FitSugar

Get Motivated: Homeless Running Group

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT

Running is truly a metaphor for life. Anne Mahlum, founder of the homeless running program Back on My Feet believes so since there is always another mile to run, and each mile is covered one step at a time.

No stranger to early morning runs, the veteran marathoner Mahlum often found herself being cheered on by the homeless of Philly. One morning, she asked herself this question:

Why am I running past these guys? I'm moving my life forward every day – and these guys are standing in the same spot.

Her answer was to found Back On My Feet, a running group for the homeless. The requirements to join in the fun of the running group are simple, folks must live in one of the three facilities affiliated with the organization and be clean and sober for 30 days. Members receive new running gear, shoes and clothes, and the group runs three mornings a week starting around 6:00 a.m. The 54 homeless members and the 2,500 volunteers together have logged over 5,000 miles. Impressive indeed!

There's more so

Mahlum hopes to expand Back On My Feet to include at least 10 Philadelphia shelters before taking the program to other cities. She's a practical woman who knows that a pair of running shoes is a far cry from a place to live, but the discipline and focus of running can definitely translate into the real world. And her running group is a support group as well; it even has a job training program as a partner.

I say, lace up and take it to the streets!

Source

Amp Up Your Workout With These Balance Exercises

Susi May — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:37:25 PDT

If you're looking to amp up your fitness routine, you need to get unstable. Performing classic single-leg exercises while standing on a foam pad, like the one pictured above by Aeromat, is simple way to do this. The squishy surface forces your core and legs to work harder, increasing your strength gains and caloric burn. Standing on the soft surface also strengthens your feet and ankles, which is important if you're flirting with the barefoot running trend or plan to spend lots of time hiking hilly terrain this Summer.

To get started, try this three-exercise progression I learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren. Once you've mastered a variation, try the next level up. As you experiment with these moves, you will feel your weight shift from side to side on your foot, which means the muscles that support your arch and ankle are working. If you find your feet cramping, spread your toes wide in your shoes or try the exercise in just socks.

Learn the moves after the break.

Dispel These Common Complaints and Start a Love Affair With Running

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:27:29 PDT

You want to love running, you do, but every time you head out for a run, you end up hating it even more. Check out some of the most common complaints below, and find out how you can turn your relationship with running around for the better.

"My Knee, My Back, My Feet - Everything Hurts"
Pounding the pavement is not easy on the body, and one reason for aches and pains is poor running form. Here's a body checklist to make sure you're running properly and efficiently. Sneakers that are old or unsupportive can also lead to joint pain, so here are tips to help you find the perfect pair of running shoes. Be sure to replace shoes every few hundred miles or every few months (whichever comes first). Also, don't run every day - including other types of exercise is a must in preventing repetitive stress injuries.

"It's Boring"
Running is the definition of repetition, so if you're on a treadmill, make it more exciting by watching your favorite TV show, listening to a new audiobook or CD, running next to a chatty friend (just make sure to keep your gaze forward), or "racing" an unknowing treadmill runner. If none of that seems appealing, bring your runs outdoors. The beach or the woods are full of natural obstacles to keep you on your toes, and the fresh air and scenery are sure to lift your spirits. Choose a different location every time to keep workouts exciting, and bring your dog along. It's also fun to track your workouts using a heart rate monitor, GPS watch, or an inexpensive running app like one of these.

Keep reading to find out how to deal with other running complaints.

5 Tips to Build a Better Bridge Pose

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:19:00 PDT

If you're looking for a gentler inversion alternative than Wheel Pose, Bridge (Sanskrit name: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) should be your go-to. While my favorite - and least favorite! - poses are constantly evolving, I have always been partial to this beautiful heart-opening pose. The reason? Although it's very active and energizing, there's also something relaxing and calming about Bridge. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of this fantastic pose and take your Bridge to the next level.

Set up strong: When you're setting up the pose, lay a strong foundation. Lie supine (lying down with face upward) on the floor. Take a few deep breaths to get grounded and relaxed. Bend your knees, plant your feet flat on the floor, and make sure the knees are hips-distance apart.
Align it right: As you push your pelvis up and forward, your knees should be directly over your heels. If you want to make sure you have the right distance between your shoulders and your feet, here's a great rule of thumb: when you reach for your heels, your fingertips should just graze the back of your feet. Keep your arms extended on either side of your body with palms facing down. If you want to take it up a notch, clasp your hands under your pelvis, and as you come into the full expression of the pose, roll your shoulders in toward one another.

Learn more tips on doing Bridge after the break!

