FitSugar

What Is Your Number One Health Concern?

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 06:00:51 PDT

We are all similar in that most of us have health on the brain, but we differ in our reasons for striving to be healthy. A lot of us are concerned about our weight, but for many of us, getting healthy is far more deep-rooted. For example, someone who has a history of cancer in the family may be more concerned about preventing it, while others are living with diseases themselves. I'm curious: What's your main health concern?

Source

The Downsides to Meeting Your Goal Weight

Shape — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:32:50 PDT

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

When I started losing weight, I often looked at women who were thinner than I was and thought, "Wow, her life must be so easy." I knew that once I got to my goal weight, I'd feel awesome, and healthy living would be just as easy for me as it was for all the "I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight" women around me.

11 Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

Now that I've lost 75 pounds, I can say that I do feel awesome . . . but I can't say that a healthy lifestyle comes easy. Weight maintenance isn't as simple as I expected. While being at my goal weight has its perks, I have to admit: I failed to appreciate some of the great benefits I enjoyed along the way. If I did it all over again, then here's what I'd do differently:

See how you can enjoy the weight-loss journey after the break!

3 Tips For Germ-Free Travel

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:17:50 PDT

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

Whether you're going by boat, plane, train, or automobile, travel bugs are bound to greet you. Here, some cringe-worthy stats on germs and traveling - and tips on how you can take a trip unscathed.

Stay Hydrated

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the air inside planes has anywhere from 10 to 20 percent humidity, which can dry out mucous membranes and make people more susceptible to germs. Staying hydrated throughout the trip can prevent nasal passages from being irritated, so load up on water and skip the carbonated beverages and booze. "Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks should be followed with water or fruit juice to rehydrate because they are diuretics and can cause water loss," advise Ray Fillmore Garman, MD, MPH, and Susan Spengler, MD, both associate professors with the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Kentucky. Sipping on water assists with immune function - and in some cases even helps with jet lag. For longer, international trips pack electrolyte-friendly snacks like GU Energy Chomps, a banana, nuts, or a small bag of fortified cereal to keep drowsiness at bay.

Keep reading for two more healthy travel tips after the break.

5 Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Run

Shape — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:11:45 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help!

The weather is getting nice and you may have been bitten by the "run bug." To make the transition from indoor runs to the great outdoors seamless and safe, I compiled a list of my top five tricks to get the most out of your outdoor run. Whether you have had some success running on the treadmill, or you are completely new to outdoor running, there are two crucial factors that you must understand.

25 Most Deceiving Exercises (They Tone More Than You Think).

First, let's talk about a little guy named Newton. See, Newton has this law that states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Are you with me so far? Good. Well, with runners, the concern is what we run on. The harder the surface the greater the ground reaction force, which is basically the force exerted by the ground back onto the body (in this case, our little legs) that are in contact with it, is. To simplify this, surfaces like concrete and pavement will cause a greater reaction back into our joints and legs than an energy absorbing treadmill. This not only makes us work harder, but will tire us out faster and cause greater stress on our joints.

Are Your Workouts Causing Pain? How to Find Out.

Second, the treadmill is a flat belt that provides consistency with each step. There are no stones, traffic, or inclement weather activity that would cause you to be off balance or have to change your gait. Running outdoors forces the body to make constant small adjustments. That said, here is what’s going to make your outdoor run a successful one.

5 Unique Ways to Make the Most of Your Treadmill.

Learn how to make the most out of your outdoor runs after the break!

Earning $50,000 Will Make You Happy

LearnVest — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:15:28 PDT

The magic number for happiness is apparently $50,000. LearnVest tells us more about it.

Good news! Apparently, happiness is on sale for the new, low price of $50,000.

Nope, we’re not talking about private trips to outer space, or even tuition for an Ivy League college. Apparently, all you need to be happy is $50,000 in yearly income.

That’s the finding of a recent poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, which saw big differences in almost all facets of happiness between those who earn less than $50,000 and those who earn more.

Call it the happiness tipping point, if you will.

Respondents to the poll who made more than $50,000 were more satisfied with their lives concerning factors ranging from friends, to health, to how they spent their time. Unlike getting a raise from $35,000 to $40,000, or even $60,000 to $65,000, “$50,000 is the mark where you start to see significant differences,” researcher Susan McCulloch told LearnVest.

Happiness: Now 33% Off!

