FitSugar

Love Your Body Day Is Today

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:30:00 -0700

I just found out that today is Love Your Body Day. Although it might be a little late in the day, you still have a few hours to love your body, and don't stop the love when the clock strikes midnight. Being kind to yourself is an important mindset to maintain.

The Love Your Body campaign was created by the National Organization for Women to expose the unrealistic beauty standards created by the media all around us. You know how it bothers me when I see how much cover girls, like Faith Hill, are photoshopped. NOW's campaign delves deeper into the beauty myth with their educational video and slide show The ABCs and Ds of Commercial Images of Women. It is definitely worth checking out.

So don't criticize your body, at least for the rest of the day! Remember, even Faith Hill doesn't look like cover girl Faith Hill!

How will you celebrate your body today? Tell me in the comment section below.

Learn to Love: Persimmons

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:01 -0800

Now that berry season is long gone, I'm expanding my breakfast fruit horizons. Celebrate the cold weather with pomegranate seeds in your oatmeal, or slice pears or persimmons and serve them with nut butter on toast or whole-grain waffles.

You probably know how to pick and slice a pear, but persimmons have a steeper learning curve. They're worth learning to love, so read more.

Persimmons come in two varieties: hachiya, which are orange-red and shaped like acorns, and fuyu, which sort of look like yellow-orange tomatoes. The hachiyas are bitter and astringent when they're not ripe, but when ripened, they have a soft, jelly-like texture. Fuyu persimmons are a bit firmer like a pear when ripe and can be sliced up like apples.

This fruit is an excellent source of antioxidants and chock-full of vitamins. One persimmon packs 55 percent of your daily allowance of Vitamin A and 21 percent of your recommended Vitamin C, plus six grams of fiber. In addition to having persimmon for breakfast or a snack, you can slice them up and serve them in a pretty Fall salad.

Have you tried persimmons? Tell me how you like to eat them in the comments.

Two Healthy Flicks Now on DVD

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:19 -0800

You can give your next at home movie night a healthy focus; two of my favorite docs of the year are now out on DVD.

Enlighten Up!: Filmmaker Kate Churchill, a yoga devotee, takes yoga cynic Nick Rosen on a wild ride through the range of yoga styles to see if the ancient art has universal power. Both filmmaker and subject are affected by the process. Available for purchase ($22) or add the title to your Netflix queue.
Food, Inc.: The underbelly of the food industry is exposed in this documentary narrated by Omnivore's Dilemma author Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser of Fast Food Nation. Arguing for sustainable food production, the film's antagonist is not the farmer or the carnivore but multinational corporation Monsanto. Purchase ($14) the 94-minute film or Netflix it.

Don't Blow Your Healthy Habits at the Movies This Weekend

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:53 -0800

It's a big movie weekend, for sure. With New Moon finally out, I've already committed myself to spend an afternoon at the theater - the only complication is that I'm not so fond of the movie-theater fare. It's an admittedly challenging place to stick to healthy food choices, since there usually aren't any to begin with. Just in case you don't believe me, recent research is revealing just how unhealthy movie popcorn can be - and it's probably a lot worse than you think.

An article from WebMd highlights the Center for Science in the Public Interest's findings on the state of popcorn, which claims movie theater popcorn is just about as bad for you as "a pound of baby back ribs and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream or maybe two Big Macs" - and that's before you even add the butter. For the study, researchers sent samples of popcorn and toppings from three different movie theater chains and compared their findings to the chains' own nutritional information. What they found is likely to make you rethink how you view your movie treat.

The study's results show that the calorie count of movie theater popcorn ranges from just about 400 to 1,200 calories, and contains an alarming serving of saturated fat that's equivalent to three days worth of your daily recommended portion, and anywhere from 200 (in the smallest 6-cup size serving) to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Additionally, the study revealed that both AMC and Regal theaters pop their popcorn in coconut oil, which has a saturated fat content of a whopping 90 percent. Cinemark theaters, which pops their popcorn in canola oil, earns the rep as the healthiest chain, with a significantly lower saturated fat content - ranging from 2 grams in the 420-calorie small size to 5 grams in the 910-calorie large popcorn bucket. But, keep in mind that popcorn is usually just a part of the order - add a soda or your choice of candy, and your order is easily nearing 1,700 calories.

To learn about healthier options at the movies read more.

To avoid a serious caloric overload on your movie outing, the solutions are simple. Opt to share a small, unbuttered popcorn, and request that it be popped without salt (according to the article, these chains will happily oblige), or knosh on something healthy before you head out. If you can, bring a small bag of almonds or a piece of fruit along. Be smart about your choices, and don't let one afternoon at the movies spoil your healthy habits. It's totally fine to indulge every now and then, but a 1,200-calorie serving of popcorn that packs more saturated fat than you need in three days is hardly a treat for your bod or health.

What's the Diff: Omega-3s vs. Omega-6s

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:10 -0800

Omegas are all the buzz right now, and it seems like everywhere you turn, new foods are being enhanced with this essential fatty acid, or labeled as an excellent source. What people don't know is that there are different types of omegas, and eating too much of one kind can actually be harmful to your body.

