FitSugar

4 Easy Ways to Sneak Fitness Into Your Day

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:05:35 PST

Sometimes it feels like life is all that is standing between us and our skinny jeans. Long nights at work, dinner dates, and child care all make hitting the gym seem like an impossible task. If you blow off a bike ride or going for a big run, it doesn't mean that you have to skip out on your fitness goals altogether. Here are four quick and easy ways to fit fitness into your life every single day - even if you only have five minutes to spare!

Source: Flickr User lululemon athletica

Time Out For Mac Reminds You to Take a Break

Leta Shy — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:05:51 PST

Many of us spend all day sitting at an office desk, and we know how unhealthy that can potentially be. If you find yourself forgetting to do those important desk exercises or even getting out of your office chair altogether, you'll want to check out the Time Out download from the Mac App Store.

Time Out is a free app for your Mac computer that fades out your screen after a specified interval so you can stretch, rest your eyes, or grab a glass of water. Time Out offers two types of breaks: a micro break to remind you to quickly combat tension and a normal break so you can relax and get moving. The time limits come preset at every 10 minutes for a 15-second micro break and every 50 minutes for a normal 10-minute break. If you find these are too intrusive, too frequent, or not long enough, changing preferences, from opacity and color of the screen lockout to length and frequency of breaks, is simple to do.

Find out what I thought about the app and if it helped me during my daily office grind after the break.

Fit Tip: Drink Water From a Smaller Cup - You'll Move More!

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:30:00 PDT

Since I'm stuck behind a desk for most of the day, I make sure that I do all sorts of things to keep myself fit from 9-5. From a stash of healthy desk snacks to taking the stairs, it's important to stay on top of the health game when you're at work. Here's an easy way to double down on your health and keep it at an all-time high.

Find a small cup - something along the lines of a six-ounce coffee mug.
Take your small(ish) cup to the kitchen and fill it with water.
Get back to your desk, drink up, and when finished, repeat the above steps.

So simple, right? I know it kind of sounds silly, but since ditching my large Sigg bottle for a mug, I drink way more water and I'm no longer chained to my desk. A smaller cup means that I get up a lot for refill action. Now I'm hydrated, my blood is circulating more, and I'm on the move. Can we say win?

Minutes to a Healthier You: When the Whistle Blows, Unplug

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:00:54 PDT

The Internet seems to occupy a good chunk of my life. As a writer I'm constantly online, whether it be posting stories, doing research, or chatting with colleagues. And on a personal level I have my vices: Facebook, Twitter, and an RSS feed that seems never ending. But in the last month I've been questioning the amount of time I spend online; I'm starting to show slight signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, and I've been told by numerous friends that I'm on my iPhone way too much - they call it iRude. The point is, I need to slow down.

While staying connected is a good thing, being online isn't the only way to make that happen. Unplugging helps your body recharge, and it lets you reconnect with the world around you. Turning off electronics gives you more time to be active and also gives you more time to focus on the relationships in your life. To make this more of a priority, I have a new rule in my life: when work is over for the day, I turn the computer off. I also leave my phone at home when I'm out with friends for the night. And even though it may sound crazy in this day and age, it's actually liberating. And more importantly, my friends appreciate it because I am completely focused on the present moment.

See if you can challenge yourself to unplug when work is over. Keep your laptop shut off, put your phone away, and go on a walk, take your BFF to dinner, or read a book instead. Let me know how it works for you!

Just Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:00:34 PDT

You're probably busy with a lot on your plate: exercise, kids, dog, work, grocery shopping, socializing, etc. I'm sure you barely have enough time to shower every day, let alone do all those little household things you're supposed to do like wash out your garbage can (eww mold) and vacuum under your bed (sneaky dust bunnies). Changing my sheets goes along with that, too. In a perfect world, I'd put fresh sheets on the bed once a week, but realistically speaking, I admit that doesn't always happen. For my face's sake though, I definitely make sure to at least change my pillowcase every Sunday. Just think about all the oils, hair products, lotions, (and drool) that come off your head and onto your pillow. All that gunk can clog your pores and cause breakouts. Prevent acne breakouts by changing your pillowcase at least once a week. If you can, toss your entire pillow into the dryer to kill bacteria that collects in there.

