FitSugar

5 Foods That Banish Belly Fat

Heather Dale — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:13:35 PDT

There are exercises that target your abs to help you get the rock-hard stomach you've always dreamed of. But if you really want to double-team belly bulge, you'll need to eliminate sugar and processed carbs while also incorporating fat-burning foods into your diet. Keep reading to see which foods can help trim inches from your waistline!

Source: Thinkstock

How Do You Save Calories on the Weekend?

FitSugar — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 03:23:19 PDT

Weekends are relaxing in more ways than one - you can pick and choose what you want to do, and your schedule is often a lot less rigid than the grind of the week. Whether that means a longer workout or time to catch up on your favorite shows, you often have time to do more of what you want to do.

Sometimes, the free-flowing weekend can also mean a less-strict diet or exercise plan. But even if you feel like you are indulging more on the weekends than you would during the rest of the week, do you pay attention to burning and saving calories, or would you rather not think about them when you're off-duty?

Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:30:00 PDT

Who, regardless of age or body type wouldn't want to burn calories more efficiently? Boosting your metabolism is fairly easy and can be as simple as eating regularly, not sipping some super caffeinated energy drink.

Here are some ideas on how to boost your metabolism:

Eat breakfast. Eating in the morning will help to jump-start your metabolism for the rest of the day. Plus studies show that eating breakfast will help to increase your resting metabolic rate by 10 percent. I'm not talking about coffee and a danish here. Make sure it's full of fiber, protein, and whole grains.

Don't skip meals or deny yourself food when you're hungry. Food fuels our bodies, and not giving your body the fuel it needs will slow down your metabolism, so you burn less calories.
Make sure you're getting your fill of B vitamins (B6, B12, folate, thiamin and niacin). These are important when it comes to metabolizing carbs, fats, and proteins. Not getting enough will slow down your metabolism, not to mention make you feel tired, depressed, and increase your risk for chronic disease.
Get your fill of magnesium since it's also important for energy metabolism. Eat dark green veggies, halibut, almonds, cashews, peanuts and peanut butter, soybeans (tempeh or edamame), whole grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, and beans.

What else can speed up your metabolism? To find out

When you're hungry for a mid morning or afternoon snack, choose foods that will fill you up and give you energy. Go for foods that contain healthy carbs (not refined flours), protein, and fiber. Hummus and veggies, yogurt with granola, peanut butter on a banana, and apples and cheese are great options. That way you won't feel overly hungry and end up overeating later because of it.
Since muscle burns more calories than fat, strength train to build up your muscles. Every pound of muscle you have burns 35 calories a day. One pound of fat burns only two. So the more muscles you have, the more calories your body will need to burn to keep you going.
Learn to love interval training. Alternate between short bursts of fast, intense physical activity and slower, lower intensity activity. That means if you like to run on a track, you can sprint the straight parts and jog or walk the curves. Or you can work hard riding your bike up a big hill, and then cruise down the slope. Interval training is not only good for your heart and lungs, but it will help you burn more calories than a regular even paced workout, and increase your metabolic rate.

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Should I Do High Intensity Cardio or Low Intensity Cardio?

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:00:00 PDT

The cardio world can be a confusing one. One of the biggest questions I hear from people is: How hard should I work when I am doing cardio?

There is no magic formula and the truth is that doing any form of cardio will be beneficial to your life, but here is a simple guideline:

Low Intensity Cardio means you should be getting your heart rate up to about 40-60% of your max heart rate (220 - age = max heart rate) -- It is more about duration (length) than intensity (how hard you work). Training at low intensities often means picking a comfortable pace and sticking to it throughout the duration of the session. Examples can include brisk walking, jogging and swimming. Those that are less fit, have led a previously sedentary lifestyle, are overweight, have a history (or a risk factor) of heart disease, as well as the elderly, and anyone with arthritis and those of us with special instructions from our doctor should opt for low intensity workouts initially.

High Intensity Cardio means that you should be getting your heart rate up from 70-85% of you max heart rate -- Oftentimes it can include interval training. Examples of high intensity workouts include jump roping, sprinting and spinning. Since higher intensity cardio workouts burn more calories in a shorter period of time, it can be rough on your bones and joints. Those who could be doing high intensity cardio workouts are those that are already physically fit and those who are training for an event and those that are fit. Start by adding a high intensity cardio session in place of a low intensity session once a week and then you can build up from there.

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Get Physical: Explore a Museum

FitSugar — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 07:35:00 PST

Looking for something active to do this weekend with your significant other? The problem is that it's cold outside and depending on where you live possibly rainy or snowy.

Check out a new museum! Walking around a museum is not highly vigorous, but it gets you off the couch, out of the house and walking around. Not sure if your husband will be excited to see the Titanic Exhibit? Mine neither, so try going to different museums that might strike his fancy like The International Spy Museum in Washington DC. Maybe it will even encourage him to get in shape, since it's hard to be an international man of mystery if you're huffing and puffing while running after enemy #1. Or how about The Museum of Sex in NYC. Unless you want to rush through the museum, be sure to let him know that sex burns calories too after you see the exhibits. To find museums near you, check out the American Association of Museums.

