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The Benefits of Active Rest

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:30:00 PDT

The term "active rest" seems a bit oxymoronic, don't you think? It is actually a great practice and I am going tell you about it since I actively believe in it.

If you are training hard, for a race or bikini season, you need to take rest days – at least one and up to three a week. Adequate rest can help prevent repetitive stress injuries, a common side effect of over training. But a day off shouldn't necessarily be about strengthening your relationship with your couch. Being moderately active can actually help your body recover, hence the term "active rest." Getting your heart rate up helps to get your blood flowing, bringing oxygen and nutrients to muscles damaged by working out. Getting your blood pumping will also help flush away waste products like lactic acid that can build up in muscles post exercise.

For details on how to make your rest days work for you,

Here are the guidelines to follow when adding active rest to your workout schedule:

Work out at a moderate rate – you should be able to carry on a conversation easily. If you have no one to talk to, you should be able to recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" without pausing to catch your breath. You might have trouble remembering the words. Here's a refresher course on the pledge if you haven't recited it in years.
You should not work above 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. To do so can bring on the production of lactic acid and that is a substance you are trying to flush from your muscles. Your max heart rate is 220 minus your age. Check out the Fit Calculator to learn more about your target heart rate. Sixty-five percent is generally in the "fat burning zone" on most cardio machines.
You should work out for at least 20 minutes, but remember not to over do it.
You should take active rest days one to three days a week.
Some ideas for active rest exercise: a power walk, a bike ride about town (avoiding serious climbs, of course), or a leisurely paced swim.

What are you waiting for? Get busy and rest!

Source

Inversion Issues: How to Remedy Common Shoulderstand Complaints

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:14:27 PDT

You're loving your yoga class from Half Moon to Pigeon Pose, but as soon as you get to Shoulderstand, you're less than psyched. Although a basic - challenging, but basic - pose, Shoulderstand can put you at risk of strain and injury when done incorrectly. Turn this pose into your favorite by checking out these common complaints and ways to remedy them.

"I Can't Breathe"
If you're well endowed or carry extra weight in your belly, then gravity causes added pressure on the lungs and throat, making it tough to take in a deep breath. A supportive bra and fitted top can help, but if you still have trouble breathing, then changing how you do the pose will make a huge improvement. Instead of stacking your pelvis and feet directly over your shoulders, hinge at your hips slightly, pressing them away from your face so your feet extend slightly behind your head.

Still can't breathe? Try the Legs Up the Wall variation; rest your lower back on your mat or, to give your hips a little lift, rest your lower back on a folded-up blanket or flat bolster.

Continue reading to learn how to alleviate neck pain and feelings of imbalance while in Shoulderstand.

Fixes For These 10 Money Mistakes

Business Insider — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:15:04 PDT

Everyone makes mistakes. Business Insider shares solutions for some common money mistakes people make.

Recently, two friends confessed they live check to check - a revelation worsened by the fact that they only check their bank balance once or twice a month.

We called in the finance experts, and here's what we decided they should do to get on track.

"I check my balance once . . . every two weeks."

The mistake: The more we rely on our debit cards, the easier is to go over budget - and risk having our bank misorder the charges to slap us with overdraft fees. It's the reason my friend keeps paying $39 for that Starbucks latte.

The fix: Get in the habit of checking your bank balance morning, noon, and night, says financial expert Farnoosh Torabi. "Rather than compartmentalizing into a once-a-month chore, make checking statements a habitual, daily thing."

"What, my bank offers an app?"

The mistake: Ignoring your balance can make you "forget" about incoming bills and checks waiting to clear, and not using your bank app is careless.

It also keeps you out of sync with your money, something you don't want to do in an era of rampant identity theft.

The fix: Download the app!

Read on for more.

Torch Calories and Tone With This Circuit Workout

Susi May — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:40:46 PDT

What's not to love about circuit training? Combining heart-pumping elements of cardio with strength-training moves means you torch calories while toning muscles. It's just so efficient.

Here's a fun yet challenging circuit workout I did recently with my Equinox trainer Lauren. The workout has you performing each exercise for a minute, which means you need to keep a stopwatch handy, but you have the luxury of not needing to count.

Get the details of this circuit after the break.

Gear Review: Lark Silent Alarm Clock

Leta Shy — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:48:00 PDT

You can count me as one of the 30 percent of people who don't get enough sleep every night, so when Lark sent me its silent alarm clock ($100) to test a couple months ago, I was all about it. Since then, I've been using it pretty regularly, here's what I think of the alarm clock.

First, here's what it is: The Lark is part app (compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad only at the moment, but an Android version seems imminent), part motion-sensing wristband that vibrates to wake you up and tracks your sleep quality throughout the night. It promises to both help you wake up more naturally and without disturbing your bedmate and change your personality from sleep-deprived night owl to well-rested morning lark. Included in the package is the Lark sensor, wristband, and charging dock where you plug your wristband into when you wake up - both to shut off the vibrating alarm and ensure that your wristband has enough juice to monitor your sleeping stats for the next night. The charging dock includes a USB port to connect your iPhone charger to it, so you don't have to use two sockets for each.

