FitSugar

Thin the Movie: The Reality of Eating Disorders

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:45:00 -0800

Eating disorders affect 5 million people in the U.S. More than 10% of those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa will die from the disease. Seeking to put a human face on these sobering statistics, acclaimed photographer Lauren Greenfield went inside a Florida treatment center to tell the stories of four women who are literally dying to be thin.

The devastating documentary film titled Thin, reveals her findings. It is captivating and you are drawn in by the heart-wrenching stories of these girls and their painful struggles as they each try to recover.

You can purchase Thin, a groundbreaking book about eating disorders. Greenfield's photographs are paired with extensive interviews and journal entries from twenty girls and women suffering not only from their eating disorders, but from the personal struggles that lead to the disorders in the first place.

Review: Secret Clinical Strength Sport Antiperspirant

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Products marketed toward female athletes always pique my interest. Plus it is great to know that somebody out there knows we exist and like gear! When I saw a new antiperspirant by Secret with the word "sport" as well as the phrase "designed for athletes" on the front of the package, I was curious to try it. It was really the name of the sport fresh scent "marathon" that hooked me. Maybe if I wore this clinical strength formula I could run a marathon - only kidding.

I wore Clinical Strength Secret ($8) on a couple of runs and experienced absolutely no underarm sweating, and received no post-run comments about my stink factor from my 3-year-old. Then I read the fine print: this deodorant isn't really for female athletes. It was designed for women who suffer from excessive sweating, know as hyperhidrosis in medical speak. Secret recommends applying this clinical strength antiperspirant at bedtime, to allow for the active ingredient aluminum zirconium trichlorohydrex Gly to dissolve into your pores effectively plugging the sweat ducts for 24 hours. Honestly, the formation of "plugs" in my armpits while I sleep creeps me out a bit. I don't need 24-hour protection from sweating.

Although this product has a girly "sport fresh scent," its "prescription strength wetness protection" is overkill for me. However, it is truly effective and if you sweat regularly due to stress or physical exercise this could be the underarm protection you need. You can find it at DrugStore.com.

Have any of you tried Clinical Strength Secret? Tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Get Wellness Tips From the Mayo Clinic at Home

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

The Mayo Clinic offers top-notch medical care but the problem is that not all of us live within driving distance to Rochester, MN.

Now, you can get wellness advice and tips directly from the Mayo Clinic in the comfort of your own home by using their new Wellness Solutions DVDs. From high blood pressure, to back pain, to IBS, you might just be able to find a solution for whatever common health problem ails you. Each DVD includes an informational section along with treatment options (alternative and traditional), nutritional information, and a yoga session. One DVD costs $20, so while they're not the cheapest DVDs on health topics, you know your money is well spent since the advice you're getting comes from the best of the best. Buy online at Gaiam.

Has anyone tried any of these wellness DVDs already? I'd love to hear what you think.

Diet Tricks for the Non-Dieter

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Looking for some ways to cut calories without really dieting?

The April issue of The Mayo Clinic Health Letter provides quick and easy tips to eat less with portion control without any real strict dieting involved:

Select smaller bowls, plates and spoons for serving and eating. Research has shown that people eat more when food is served in or eaten from larger dishes.
Get rid of high-calorie leftovers; store them in inconvenient locations or in opaque containers. -- Seeing a calorie-laden goody can trigger the desire to eat. Food in the basement pantry is less tempting than leftovers on the kitchen counter. Weight loss is easier when healthy, low-calorie foods are within sight and easy reach.
Buy small packages and serve or order small quantities. Larger packages or larger portions often lead people to eat more than they would if the serving or package were smaller. After serving appropriate portions, put leftovers away immediately or, at a minimum, keep the serving dishes off the dining table.

Check out DearSugar's Post on dealing with snacking at work for some more great tips.

Source

Would You Like Botox With That?

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 09:45:00 -0800

The mall is a one stop shopping spot where you can go and get virtually anything you need. Turns out that some people are taking that claim further than we think.