Depending on your own situation, $50,000 might sound like a lot. But this is actually a steep discount from what studies previously cited as the golden number: $75,000. A 2010 study from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School found that, up to $75,000, each boost in income increased participants’ happiness. But after that, bringing home more income ceased to matter in their overall life satisfaction.

Read on for more.

Kate Hudson's Fit Philosophy

Leta Shy — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:20:56 PDT

Happy birthday, Kate Hudson! The perennially sunny actress turns 33 today, and to celebrate we're taking a look at how the mother of two stays active and fit.

Her love of Pilates: To keep her figure toned and lean, Kate Hudson turns to celebrity Pilates trainer Nicole Stuart. Want to get Kate's Pilates-perfect body? Get Kate's Pilates workout here, and read these tips from Nicole Stuart on how to stay in shape.

All in the family: Kate's always on the move! She loves to stay active with her whole family and not just fiancé Matt Bellamy and older son Ryder - Kate's family riders also include mom Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. Kate also logs time with Matt at the gym (and doubles the calorie burn by following her workout with a bike ride!).

Have fun: Whether she's kayaking on vacation or dancing with celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, Kate knows that staying in shape (even while pregnant) is all about having fun. Check out our video of Tracy Anderson's pregnancy workout for your own fun and effective prenatal workout.

A healthy diet: Kate stays bikini-ready with a healthy diet. Her trainer Ashley Conrad recommends you stay hydrated and detoxed with lots of water with lemon, and frequent meals and healthy snacks. Get Kate Hudson's flat ab diet plan here.

Her healthy living motto: Kate doesn't sweat the small stuff. For her, the secret to happiness is about putting family first, paying attention to the good, and ignoring the bad. "It's important to be conscious of your health and not indulge too much in the things that are bad for you. Do I mind having my appearance constantly scrutinized? I don't have enough time on this planet to worry about things like that. I'm more concerned with if I'm raising my son properly, with what makes my family happy, with what makes me happy," Kate has said.

Meeting My Sperm Donor

The Good Men Project — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:00:50 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Ben Sommer, conceived through alternative insemination, is a young man now and tells the story of deciding to meet his donor.

I grew up in a middle-class home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with two loving parents, both of whom are women. My conception was perhaps the most organized and scientific miracle of the modern American family - my architecture, the dream of dozens of individuals conducting their work across thousands of miles.

Objectifying Ryan Gosling

I was conceived through alternative insemination. A donor submitted his sperm to the Sperm Bank of California in Oakland (TSBC). Later, it was sent to the Fenway Community Health Center in Boston. Since opening its doors in 1982, TSBC has helped families without the ability to conceive on their own to birth over 2,000 children. Two thirds of those have ended up, like me, being raised in a lesbian household. TSBC is also the first sperm bank to offer a donor-identity-release program, which allows children of alternative insemination access to their donors' information when they turn 18.

I am not as much an oddity as you might think. As of 2005, some 270,000 children in the United States had same sex-parents. We are a generation that is just now beginning to come of age and able to share our stories. This is mine.

Growing up in a lesbian household was much like growing up in any other family unit, I imagine: vacations to Cape Cod, parents working late and sometimes not, play dates with a diverse group of friends.

I never gave much thought to that mysterious figure across the country. I never questioned the fact that I didn't have a father. As far as I was concerned I didn't need one. Is having two moms really all that different than having a mom and a dad? Parents are parents, right? I didn't see a difference at the time. My parents didn't either - at least at first.

They decided to conceive through a donor, in part, to avoid the complications that a third parent would bring. Asking a close male friend to donate, like some couples have done, can create unforeseen consequences. In the past, there have been custody battles between the donor and the parents raising the child. This was the case with a friend of mine, whose parents arranged donation from a male family friend. With a semi-anonymous donor like the man my parents chose, it would be clear who my parents were. And it was.

That's not to say that it was smooth sailing. "When we first learned you were going to be a boy, we really panicked," my mother told me recently. "Who's going to teach him to throw a ball? We didn't have many male friends. There was even basic stuff, like who's going to teach him to pee standing up. That doesn't come naturally."

Read the rest of the story below.

Could Your New Baby Come With a Million Dollar Price Tag?

LilSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:02:42 PDT

When Australian tourist Rachel Evans unexpectedly went into labor at Vancouver International Airport last Summer, some three months before her due date, the baby's health and well-being were the immediate concern for the new mom and dad John Kan. After the baby, Piper, was born, she needed 90 days of neonatal care, and while the couple took out travel insurance and extra coverage, they did not realize that the policy wouldn't cover the birth of the baby.

