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Get Physical: Exercise with a Partner

FitSugar — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 03:30:00 -0700

We would all like our partners in crime, be they husbands, boyfriends, house mates, best friends, siblings - to also be our partners in fitness. Working out with a partner generally helps to keep folks on track and makes us all less likely to skip a workout.

Here are a few things to consider when planning how to get physical with a partner.

Common Interests: Look for an activity you both enjoy: hiking, sailing, team sports - there are lots of co-ed leagues out there.
Look for new adventures: Explore new ways to exercise that neither of you have every really done before. This will keep you on equal footing. Take a tennis lesson or learn to cha-cha.
Think outside your box: Both of you need to be willing to try new activities - all partnerships are a give and take. Play golf one week and the next try a double kayak aquatic adventure. The possibilities are endless once you get off the couch.
Get classy: Group classes from spinning to Pilates offer both a group and personal experience. You can work at your individual level while enjoying an activity together.
Just do IT: Sign up for a charity walk or run, move at your separate paces and hook up at the finish line. Simply heading to the gym together is a great option. Spot each other lifting free weights or just do you own thing separately. The good new is you made it to the gym.

Are You Stressed Out Because Your Significant Other Hasn't Proposed Yet?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Being in a relationship with someone you love is a wonderful thing. The love you feel is so powerful, and the unconditional support you share helps you to be better people. When you're in a relationship for a long time, and you feel strongly about that person, you're bound to think "When will we get engaged?"

Others are bound to think that too, especially your close friends and family. You can feel a lot of pressure when people are constantly asking, "So...When are you two going to get engaged?" It doesn't really help the situation and can make you extremely anxious.

Are you totally in love with your significant other, and are anxious because he hasn't popped the question yet? Here are some tips to help you relax.

Tell your friends and family to back off - Politely tell them that you feel strongly about where your relationship is going, and if anything happens, they'll be the first to know.
Talk to your significant other - If you really are doubting how he's feeling about you, and whether he wants to spend the rest of his life with you, chatting about it will set your mind at ease.
Exercise - Releasing all that energy will help release stress and tension, not to mention, it'll keep you in shape so when you do get engaged, you'll feel good about trying on wedding gowns.

Want to see the other tips? Then read more

Go away for the weekend with some girlfriends - There's nothing like a little female bonding time. Plus, a new place will give you a new perspective, and we all know that distance makes the hard grow fonder.
Get a massage - Treat yourself to some hands-on relief. A massage will relax your muscles and your mind, and get the issue of an engagement out of your head.
Talk to a Therapist - They are professional listeners, and they don't know you or your history, so they won't make any judgments. Sometimes it's just nice to get your feelings out, and for someone to hear what you're going through.

Fit's Tips: These are just some ideas to help you de-stress. Whatever you do, don't lose hope. A secret proposal could be in your not-to-distant future, so if you know in your heart that someday you'll get engaged, enjoy the time you have together, and be excited for what's to come. Plus, dealing with all this stress now will be great practice for when you're married, and people start pressuring you with "So...When are you going to have kids?"

Source

New Moon Star Nikki Reed Says Relationship Keeps Her Slim

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:49 -0800

If Kristen Stewart needs any help kicking her nicotine habit, she can look to her New Moon costar Nikki Reed for advice. In the last few months, Reed has given herself a bit of a lifestyle makeover, thanks in large part, as she told People, to her relationship with Greek shipping heir (and Paris Hilton ex) Paris Latsis.

Reed and Latsis have officially been out as a couple since Summer, which was the perfect time for Latsis to introduce Reed to all the outdoor sports he loves. The pair spent the season hiking, windsurfing, and water skiing, and as a result, Reed says, the pounds started dropping.

Besides having tons of fun, Reed was so inspired by her boyfriend's love of the outdoors that she became motivated to get into better shape. First things first, she quit smoking. Now Reed hits the gym for two hours a day and says that being active has made her "much happier."

Last week I shared with you some ways that your relationship might be making you fat, but keep in mind that as with Reed, relationships can have positive effects on health. I personally am healthier now that I'm with a partner who likes being active as much as I do. He and I love riding bikes, climbing, and going on long hikes together. Do any of you credit your relationship for making you healthier?

FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:50:03 -0800

You can go easy on the butter in your mashed potatoes when you use Yukon Gold spuds.
New Moon star Nikki Reed says hiking with her boyfriend is her fitness secret.
How well do you know the calorie counts of Starbucks's holiday drinks?
Worried about falling off the healthy wagon? Here are eight ways to get back on track.
I'm curious to know how many days a week you work out.
Ashlee Simpson-Wentz firmly believes in taco night and baby weights.
If you're starting to strength train, check out this guide to beginning weights for lifting.
Learn just how long you need to exercise in order to burn off a slice of T-day pumpkin pie.
I have some great gift ideas for the healthy cook in your life.
Learn a bit more about the fat-burning zone.

Gabby Reece on Getting Physical With Laird Hamilton

FitSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When it comes to fit couples, like former pro beach volleyball fitness guru Gabby Reece and her hunk of a husband pro surfer Laird Hamilton, you have to wonder if they work out together.

When posed with Sugar user Spectra's question, "What kind of activities do you do with Laird to stay fit?" Gabby quickly responded, with an almost inaudible chuckle, "Oh my gosh, I try not to train with Laird. We've been together for almost 14 years and always joke that we are both too bossy to train together trying to tell each other what to do, and he always wins. I would say Laird is far more advanced in some of the things he is able to do. I use him as an inspiration."

To learn how Laird inspired her to start biking, read more.

Laird urged Gabby to start biking suggesting that it was a great way to explore the beauty Hawaii has to offer. She also occasionally works out with the "boys" when she misses her own workout group due to scheduling conflicts. She explains that the workout,

"is really hard. I am there just barely silent holding on for dear life. But I am learning. . . You can always learn more, because it gets boring. Part of it is being around people . . . that give ideas and inspiration on how to do different things to keep it fresh."

Gabby did go on to say they do stuff in the water together as a couple and as a family, but training together happens "only once in a blue moon" and that might be what keeps them together.

My husband and I cycle together, but we had to hash out the parameters since we have different approaches to attacking hills and speeding down descents. What about you? Do work out with your husband, partner, boyfriend?

Jennifer Love Hewitt on the Shape of Things

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:30:46 -0700

Gracing October's cover of Shape magazine, Jennifer Love Hewitt looks amazingly toned and smiley in her frilly white bikini, but she has the same insecurities all women have about their bodies. She shares:

"For the most part, yeah, I'm happy with my body, but there are days when I'm like, 'Ugh! Really? Why is it so hard to fit into my jeans?' That's when I say to myself, 'I look this way because I'm supposed to. If we all looked the same, we'd be boring.'"

I think she looks fantastic, and she's shared her tips on how she keeps her body looking healthy and fit. To hear them read more.

When it comes to her diet, Jennifer grocery shops every two days. She says, "Instead of piling up food in my fridge that says 'Come eat me!' I keep enough for only a couple of days." She rarely keeps fattening treats around to avoid temptations from her late night cravings. She says, "What am I going to do? Drive out at 11 at night just to satisfy a craving? No, that's crazy." She also eats lunch. I know that sounds pretty obvious, but in her business, many women skip out in order to stay super skinny. She opts for healthy choices like a salad with every meal, and lots of fruits and veggies.

Exercise is also top on Jennifer's list. We know she plays tennis (even in heels!), and she also enjoys running, even when she's traveling. While visiting Monaco with boyfriend Jamie Kennedy, they ran 40 minutes every morning through the streets of Monte Carlo. It's a great way to explore new places and burn calories too.

Jennifer takes care of her inner self too. At night, she says five things she finds sexy about herself, and says, "I fall asleep feeling beautiful. Then in the morning, before I leave the house, I say five things I love about myself . . . That way I can go out into the world with that little bit of extra confidence."

Tell me in the comments section below one thing that you find sexy about yourself. Go ahead and share five things if you feel it!

Jessica Biel to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:45:24 -0700

It looks like Jessica Biel is taking her recent roll of the earnest Salvation Army captain Sarah Brown in the musical Guys and Dolls to heart. She just volunteered to climb a mountain for charity.

We all know that Jessica Biel is no stranger to working out hard. We've seen the athletic actress running sprints at the track and doing crazy-hard boot camps. Well, Jess has signed on for a big adventure - climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest, free-standing mountain in the world. The climb is part of an awareness and fund-raising campaign for Summit on the Summit, a group dedicated to educating the public about the need for clean drinking water worldwide.

To see if JT will be joining her on the climb, just read more.