Fit's Tip: Be sure to bring a pedometer so you can see how many steps you are really taking. Be careful when eating at the food courts at museums, it could be very easy to eat more calories than you actually burn seeing the sights.

Up and at 'Em! Calorie Burners For Memorial Day

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:14:24 PDT

Memorial Day is more than just good barbecue! Why not throw in some fun activities so those treats don't expand your waistline? Here are a handful of ways to burn at least 200 calories this holiday. The best part is that they are all fun group activities, so it won't feel like you are working out at all!

Calories burned based on a 130-pound woman. Calculate a more accurate burn stat for your weight and height with our Calorie Burn tool.

Calories Burned With 15 Minutes of Exercise: Summer Edition

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:29:01 PDT

Summer weather inspires me to exercise outside, even though some days it's super hot and humid. I usually work out early in the morning when temps are the lowest, and if I'm done by 8:30 a.m., I usually beat the heat. Not only do I love not having to wear a lot of clothes, but there are also so many different ways to move your body, you'll never get bored.

With busy Summer schedules and the sometimes unbearable heat and humidity, 15 minutes may be all you can spare (or bear). It may feel like a short time, but some exercise is always better than none at all. Check out how many calories you'll burn in your mini-workout. All stats are based on a 130-pound woman.

Running at a pace of 6 mph (10-minute miles): 148 calories
Walking at a pace of 4 mph (15-minute miles): 59 calories
Biking at a moderate pace of 13 mph: 118 calories
Mountain biking: 126 calories
Stretching/light yoga: 59 calories
Swimming laps at a moderate pace: 118 calories
Snorkeling: 74 calories

Not seeing your favorite Summer activity? Keep reading to find out how many calories you burn in 15 minutes of hiking, tennis, or playing Frisbee.

Learn Your Burn: Calories in Yoga Classes

Heather Dale — Sun, 22 May 2011 09:23:28 PDT

Deciding if a workout is worthwhile shouldn't be based on how many calories you burn; there are other factors to consider, like if you got your heart rate up, improved your balance and strength, or the exercise improves your energy levels. I'm a regular attendee at yoga classes, but it recently dawned on me that I have no clue how many calories I'm burning during yoga class. Because yoga makes me stronger and more flexible, it really doesn't matter how many calories I burn, but out of curiosity, I thought I'd see how my yoga classes stack up in the calorie department thanks to Health Status's calorie calculator.

Here are the results, listed from the lowest to highest calorie burners.

Celebrate Earth Day With These Weekend Calorie Burners

Leta Shy — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:09:11 PDT

This weekend get out and enjoy the season! Not only is it the end of National Park Week, but it's also a great time to celebrate Earth Day since you'll likely have more time to devote to outdoor activities.

Since this week is all about getting out, enjoying, and appreciating the outdoors, you know you'll be working out while having fun. Here's how these Earth Day activities stack up in the calorie department!

Gardening. Many cities around the country are planning citizen park cleanups this weekend, so you can enjoy your favorite public space while helping plant trees and picking up trash. All that work can mimic time at the gym - you'll be squatting, weight-lifting, and "rowing" your way to burning an average of 300 calories per hour.
Hiking. With the weather warming up, now's the time to go for a Spring hike to enjoy the fresh, crisp air. It'll help you reconnect with your natural surrounds and may even inspire you to make greener choices and, perhaps best of all, will burn about 355 calories every hour.
Running. Besides park cleanups, Earth Day runs are another organized way to celebrate the environment. Sign up for an Earth Day 5K; jogging at a 12-minute mile pace will burn about 230 calories during the race, while running an 8.5-minute mile will burn about 280 calories.

How will you be going green or celebrating Earth Day this weekend?

Insanity's Shaun T's Last-Minute Diet and Exercise Tips

Leta Shy — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:34:46 PDT

Shaun T, the personal trainer who's motivated millions with his at-home workouts, knows how to get people in shape in a short amount of time. After all, his Insanity workout program promises incredible results in just 60 days of sweating and jumping in front of your TV.

With Summer a mere few weeks away, we spoke with Shaun about how to get in shape for anything - whether it's a beach holiday, wedding, or event - when you've only got a little time. Find out his recommendations below!

Watch your drink calories: "Don't drink your calories. That's the number one rule of thumb: not to drink your calories. It will eliminate so many calories in your body. Everybody knows that sugar that's not burnt off eventually turns into fat," says Shaun, who's also holding live workouts nationwide to promote his partnership with Powerade Zero. Shaun recommends portion control and cutting the amount of sugars and carbs in your diet in half, but "still ensure you have enough energy during the day," he says.

Kick it up a notch: "If you're a person who works out at the gym, try to take [fewer] breaks," Shaun recommends. "If you're a weight lifter, while you're not doing weights, try to do some different cardio exercise in between to try to ramp up the calorie burn."

Keep reading for more of Shaun T's last-minute diet and exercise advice!