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Which is More Embarrassing?

FitSugar — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I love that grocery stores carry so many necessary things, but buying certain products can give strangers insight into your personal life. With that in mind...

Which is MORE Embarrassing?

FitSugar — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:45:00 -0700

Being human, there are things that happen to all of us, but they don't make them any less bearable. So, tell me, which is more embarrassing...?

Yoga Stretch and Tell: We Were Willing to Try Anything

FitSugar — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Yoga Stretch and Tell. It's a place to share stories, questions, tips, and celebrations about yoga. Have you had a funny, emotional, AWFUL, or awesome experience in a yoga class? Why not tell the world?

I have an embarrassing story to share - well, not embarrassing for me, but totally an awful, life-altering experience for my friend Suzy.

We were taking a Vinyasa class one night. About halfway through the class, the instructor was having us go up against the wall and practice doing this crazy headstand where you lift your head off the ground and turn it into forearm stand. Not easy - but we were willing to try anything.

Everyone was upside down and then all of a sudden - we heard a loud "THUMP." We all stood up quickly and found Suzy totally knotted up, her back against the wall, her head on the ground, and her legs in the air. She looked like a car wreck.

I helped her up and she gasped. I looked over at what she saw and couldn't believe it - Her butt had slammed so hard into the wall that it left a HUGE dent. And really - she's a small girl, so it could have happened to anyone.

She was mortified. The instructor came over, and sweetly said, "Well, at least you can say you tried and that's all that matters." Well, that's true, but when most people try difficult poses - it doesn't leave a mark.

Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Suzy wasn't too sure about that one.

Fit Suite: Share Your Most Embarrassing Fitness Moments!

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 08:30:00 -0800

Hey Guys! We've all had an embarrassing moment working out now and again. After all, half the stuff we're trying is totally new to us. Imagine all the embarrassing moments that happen in yoga or what about while playing sports? So share them in Fit's Embarrassing Fitness Moments Suite! That way we can all stop feeling totally embarrassed and realize that things happen when you're working out.

Exercise Swap Out: Inner and Outer Thighs

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:30:00 -0700

If there are two machines (or sometimes it is just one machine) that I refuse to use at the gym they are the abductor/adductor machines.

These machines require you to either spread your legs as far as they can from a closed knees position, or start with your legs spread wide open and close them, over and over again. Doesn't get any more suggestive than that, now does it? Both, in my opinion, are pretty embarrassing and I always catch some meat-head (albeit usually my husband) snickering while watching someone use these machines. Plus, I am not even sure these machines do my thighs justice anyway.

Here's the good news: You can still work your inner and outer thighs without succumbing to this highly embarrassing piece of equipment by doing a few sets of a killer Pilates exercise called ronde de jambe (leg circles) where you basically draw a big circle with your leg.
Here's how you do it: Lay on your right side, legs extended and slightly in front of you. Bring your left left leg forward as far as you can. Continue moving your leg, circling it up to the side as close to your ear as possible. Keep circling the leg behind you, lower the leg. Then return to the starting position with the legs together. That is one circle. Now do 4 more, then reverse circling the leg in the other direction for five more reps. Turn onto your left side and repeat with your right leg.

This is a great way to work both your adductor and abductor muscles (inner and outer thigh) Plus it's perfectly G-rated for the gym, even with the meatiest of the meat-heads watching you.

Source

Most Embarassing Fitness Moments

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:30:00 -0800

Hey guys. Come check out my new suite: "Share your most embarrassing fitness moments."

We all have them so why not share them? Maybe yours is when you tried this subway exercise on your commute and you slipped and fell on your bum. If they make folks laugh, then you're giving them an abdominal work out. If your moment is just down right humiliating, then you will get our empathy and know that you are not alone.

We all have moments when we fall from grace or off the treadmill. So come on and share.

You Asked: Why Do I Shake During Hard Exercises?

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:50:00 -0800

Dear Fit,
I tried out a new strength training class at my gym, and it was awesome. It uses dumbbells, resistance bands, gym balls, and mat exercises to tone your whole body. There were definitely a lot of new moves I'd never done before, and during one of the exercises, where you're balancing on your bum in a V-position, and lowering your torso and legs toward the floor, I was shaking uncontrollably. It was kind of embarrassing. This happened during some other really challenging moves, and I'm wondering why this happens, if it's bad for me, and if it'll ever go away.
-Trembling and Shaking

There are two things you should know about your body shaking. One, it's completely normal, so it's nothing to be embarrassed about and I bet if you had looked around you would see your classmates trembling along with you. Learn the second bit of info about shaking when you read more.