While shopping at the mall this holiday season, maybe you want to stop in a cosmedical clinic. What's that? Well cosmedical clinics are like medical spas, and they are starting to pop up in malls across America. At these clinics you can get noninvasive procedures like Botox injections. The scary part is that some of the clinics don’t require their practitioners to be plastic surgeons or dermatologists; it just depends on the state where the procedure is being done.

It just seems odd that we are considering putting help labels on plus size clothing yet we are making it more and more available to get Botox and Restylane.

What do you guys think?

Speak Up: Vertical Workstations in Your Office?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

The Mayo Clinic has decided to implement the idea of "vertical workstations," which are desks fitted over standard treadmills and they've certainly got everyone up and buzzing.

For the study, researchers asked a few overweight workers to use the vertical station to see how many calories they could burn. On average, it was found that the overweight volunteers burned 100 calories more every hour while walking slowly, 1.6 km per hour, than while sitting in a chair. Vertical workstations are not cheap, as the desks/treadmills are said to cost about $1,600 and they're a little on the bulky side. I wish they had measured productivity in the study as well because I am pretty sure I would have a hard time keeping focus on my work if I were moving on a treadmill -- Though they do say exercise makes you smarter.

I have not decided how I feel about this yet. On one hand I think it is great for people to get moving while at work. On the other hand I think it is just another reason for people to clock more hours and not see the light of day. Besides, there is something to be said for actually taking a walk or going to the gym during your lunch break, at least for sanity's sake.

What do you guys think -- Would you use a vertical workstation? Or would you rather just hit the gym? Let me know in the comments section below.

More Tips on Dealing with Stress After a Hardship

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Unfortunately we can not always foresee what will happen in the future, good or bad. Typically the bad events can lead to major stress and bouncing back is not always easy. In light of the major disasters going on in the world, more specifically the recent tragedy we've all heard about at Virgina Tech, here are a few tips from The Mayo Clinic on becoming more resilient and figuring out how to cope with serious stress:

Work toward goals. Do something every day that gives you a sense of accomplishment. It doesn't have to be a major goal, such as getting the college degree you've been meaning to pursue. Even small, everyday goals are important, such as finishing a work project or making a difficult phone call. Having goals helps direct you toward the future.
Take action. Don't just wish your problems would go away or try to ignore them. Chances are, they won't disappear on their own. Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan to do it, and then take action to resolve your problems.

There's more, so read more

Learn new things about yourself. Look back on past experiences and think about how you've changed as a result. You may be stronger than you thought. You may have gained a new appreciation for life. If you feel worse as a result of your experiences, think about what changes could help. Also explore new interests, such as taking a cooking class or visiting a museum.
Think better of yourself. Congratulate yourself for enduring hard times, loss or stress. Be proud of yourself. Trust yourself to solve problems and make sound decisions. Think positive thoughts about yourself. Nurture your self-confidence and self-esteem so that you feel you're a strong, capable and self-reliant person who can withstand hardships and criticism. This will give you a sense of control over events and situations in your life and confidence in your ability to manage them well.
Maintain perspective. This doesn't mean comparing your situation to that of somebody you think may be worse off. Comparing yourself to someone else may only make you feel worse or feel guilty. Rather, look at your situation in the larger context of your own life, and of the world. Keep a long-term perspective and know that your situation can improve if you actively work to make it better.

To read even more tips check out this post I did earlier in the week.

Tips on Dealing with Stress After a Hardship

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Unfortunately we cannot always foresee what will happen in the future, good or bad. Typically the bad events can lead to major stress and bouncing back is not always easy. In light of the major disasters going on in the world, more specifically the recent tragedy we've all heard about at Virgina Tech, here are a few tips from The Mayo Clinic on becoming more resilient and figuring out how to cope with serious stress:

Get connected. Build strong, positive relationships with family and friends, who can listen to your concerns and offer support. Get involved in civic groups, faith groups or volunteer organizations that give you an opportunity to help others. Relationships like these can also fulfill your need for a sense of belonging and help banish loneliness. "A sense of connectedness can sustain you in dark times," Dr. Creagan notes.
Use humor and laughter. Remaining positive or finding humor in distressing or stressful situations doesn't mean you're in denial. Humor is a helpful coping mechanism. If you simply can't find humor in your situation, turn to other sources for a laugh, such as a funny book or movie.