Jessica explained why she was joining the celebrity team of mountaineers, including Lupe Fiasco and Isabel Lucas, like this, "This is a basic human necessity that needs to be addressed now. [I want] to help any way I can in order to raise awareness toward the life-threatening clean-water crisis happening not only in Africa but around the world." On the boyfriend front, Justin told Jimmy Kimmel back in August that he was planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and it sounds like he has been training for quite some time.

Sounds like a fun adventure and a great cause. Go, Jess go!

Lauren Conrad's Life Shapes Up Beyond The Hills

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:28:48 -0700

Lauren Conrad's tale proves that moving on and letting go make for a healthy life. The former star of The Hills has not only embraced love with the actor Kyle Howard, but healthy eating is a staple of her new life, too. Gone is the worry of what others think and the junk-food cravings. All good changes for the natural beauty, which she shares in the upcoming issue of Shape.

Once a calorie counter, LC is more flexible these days when it comes to food choices. Opting for fresh fare - fruit, organic salad greens, and lean proteins - she has tamed her cravings.

"I've found when all I'm eating is really fresh, healthy foods, I stop craving pizza and burgers," she says. Lauren's even switched to super-nutritious nibbles (what she calls "snack plates"): hummus, sliced turkey, cucumbers, and apples. "When I have these foods in front of me, I find it easier to avoid high-calorie binges," she says.

For more on her workouts and her new tattoo keep reading.

Valerie Bertinelli Believes in Her Amazing Body

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:00:48 -0700

2009 is the year of firsts for Valerie Bertinelli. Back in March she appeared in a bikini on the cover of People magazine after losing 50 pounds, and this weekend she completed the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half-Marathon. Valerie crossed the finish line in 2:12:19 and commented, "I am in amazement. I can't believe what a body can do if you believe in it."

She had her boyfriend and workout buddy Tom Vitale with her every step of the way, and she ramped up her training regimen during the months leading up to the race. That meant more running, ab-work, and upper body workouts. Valerie is still on a high from finishing the half-marathon, but her trainer thinks she's going to do a full marathon before she's 50. She said, "I have till April. I'm not committing yet! I haven't wrapped my head around it. We're negotiating."

It seems to me that if Valerie puts her mind to something, her body will follow. Her achievements prove that having faith in yourself can work wonders.

10 Ways to Reward Yourself For Reaching Fitness Goals

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:53:58 -0700

I feel it is important to set fitness goals, but it's equally important to reward yourself once you reach them. After completing my first triathlon, I bought a new purse. If you need ideas for rewarding yourself, take a lesson from FitSugar readers and how they recognize their achievements.

"Going to the gym and working out is its own reward because it makes me feel so much better." - kclulu
"As I am losing the weight, I made a rewards list for each milestone. At 10 pounds, I bought myself hip scarves for belly dancing. At 20 pounds, I watched all five of the Best Picture nominees in February. At 30 pounds, I got an iPod Touch. And at 40 pounds, which is where I am now, I got a hula hoop and signed up for dance lessons. When I reach 50, I get to go on vacation." - tamaradulva
"When I reach a milestone, I reward myself by buying new gym clothes." -sandy82

To see the other ways FitSugar readers reward their fit and healthy efforts, read more.

"My fitness goal IS my reward! My boyfriend wants to go on a challenging week-long mountain trek later this year. It's been his dream since he was little, and I'm so touched that he wants me to go with him. I'm working out every day and strength training to get ready for it. Being able to do it with him, and actually enjoy it, is going to be the biggest gift to him and myself!" - Anonymous
"When I reached 50 pounds I went skydiving. It was awesome!" - elenaperez64
"New lingerie. It highlights everything I've done much much more than my usual clothing. It makes me feel very confident too. And my fiance is definitely not complaining." - LilyLyra
"I like to reward myself with something fitness related like a new HRM watch, personal training sessions, or Pilates sessions. This way, it gives me something active to look forward to and makes exercise the ultimate reward. Plus things like training or Pilates sessions help to break the boredom and give me an extra workout boost.
New clothes are always fun too." - Anonymous
"I don't usually reward myself for exercising goals actually. Thinking I look hotter naked is enough of a reward." - tlsgirl
"I agree that feeling and looking better is more than enough reward! But sometimes I promise myself new exercise clothes or equipment, because new things always get me excited about working out!" - sourcherry
"When I reach my weight goal . . . which will hopefully be in the next week or two . . . I'm eating a cheeseburger from my favorite spot!" - Anonymous