The total cost of the bill that they recently received? According to Canada's National Post, $726,000. And while this is certainly not the norm, it also wasn't a clerical error or typo. "It is very uncommon for an out-of-country family to require a long stay at BC Women’s and not have those costs covered by insurance," Jan Christilaw, the hospital's president, said.

While the chance of your receiving a nearly million dollar hospital bill is highly unlikely (thank goodness!), you'll want to at least have an idea of what you're in for in terms of the costs associated with a new baby before the big day arrives. While flowers and balloons are welcome in the delivery room, sticker shock is not!

Keep reading to see how much it will really cost you to have a baby.

Does Jason Russell's Meltdown Affect Your Feelings About the Kony Movement?

Tara Block — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:30:42 PDT

Unless you've been living under a rock these past few days, you've heard of Invisible Children cofounder Jason Russell's complete meltdown in San Diego last Thursday. The face of the huge viral Kony2012 campaign was detained for running around naked in the streets of San Diego. Initial reports stated that Jason was vandalizing cars, acting drunk, and even masturbating in public, but all that has been confirmed is that he was detained in a medical institution and is on a mental health hold. And while official statements from the organization and his wife have said that he wasn't on anything (instead they say that he was suffering from "exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition"), the videos of Jason's naked freakout are pretty disturbing.

Not surprisingly, the bizarre and sad turn of events have caused a huge backlash against the Invisible Children organization and the Kony2012 movement, which had already been facing criticism on everything from how the group uses their funds to the video being misleading. Before the public breakdown, New York Times op-ed columnist and author (who has long focused on human rights abuses, especially in Africa) Nicholas Kristof wrote this about the attacks against Jason: "A young man devotes nine years of his life to fight murder, rape and mutilation, he produces a video that goes viral and galvanizes mostly young Americans to show concern for needy villagers abroad - and he's vilified?"

Whatever is really going on with the cofounder is yet to be uncovered, but the real question is: does the fall of an organization's leader make the movement less worthy? Reading comments online it seems like those who were against it from the start have more fuel to add to their anti-Kony2012 fire, and those who felt like the cause was a good one are either hoping Jason gets help, while noting that he's only a small part of a big movement, or questioning their support. As someone who has followed Invisible Children since its inception and personally know people who've devoted their time, money, and efforts over the last decade to the cause, I have to say it saddens me to see this incident put a dark cloud over all the good it's done. But I'm conflicted too, as I know the actions of a leader reflect on his or her organization, and there are consequences for these types of episodes. What do you make of it all?

3 Ways to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Without Blowing Your Diet

Prevention — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:09:14 PDT

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

By Amy Ahlberg, Prevention

You already know that a too-strict eating plan can backfire, resulting in a blowout binge or, worse, throwing you off the wagon altogether. But when it comes to allowing yourself a little leeway, moderation is key. But what does "moderation" even mean? For gourmands, a cheeseburger a week might seem reasonable; for health nuts, maybe it's one every three months - minus the cheese and bun. To find out who's right, we turned to Sarah Krieger, RD, and Joan Salge Blake, RD, spokespeople for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For starters, they say you should only indulge in what you love - and skip the rest. If you don't have a weakness for fries, don't eat them just because they're there, and if you don't have a sweet tooth, don't have dessert simply because your dinner buddy does. "For me, I skip pizza and burgers, but I eat a great-tasting sweet treat every day," says Krieger. "I balance it with exercise and eating a variety of nutritious foods." For more tips, read our list. But first, some ground rules:

Free! Lose Weight Like a Biggest Loser With This One-Week Plan

Step one: If you're overweight or have health concerns - especially heart disease or diabetes - talk to your doctor. This advice is based on an average 2,000-calorie diet, consumed by American adults at a healthy weight.

Step two: "Take a look at how active you really are. With most of our lifestyles, we don't need a lot of calories in order to maintain a stable weight," says Salge Blake. Go overboard too often, and your waistline - not to mention your heart and your pancreas - may pay the price.

Step three: Keep a food diary and ask yourself, from a caloric standpoint, If I have this indulgence, what foods will I need to avoid this week to balance it out? Now read on for our tips on how to budget your binge allowance this week - and every week.

Keep reading to learn how satisfy your sweet tooth and stay on track.