How I Gained 30 Pounds in College (and Then Lost It)

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:08:40 PST

In college, I was no stranger to the "Freshman 15." In fact, all that newfound freedom to eat whatever and whenever combined with the all-you-can-eat dining hall and late-night pizza runs made it the "Freshman 30." Now that I've been at a healthy weight for a while, I can look back on all the mistakes I made. I'm sharing these mistakes now in the hopes that I can help someone else avoid the sadness and insecurity that comes with weight gain.

Good-bye, Home-Cooked Meals
With no one to cook me healthy, balanced meals, or tell me to eat my broccoli and not a brownie sundae for dinner, I quickly made my own - unhealthy - meal decisions. This included ordering take-out, devouring junk food, and eating way more food than I did when home.

Is That Cookie Vegan?
My school population was 90 percent hippie, and I was already a vegetarian, so it's no surprise that becoming vegan was my next move. I didn't miss milk or eggs at all. Why miss it when there's decadent vegan ice cream, dairy-free cheese, and even a pizza place downtown serving vegan pizza? I was a total junk-food vegan and must have gained 10 pounds on vegan cookies alone. The late-night candy runs for Swedish fish didn't help either.

No, I Don't Need a Bowl - I'll Eat Out of the Bag
Chips, cookies, crackers, cereal; I ate a lot of my snacks with no plates or bowls because I was too lazy to do the dishes, which often meant polishing the entire package in one sitting.

Carrot Cake Counts as a Vegetable
I may have been vegan, but I hardly ate vegetables, unless you count tomato sauce on pizza, carrot cake, and greasy french fries. My diet was based around these four food groups: pasta, bagels, cereal, and cookies. Come to think of it, I hardly ate fruit either since it wasn't that easy to find on campus (or rather, not that appealing).

Continue reading to see the other reasons I gained weight, and more importantly, how I lost it.

Gymnast Shawn Johnson Dreams of Making the Team

Susi May — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:35:22 PST

Shawn Johnson never officially retired from gymnastics. Although she toyed with the idea after the 2008 games, she's once again set her sights on the Olympics. But the decision to step back into competition wasn't simple. It took a a self-described "garage sale" wipeout on the ski slopes to end her indecision. Ironically, skiing, the only activity Shawn's long-time coach Liang Chow (they've worked together since she was 6) considered completely off-limits, brought her back into the game.

At a recent event at Nike headquarters, in Beaverton, OR, Shawn told me that after learning the results of her postaccident MRI, she drove straight to the gym and told Chow she wanted to come back even though she had torn two ligaments in her knee, torn her meniscus (the cushion of cartilage that sits between the thigh and the tibia, or shin bone), and ripped her hamstrings. "Instead of thinking, 'I'll never be able to come back now,' the first thing that came to me was, 'I have to go back.' It was kind of a motivation to me to get healthy again and to rehab myself . . . I really like to make things hard, and I don't like things that are easy."

Keep reading to learn more about Shawn's comeback.

Whitney's Chris D'Elia Is Back With More Relationship Advice

Annie Scudder — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:09 PST

Single and looking for eligible, normal guys? Don't move to LA, says Chris D'Elia, who plays a lovable and hilarious boyfriend on NBC's Whitney. That's some of the advice the standup comedian dished out in response to our readers' questions. Yesterday he addressed your Valentine's Day dilemmas, and today's he's back to tackle general dating and love debacles.

Is it fair to barter TV shows with my fiancé? As in, two hours of The Bachelor equals half of a football game?

Chris: Look, I don't like football, but if I did and I wanted to watch it, then I would expect to have to sit and watch something like The Bachelor, and I would try my best to get into it, or at least find why she liked it. The other alternative is like, "OK, I want to watch football you want to watch The Bachelor, then let's agree on something else." But then neither of you get to watch what you want to. For The Bachelor, I'd want to watch Dexter.

Where do normal men hang out in LA? If you can solve this mystery (preferably with a chart that includes days of the week, locations, and "type" of guy) I guarantee you could sell it for millions in addition to making this single lady very happy.

Chris: I don't think that's a fair question. I think people move to LA because they're not normal.

What's the best way to suggest to any man that he needs to get some new clothes?

Chris: The worst thing you could do is beat around the bush, or side step it. You got to just say it. But I had an ex, and she was like "you got to get Converse," and she kept saying it - "get Converse." I was finally like, "OK, I'll get a pair of Converse." And I got a pair of Converse. I got those regular Chuck Taylor ones, but I literally got every single color of the Converse, and I wore them all the time. And a year later, she was like "All you wear is Converse." So you have to be careful with that, you'll create a monster.