There are more tips, so read more

Learn from your experiences. Recall how you've coped with hardships in the past, either in healthy or unhealthy ways. Build on what helped you through those rough times and don't repeat actions that didn't help. Figure out what lessons you learned and how you'll apply them when faced with similar situations.
Remain hopeful and optimistic. When you're in the middle of a crisis, it may seem as though things will never get better. While you can't change the events, look toward the future, even if it's just a glimmer of how things might improve. Find something in each day that signals a change for the better. Expect good results. Believing things happen for a reason may help sustain you.
Take care of yourself. Tend to your own needs and feelings, both physically and emotionally. This includes participating in activities and hobbies you enjoy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and eating a well-balanced diet.
Accept and anticipate change. Be flexible. Change and uncertainty are part of life. Try not to be so rigid that even minor changes upset you or that you become anxious in the face of uncertainty. Expecting changes to occur makes it easier to adapt to them, tolerate them, and even welcome them.

Fit's Note: My heart goes out to everyone involved in the shootings as well as their families and friends.

Your Blood Pressure and Weightlifting

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Many people with high blood pressure feel that they should steer clear of lifting weights due to the potential to spike blood pressure dangerously high. Should you be worried too?

So here is the deal. Weightlifting can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure and depending on how heavy you go with the weights, this increase can be substantial. However keep in mind that strength training can slow or reverse declines in strength, bone density and muscle mass. Strength training can also help control blood pressure, so you shouldn't shy away from it if you have high blood pressure, but you should keep these important tips in mind from the Mayo Clinic:

Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. He or she can help you develop an exercise program tailored to your specific needs.
Learn and use proper form when lifting to reduce the risk of injury.
Don't hold your breath. Holding your breath during exertion can cause your blood pressure to spike to dangerous levels. Instead, breathe easily and continuously during each lift.
Lift less weight with more repetitions. Heavier weights require more strain, which can increase blood pressure. You can challenge your muscles with less weight by increasing your repetitions.
Listen to your body. Stop your activity right away if you become severely out of breath or dizzy or if you experience chest pain or pressure.

What to Expect at Your First Mammogram

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:30:30 -0700

Supporting your girls with a great sports bra is important for your workouts, especially jumping plyometrics. When you hit 40, you're going to need to take photos of them too. Yep, I'm talking about a mammogram. This soft tissue x-ray is recommended annually for every woman over 40, and if you are at risk for breast cancer (if your mother or sister has had it, for instance), you start the process at 35.

The procedure is actually pretty simple and quick, but there is a lot of smooshing of breast tissue involved. So it's good to go into the process with a sense of humor and to check your modesty at the door. Here are a few pointers to make your first mammogram as pain-free as possible.

Do not wear deodorant, perfume, or powder. These substances can interfere with the imaging of breast tissue and even show up on the mammogram as calcifications, which can alarm the radiologist reading your mammogram, rendering more images necessary. This translates directly into more squishing.
Wear separates to the appointment, so you only have to take off your top and not fully disrobe.
If you have long hair, wear it up. This way your long locks won't interfere with the machinery and you won't accidentally have your hair pulled.
Avoid wearing necklaces or dangling earrings. Or simply take them off and stow them while you are having the mammogram.

A standard mammogram is four images, two per breast. If you have breast implants, double the number of images needed. At your first mammogram, sometimes extra images are needed to get a better understanding of the baseline reading of your breast tissue. At some offices, the radiologist will read the mammogram while you wait, so you get the results immediately, which seriously decreases the stress of the entire operation. However, some clinics will send the results to your primary care physician. In that case, remember to call your doc for results.