up to go on tour with her. How do you prepare for each performance?

Right before the show, we warm up in her dressing room. We complete active hamstring stretch sequences as well as other stretches, ensure joint mobility by performing jumps on the ground and on trampolines, and do ab work. As a result, her body is connected, warm, and ready for the performance.

People are still buzzing about her amazing halftime show performance. How do you get your body ready for something like that?

We increased our cardio for stamina - her show was the most physical 12 minutes I have ever experienced! Due to her high heels, we made sure her core was strong to support the stress placed on her lower back. We practiced several movements and routines from her performance within the workout so once she was on stage, her muscle memory kicked in.

Read on to get more tips on how Madonna stays in shape.

More from Fitness Magazine:

The Love-Your-Legs Workout

Your Guide to Spring Clean Your Life

Run a Half Marathon in 10 Weeks: Beginner Training Plan

Olympic Hopeful Jessica Hardy Shares Her Tips to Beat Workout Boredom

espnW — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:06:56 PDT

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

By Jessica Hardy

Jessica Hardy knew she wanted to be an Olympic swimmer at age 5, when her mom started taking her to the neighborhood pool in Long Beach, Calif. Now, more than 20 years later, she's a three-time world champion and a world record holder in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Her next goal? Olympic gold in London.

Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com and read her full blog entry here.

How I Fend Off Workout Boredom

1. Hit Instant Replay. When I need motivation at practice, I just picture my competitors inching past me from the side of my goggles. That mental image is enough to drive me.

A Bright Idea

2. Sing It, Sister. The last song I hear on the radio in my car before heading into practice always gets stuck in my head. I end up singing it the whole time, and you know what, it keeps me entertained - though my teammates don't always feel the same way.

Playing Hard Ball

3. Go into Detail. During a tough part of practice, I focus on technique with each stroke rather than when on earth the set is going to end. That little trick helps me get through it.

Keep reading for more boredom-busting tips.

3 Snacking Habits to Break Now

Prevention — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:08:19 PDT

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

These noshing habits could be the reason your scale is stalled
By Karen Ansel, RD, Prevention

We do it in the car, on the train, in front of the TV, on the phone, and even in bed. For too many of us, snacking has become so automatic that our brains barely register the hand-to-mouth motion. And it's not as if we're all reaching for diet-friendly apples: A 2010 study from the University of North Carolina found that most of us eat nearly 600 calories a day-roughly a third of our food-in snacks rather than meals.

"The business plan of the modern food company has been to put their foods on every street corner, making it socially acceptable to eat 24-7," says David Kessler, MD, former commissioner of the FDA and the author of The End of Overeating (Rodale, 2009).

6 Ways to Stop Overeating

The result has been a nutritional disaster. In their natural state, whole foods may be high in fat or sugar, but they're rarely high in both. Today we have man-made snack foods with a tantalizing combination of fat and sugar rolled into one. "Foods have become so 'hyperpalatable' that they're now capable of hijacking our brains the same way that nicotine and alcohol do," says Ashley Gearhardt, the lead author of a Yale University study on food addiction.

Keep reading to learn how to fix your snacking habits.

How Bride-to-Be Jessica Biel Stays in Shape

Leta Shy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:09:11 PST

Congrats are in order for your favorite fit celeb! While Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake have been engaged since late last year, she's been keeping her engagement bling a secret - until now. Yesterday Jessica Biel debuted her engagement ring while running errands in LA. The diamond's blindingly big size prompted our very own PopSugar to joke: is wearing that huge bauble around town its own arm workout? Maybe not, but Jessica does work hard for those toned arms (not to mention the rest of her body). Here's how the newly 30-year-old and soon-to-be newlywed stays in shape.

Seek adventure: A self-described "adrenaline junkie," Jessica doesn't just stick to the same workout routine. She takes advantage of the outdoors by biking and hiking regularly - including that famous 2009 trip to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. "When you get out into the wilderness and strip [away] all of the stuff in your everyday life, you really gain a great respect for your own life, simply as it is," Jessica says of her grueling mountain climb. "Needing things starts to feel like, Oh, I kind of have everything, don't I? It's pretty great."
Train like an athlete: Jessica's no shrinking violet; she's known for her strength, lean frame, and killer muscles, which she gets through a hardcore, athlete-caliber exercise routine: walking lunges to tone her backside, track sprints, weight training (she uses lighter weights with more reps), plyometrics, and more. Get the details of one of Jessica Biel's tried-and-true exercise routines here.

Read on for more details about Jessica Biel's diet and exercise routine.

How to Travel Full-Time For $17,000 a Year (or Less!)

Wise Bread — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:46:59 PST

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

For the last five years, I've been traveling the world full-time, and for less money than I've ever spent (and I'd wager less money than most people would spend) to live in one place.

My worldly possessions fit into one bag (just larger than carry-on size) and a backpack containing my laptop and computer gear. This small entourage (weighing less than 45 pounds in total) comes with me as I wander around the world, sometimes quickly, but mostly slowly.

In 2011 alone, I traversed 13 countries and over 45,360 miles. Sounds pretty expensive, huh?

What if I told you it wasn't? What if I told you that both 2010 (a similarly busy year of travel) and 2011 cost me just over $17,000 (including some major non-travel-related purchases)? Would you believe me?

Believe it. (Here's proof, with a full breakdown of where I went and how much it cost: My Cost of Full-Time Travel in 2011).

How to Keep Your Travel Costs Low

Of course, I could travel for way more than $17,000 a year. The sky is the limit for what you can spend on the road, from food and accommodation to flights, destinations, and tours. I could also travel for less than this, if I made different spending choices.

Here are a few of my secrets.

Don't Pay For Accommodations

In the entire year of 2011, I paid $173 for accommodation. And that expenditure was a function of a discounted stay at the Hilton in Stockholm as a luxurious “splash out.” The rest of the time, I had free accommodation in various forms, including . . .

Read on to find out more.