Why do men need their man caves?

Chris: I think that men think they need their man caves. They don't really do. They think they want them, and then the second they do get them and they have alone time and time away from the girl, and the girl is really cool with giving them alone time, then that's when they, or at least I, start to think, "So, why are you so cool with me being alone? What's wrong with me that you don't want to be with me every second."

How can I ask my husband to do housework without sounding like a task master?

Chris: Don't make a list. Don't pin anything up on the fridge. I'm a dude, obviously, and when I'm not in a relationship, I don't do any of that stuff. I don't do laundry until I want to. But if I live with a girl, you have to do it when she wants to or when we want to, which sucks. That totally messes up my day. So just come out and just say it. Just have a good attitude about it and don't wait until you get frustrated.

How would you describe your perfect woman and how could she attract your attention?

Chris: Tweet at me. That gets my attention. The number one thing is, you have to have a good attitude. Find the humor and the fun in things that aren't even fun. The two things that turn me off completely are negativity and if a girl's cheap. I mean, I'll pay for everything, but if a girl just mentions it, that's a turn off. That and DON'T WEAR FLIP-FLOPS. It's terrible. I mean come on. Put something on your feet. What if you have to run away? You're dead.

I'm moving in with my boyfriend next month and it's the first time I'm living with a man. What should I prepare for? Get the answer and much more advice from Chris below!

Check Yourself: Running Form To-Do List

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:59:26 PST

Whether you're new to running since Jan. 1 or just trying to find your fitness groove, running can be difficult to love 24/7. When my affection for running wanes, one thing that helps bring back the love is technique. When out for a run, I go through this simple list to check my form. It makes me a mindful runner, which helps not only avoid injury but also helps me find my stride once again.

Before you head out to put this checklist to work, be sure to enter to win a year supply of running shoes from Asics. Nothing motivates more than a new pair of sneaks!

Here's my form checklist, starting with the feet.

Land midfoot, not on the heel. Striking the pavement with your heel naturally puts on the brakes, which slows you down and leaves you prone to injury since it's jarring. Not convinced? Read more about heel striking here.
Keep your ankles relaxed and pick your feet up. Bringing the heel toward the bum to activate the hamstrings - a good thing - while pushing the ground away causes muscles to fatigue more quickly, especially the calf.
Shorten your stride. It's nicer for your knees. Really, it is.
Lean slightly forward. The lean should start at your ankles, not your waist, since bending in the middle can hurt your back and it's also inefficient.

To see what you should be doing with your upper body while running, just keep reading.

Reese Witherspoon's "Om"-azing Arm Workout

Self — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:15:35 PST

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

Reese Witherspoon may be one of Hollywood's most in-demand leading ladies, but don't expect the Oscar winner to solicit any special treatment during her tri-weekly yoga sessions.

"We've done private training a few times but she usually comes to the group class," says YogaHop owner Matthew Reyes, who has trained Witherspoon for the past five years. "I treat Reese the same as I treat everyone else but I'm glad she feels comfortable enough to come in with the general public."

Reyes enthusiastically endorses the 35-year-old's other passion (running) as a perfect complement to yoga but warns, "Women across the board, especially runners, have a much better developed lower body than upper body." That's why he pushes the actress to find her edge in every power yoga session. "My goal is, if someone were to work out until their arms were exhausted, take a day off then do it again, take a day off and do it again. You will see some really nice development in your muscular tone."

Want to get strong, sexy arms like the Water For Elephants star? Add these four moves to your regular routine three times a week and you'll be flaunting Witherspoon-like guns in no time.

See the moves after the break.

3 Must-Do Yoga Poses For Tight Hips

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:06:42 PDT

Whether you suffer from tight hips because you run, sit at a desk all day, are pregnant, or were just born with oh-so-tight hips, here are three yoga poses you can do every day to increase flexibility and reduce tension in this commonly stiff area. Mix up the sequence each time you do it to keep your muscles guessing.

One of my favorite stretches after a run, Lizard will target your hips and hip flexors.

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your palms keeping your hands on the floor. Lower your left knee to the mat, and release your elbows to the floor as well. Either rest your hands on the ground or bring your hands together in prayer position.
Continue to squeeze your right knee toward your body and gaze forward to encourage your hips to lower toward the floor. After five breaths come back onto your hands. Tuck your left toes and step your right leg back. Take a vinyasa (exhale as you lower to Four-Limbed Staff, inhale to Upward Dog, then exhale to Down Dog), step your left foot forward, and repeat this pose on the left side.

I'm just getting started so keep reading for two more effective hip opening yoga poses.