Fit Tip: Fix Your Desk Posture With What You Wear

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:00:05 PDT

It's easy when you're sitting at a desk all day to forget about keeping your posture in line. You're focused on office duties and the day's stresses, and before you know it you're slouching again.

Here's a tip for remembering your posture: wear a tight shirt! It's much more comfortable to sit up straight if you're wearing a tighter shirt; slouch, and your tummy pushes out against the fabric. If you're focused on keeping your stomach looking flat, you'll also remember to whip your posture into shape. A loose top, however, hides your stomach and gives you an excuse to stay hunched over. (And check out how this Fit reader improved her posture!)

Do you have any other tips for better posture at work?

6 Tips For Healthier TV Habits

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:00:03 PDT

I was surprised to read about the recent study that claims exercising isn't enough if you have major couch potato tendencies during the other hours of your day. I tend to think that if I take the time to hit the gym or participate in other athletic activities, I'm entitled to some couch time. But with this new food for thought, and Fall TV shows around the corner, I need to take a good look at how healthy - or unhealthy - my tube-watching habits are. I've rounded up some easy ways to keep your TV time in check, and let me know in the comments if you have any more ideas!

Bring the gym home. From a big time investment piece like an elliptical machine, to something smaller like a portable Stairmaster, at-home cardio equipment lets you burn calories while you catch up on your favorite shows.
Break a sweat during commercial breaks. Utilize commercials by doing a few minutes of exercise like jogging in place, crunches, or jumping jacks. Those minutes will add up!
Don't eat meals in front of the TV. While it's easy to spend your evenings vegging out in front of the TV, take a break from the screen time when you're eating dinner for healthier eating habits and healthier relationships with your housemates.

Keep reading for three more ideas.

Minutes to a Healthier Work Day

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 04:30:02 PDT

The workplace, whether it's a desk job or otherwise, isn't always conducive to a healthy lifestyle. You may find yourself snacking on chips and candy out of boredom, eating fast food for a quick lunch, unmotivated to hit the gym after a long work day, tempted by birthday and holiday break-room treats, and spending the majority of your day in a sedentary state.

But sometimes taking just a few minutes out of the day to make small changes can make a big difference. For some tips on making your work day healthier, read more.

Step Up Your TV Routine

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:30:02 PDT

Watching television is just one of the many reasons people exercise less and eat more. And with so many great shows on TV, it's an easy routine to get caught up in. I already told you about my friend that jogs in place during commercial breaks to burn calories, but she's upped the ante even more by exercising during entire shows. Like Buzz, my friend enjoys guilty pleasures like the Real Housewives of New York and Gossip Girl, but now she only watches them if she is being aerobic at the same time.

After weeks of jogging in place, my friend's challenge started to get a little stale. To remedy this, she went out and bought herself a small stair climber ($79). The machine is portable, light, and fits right under her couch. And whenever one of her guilty pleasure shows comes on, she hops right onto it and gets to work! Besides giving her legs a great workout, the machine also has resistance bands attached to it that you can use to work your arms. If you're looking for an easy way to fit some more exercise into your life while at home or in the office, investing in a small piece of cardio equipment might be the answer. The one my friend bought is under $100, and lately she is more motivated to work out than I've ever seen her before. Best of all, there's no reason for her to feel guilty about watching her shows now!

Hey You, Walk Away From Your Desk!

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:00:10 PDT

Almost everyone I know works in an office. And as much as we like to believe we get up enough during the day, a lot of us don't. Add to that collapsing on the couch after a really hectic workday, and suddenly you've become a model spokesperson for a sedentary lifestyle. Our ancestors would not be proud.

While hitting the gym for an hour each day is a good thing, it's not enough - humans were not designed to sit down all day. We used to hunt, gather, and walk everywhere. We used to go to a conversation, not fire off an email or text. And while these little time-savers may be helpful, they can also be potentially harmful. An Australian study found that people with sedentary lifestyles are more at risk to develop disease. On the upside, individuals who move during otherwise sedentary behavior had a 16 percent smaller waist size.

To see some simple tips on how to get moving throughout the day,