Who it's for: The Lark is useful if you have a partner and you both wake up at different times. Since it's a silent alarm clock, it rouses you with a series of vibrations through your wristband, so if your normal wake-up call is earlier than your bedmate's, your partner can snooze away without being disturbed. That may or may not be valuable enough for you to justify the $100 price tag, but it is an effective solution. Besides the alarm clock portion, the Lark app tracks several sleeping stats: how many hours you slept as well as how many times you woke up during the night and how long it took you to fall asleep (both based on your movements).

Keep reading for my thoughts on the Lark alarm clock.

5 Reasons Being a Single Man is Kind of Overrated

The Good Men Project — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:47 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Damon Young names five reasons being a single man is overrated.

While most will probably remember 2012 as the "Year Of The YOLO" (and by "most" I mean "like seven people"), it holds special significance for me because it’ll likely be the first year since 2002 where I spent the entire year single. I haven’t completed a full calendar year yet - May will make it seven months since the former Lady Champ and I decided to go our separate ways - but because I seem to enjoy doing random anthropological experiments on myself for absolutely no reason (and because I’m an INTJ and INTJs apparently suck at relationships), I’m confident that I’ll make it to 2013 without having to change my Facebook relationship status again.

Three Little-Known Stressors That Are Killing Men

Anyway, if I could sum up my seven months of singledom in one word, it would most likely be "interesting." I’ve met some "interesting" people, done some "interesting" things, made some "interesting" decisions, and, most importantly, thought some "interesting" thoughts. The most "interesting" of these "interesting" thoughts? Being a single man is kind of overrated.

Now, as I stated on the day where I wrote about orgasms, "overrated" doesn’t mean "bad." In fact, as the careers of Tupac and Derrick Rose continue to prove, something can be very, very good - even great - and still be overrated. I’ve enjoyed being single, and will likely continue to enjoy it. But, while it seems like many assume that being a single man (a single Black man, at that) is nothing but an utopic stream of easy popsicles and cold pancakes, there are a few downsides.

It can be very lonely. As a person who wanted to be single, is a natural introvert, and generally enjoys doing things by himself, I’m surprised by how, for lack of a better term, "noticeable" the solitude and loneliness of singledom can be. Even when seeing multiple people and/or having tons of friends, being single means that you are . . . single, by yourself, and there may be times when you want to have someone around but there will be no one that you want to be around readily available to be around.

Then, to add insult to injury, if you’re an angsty motherf*cker like me, you’ll start thinking things like "Wait. I’m a single man. A single Black man. My dad named me after Dolemite. Shaka Zulu is my second cousin. People who’ve never even met me call me "Champ" for chrissakes. Why the f*ck do I feel lonely right now?" which’ll make it even worse.

You have to wear condoms. And, wearing condoms sucks. If you’re one of the 137 people left on Earth who always has protected sex - even if in a long-term, monogamous relationship - just skip this section and move on to #3. Also, I’ve left a plate of gotdamn sugar cookies at the end of this post as a reward for your duty. Please eat them with a gotdamn smile.

If you’re not one of these people, you should be able to relate to how frustrating it’s been to go from condom-less sex to having to worry about having gotdamn condoms all the damn time. And, even if you’re not actively having sex, "Do I have condoms?" and "Since I don’t have condoms, is there somewhere close where I can buy them?" always has to be on your mind.

Also, from a logistical perspective, they’re a hassle to put on, they smell like a pack of slutty balloons, and "sex with condoms" will always be the Mike Conley of coitus. There is always the alternative - just don’t wear condoms while single, either - but I think one Cromartie per generation is enough.

(Btw, is it just me, or has the price of condoms spiked dramatically in the past four years? I was last single in 2008, and I don’t remember a box of condoms costing as much as it does to fill a gas tank. Does this qualify as a "first world problem?" If a Black blogger bitches about condoms in the woods, would Kanye’s missing draws make a sound?) As much as condoms suck, they don’t suck as much as . . .

Having to participate in the dating game. In a paradox so annoying that I almost didn’t mention it today because I plan on spending an entire day on this sole topic soon, I love meeting new, interesting women but I hate the process that usually goes along with meeting new, interesting women. I understand (and appreciate) the purpose of the process, but knowing why it’s necessary doesn’t mean that you have to enjoy it.

The superficial romantic connections synonymous with singledom gets old. Ironically, the best thing about being a single man - possessing the ability to have myriad short, commitment-free relationships AT THE SAME DAMN TIME!!! - ends up being one of the worst after enough time has passed. This actually hasn’t happened to me yet. I guess I’m still in the single honeymoon phrase. But, I’m certain it will, and the thought of this happening is already depressing me. Actually, this entire list is getting depressing. ***Making note to self to make sure tomorrow’s post is about the playoffs or strippers or something***

You start to realize some, um, "unpositive" things about yourself. I’ve been in three long-term - "long term" = "monogamous relationship lasting at least a year" - relationships as an adult. Each of these relationships failed, and my wanting to be single was the main catalyst behind each of these failures. Now, because I’ve always been a guy who did all the "right on paper" relationship things - I’ve never cheated, never physically or verbally abused any girlfriends, always followed the chivalry handbooks, etc - I’ve always assumed that I’m good at being a partner. But, these last few months have made me realize that I have some real deficiencies in the relationship department - personality quirks that have subtly sabotaged each relationship I’ve been in.