Omega-3s are found in flax seeds, walnuts, cod liver oil, and fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, albacore tuna, and salmon. Fish are the best sources because they are high in two particular fatty acids that are crucial to good health, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

Then there are omega-6s. These fats are found in eggs, nuts, chicken, and vegetable oils such as corn, soy, safflower, and sunflower oil. Omega-6s are high in LA (linoleic acid), which is converted by the body into GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), and then further broken down to AA (arachidonic acid).

Do you know which type of omega fatty acid we should be eating more of? To find out, keep reading

Speak Up: What's Your Trouble Area?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0800

Carrie Underwood boldly shared in Us Weekly that her trouble area is her tummy. She said, "It may take me the rest of my life, but if I'm 80 and I have abs, I'll be happy."

Now it's your turn to share which part of your body you work the hardest to tone up, shrink down, and sculpt. Tell me, what's your trouble area?

Gear Review: Clear2Go Water Bottle With Filter

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:56 -0800

I've been carrying a reusable water bottle with me for years now, filling up on tap water as needed. Well, portable water just got a little cleaner with the Clear2Go water bottle ($16). It's your standard water bottle with a squeeze top made for cycling, but it comes with its very own water filter. The filter adds a little weight to the bottle, but it filters out 99.9 percent of microbial cysts (cryptosporidium and giardia), reduces the chlorine taste of water, and reduces lead and mercury. Using trickle down technology developed originally by NASA, one filter lasts for 100 gallons, or 533 refills - keeping an estimated 757 plastic bottles out of landfills. Replacement filters are available in two packs and cost $13.

Lance Armstrong is a fan of these eco and health friendly reusable bottles, and if you become of fan of Clear2Go on Facebook you can enter to win a bike ride with the seven-time winner of the Tour de France. You can purchase your mobile filtration system directly from Clear2Go. They make great holiday gifts and would definitely get you well on your way to filling a loved one's stocking.

Now Is the Time to Get Ready For the Slopes

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:41 -0800

Even though we're in the middle of Fall and I've yet to see any real signs of snow, experts say now is the time to get your butt in gear for Winter sports. Days on the slopes can be long and require a good amount of endurance, especially if you're the type who likes to visit the mountains for an extended weekend or even longer.

Veteran Winter Olympic athletes like ski racer Daron Rahlves and snowboarder Elena Hight recommend doing specific training for Winter sports six to eight weeks before the season starts. They say the key to lasting all day, weekend, or week on the slopes is to work on flexibility, strength, and cardio. A good mix of this will ensure you can snowboard from sunup to sundown. Being in tip-top shape will also help cut down on injuries.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle asked a group of Winter Olympians and trainers their advice on getting in shape for Winter sports. Here's some of their advice.

Stretch for 15-20 minutes every day or do 10 minutes of sun salutations. Skiers should focus on their lower bodies, while snowboarders should focus on their upper and lower areas.
Two to three times a week, focus on strength training with emphasis on your quads, hamstrings, and core muscles. Keeping your legs and core strong helps with balance and endurance, and helps cut down on ACL injuries. If you can, use kettlebells and also make sure to do tons of squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Do some sort of aerobic activity for at least 15 minutes every day, keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.

Sounds doable to me. Who's hungry for powder?

Heidi Klum's Got a Good Take on Her Post-Baby Bod

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:30:38 -0800

Thanks to a healthy attitude - and a little encouragement from hubby Seal - Heidi Klum is working to get her body back in shape after baby number four. Still, if you're expecting the supermodel to take a turn in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, you might be surprised to learn that she won't be walking the runway this year, but playing hostess duty instead.

In an interview with US Weekly, it seems this mom is a little more realistic when it comes to shaping up her body after giving birth. Heidi told the magazine:

"I wouldn't say I'm back in the shape yet. But I don't know. Everything changes when you get older. It was different when I was 31 with the first one. Now, being 36 with the fourth one, it's different."

It seems to me the mom is setting a realistic expectation for getting back in shape and going about it the right way. She knows that it takes some work to get the bod you want, saying that, "For me, it always works to get back into it immediately. I think that if you wait too long, it kind of sticks on and it stays there forever. I have to be motivated." Still, she's not gym-crazed or diet-obsessed, adding that she's not exercising too much for now: "I walk on the treadmill a little bit. I walk on the driveway. I'm very active with the children." Sure, she's blessed with some supermodel genes (and possibly a very long driveway), but even still, Heidi's take on weight loss seems surprisingly down-to-earth to me - do you agree?

Ever Try a "Crazy" Fitness Product That Actually Worked?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:47:47 -0800

When I came across the "Snuggie Sauna" as a possible weight loss tool, which claims it can help you burn 600 calories in only 15 minutes, I maintained the same stance I usually reserve for products that seem too good to be true - they probably are.

So, it's been my fitness philosophy that the best weight loss results come the old-fashioned way, eating right and working hard. Still, I've definitely had some friends who buy into a quick fix every now and then - some who claim they've seen results using the portable thigh toner, and even the ab toning belt. So, tell me, have you ever had any luck with an unconventional weight loss or fitness product that actually delivered on its promise? Or are you inclined to stick to the basics when it comes to your fitness?