I wouldn’t quite call myself a trojan horse - the sabotage isn’t intentional (at least it’s not consciously intentional) - but I’m just not very good at this relationship thing right now, and I intend to spend the rest of 2012 trying to figure out why.
That’s it for me today. Fellas - single or coupled up - how do you feel about the concept of singledom? Is it all the beer commercials make it out to be, or do you agree that it may be slightly overrated? Also, ladies, are the "single man problems" expressed today at all similar to any "single woman problems?"

10 Signs You're A Bad Date

YourTango — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:00:55 PDT

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango. Today, find out if you're second date material.

Ever wonder why your initial dates rarely lead to a great dating relationship? Find out if you're unknowingly doing or saying 10 things to turn off a potential love match and discover what to do instead if you want to find great love and create a great relationship. Below are 10 warning signs that you are a rude date and a few suggestions on what to do instead!

You're late! You arrive late for a date or change plans last minute instead of honoring your date's feelings and your commitment to be together as planned.
You're distracted! You stare at attractive people who pass by or allow distractions of cell phones, text messages and/or silent vibes to interrupt your dating conversation instead of devoting your full attention to your date. Remember, where your attention goes your affection grows!
You lie! You exaggerate your accomplishments and dating goals in hopes of getting laid instead of being honest about your life resume or your desire for a casual fling, so that your date can decide if your life experiences and dating goals are a good match.
You're depressing! You bog down the mood with heavy, negative stories from your past instead of starting fresh and creating exciting new stories on your own with your new potential love match.
You're intense! You pressure a commitment quickly or invite a date to an event two months later instead of allowing time to get to know each other and discovering if you can create a solid dating relationship based on shared values, chemistry and complementary interests.
You're lazy! You use electronic communication to confirm dates or to keep track of your date's online dating activities instead of making a human connection your priority and dealing with dating issues face-to-face.
You're self-centered! You control conversations with a monologue about yourself instead of finding common ground, asking about your date and becoming an active listener as an act of love.
You're judgmental! You pass judgment, put down your date's dreams or suggest that your date change to fit your ideals instead of accepting your date - quirks and all - as you determine if you are a compatible love match.

For the rest of the signs, head to YourTango: 10 Signs You're A Bad Date

Written by Hadley Finch for YourTango.

"My Long-Distance Boyfriend Doesn't Want Me to Visit"

Tres Community — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 03:05:01 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I live in Portugal, he lives in Belgium. We first met seven years ago while he was in Portugal for work for a couple of weeks. We dated innocently a few times until I saw his wedding ring. He said that he was unhappy in his marriage and thinking of separating, that he really liked me but I didn't want any kind of contact anymore. Last year he found me on Facebook. He had been divorced for four years and in a few months he convinced me to have a long distance relationship. He visited me twice last year and everything was great all year long, we spoke a lot over the phone, chatted, had video calls. At the beginning of this year he started a new job and very soon our relationship changed completely.

Keep reading for the rest of this dilemma.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Upward Facing Dog

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:44:43 PDT

Just about as common as Downward Facing Dog, Upward Facing Dog pose, or Up Dog as I like to call it, not only elongates and increases flexibility in your spine, but it's a great pose for opening your chest, throat, shoulders, and the front of your thighs. When doing this pose, try not to tense your glutes or crunch your lower back. If it hurts your wrists to have so much weight in your palms, make sure to activate your fingertips rather than putting all your weight into the heels of your palms.

Sanskrit Name: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
English Translation: Upward Facing Dog Pose

Keep reading to find out how to get into Upward Facing Dog.

Get Moving and Say I Do: Ways to Incorporate Fitness Into Your Wedding

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:45:11 PDT

Fitness fanatics have a tough time separating workouts from life, so why should their wedding be any different? Here are some ways to bring an active lifestyle into your big day.

Send out fitness-themed save-the-date cards with you and your partner doing something active, like standing on surfboards with a sign that says, "Water you waiting for? Put this date on your calendar!" Or use a play on words like, "Jenny's finally running away with Mike." You can also design your invitations with exercise in mind. Have them look like a poster advertising a race or use illustrations that depict your favorite sport, such as golf balls and clubs.
If your wedding is going to be over a long weekend, plan activities that'll get folks moving. Hire a yoga instructor to teach a class; plan a scenic bike ride, morning run, or woodsy walk; or play a friendly game of beach volleyball (just make sure the bride's face stays far away from the ball).

Keep reading for more fitness ideas for your wedding.