Your body shaking during strength training isn't a bad thing. It just means that your muscles are working hard and are not used to the demands you're placing on them. Meaning they're just not strong enough yet. The trembling is caused by your muscles grabbing and releasing one another as they lengthen and shorten. Once your muscles become accustomed to doing these new exercises, that action will become smoother and your trembling will stop.

Since quivering means that your muscles are hard at work, you just want to be careful not to overdo it, since you can end up tearing a muscle. Gradually work your way up to challenging exercises. Either do modifications, less reps, or hold difficult positions for less time. Keep up with the class, and as your body becomes stronger, you'll be able to say sayonara to the shaking.

Any other shakers out there? Tell me the move that gets ya!

Hardcore Runners Remove Their Toenails, Permanently

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:01 -0700

For marathoners, crossing the finish line comes with battle scars - sore muscles, sunburn, sore nipples, and the impressive yet painful bruised toenails. Even though their feet are protected by socks and cushioned sneaks, the repetitive banging against the front of a runner's shoe causes bleeding under the nails, and can sometimes cause nails to just fall off. When these damaged nails do grow back, they don't adhere as well to the skin, becoming an ongoing problem for serial marathoners. To see a photo of what I am talking about visit the RuningSugar group.

To solve this tender problem, about five percent of hardcore long-distance runners have their toenails surgically removed by a podiatrist. If the procedure sounds agonizing to you, it's actually much worse than you imagine. Either acid is poured over the nail bed to melt the nail, or the nail is pulled off the toe. Yikes! For those interested, Dr. Lisa Bliss, winner of the 2007 Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race in Death Valley, documented her surgery so runners would know what to expect. Warning - it's not for those who faint easily at the sight of blood or needles.

To see what podiatrists have to say about this procedure, just keep reading.

Orgasms: Too Much of a Good Thing?

FitSugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:27:43 -0700

Achieving an orgasm is a hot topic. Women want more, are faking it, and are looking for ways to make it easier and more enjoyable. Can you imagine what it's like to have too many orgasms then, as in 100 to 200 a day? This condition is known as persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) or persistent sexual arousal syndrome (PSAS) and can leave the affected woman in a state of arousal for hours, days, even weeks at a time. Brought on by environmental changes like cold air, vibrations from music, scents, or even a hug, one symptom of PGAD are spontaneous orgasms - ranging from the mild to a fullout screamfest. And unlike the orgasms shared with our partners, the effects of the condition are rarely associated with any feelings of sexual desire.

The idea of spontaneous orgasms may sound welcoming to some women, but given the invasive nature of PGAD, it's extremely embarrassing and difficult for those who live with it. To shed some light, Grey's Anatomy dramatized the condition on an episode, which you can see here.

You Asked: My Vegetarian Diet Is Making Me Gassy

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:47:51 -0700

Dear Fit,
I am trying the vegetarian lifestyle and have finally given up bacon and hamburgers and went meat-free. I have a family history of obesity, heart disease, and cancer, and have read that a diet rich in fruits and veggies can play a huge role in prevention. I've been loading up on the green veggies, beans, fruits, and tofu. My taste buds don't really miss meat, but it hasn't even been a week and I'm having some, well, unpleasant side effects. I'm unbelievably bloated and gassy all the time, and am close to giving up on my veggie quest. Is it possible that my body is trying to tell me that a vegetarian diet isn't right for me, or is there a way to go about this so that I'm not feeling so inflated?
- Puffed Up

First of all, I applaud you for taking your health into your own hands and going meat-free. Your body is greatly benefiting from consuming less saturated fat and more plant-based proteins. I'm actually not surprised that you're experiencing such embarrassing and uncomfortable side effects, but that doesn't mean you can't become a vegetarian. To hear my suggestions read more.

From your diet description, you're doing everything right with your food choices, but there's such a thing as too much, too soon. Vegetarian foods are very high in fiber, and if your digestive system isn't used to that, it translates to gas and maybe even diarrhea. So my advice is to slowly ease into this diet. Be a flexitarian for a while. Consume your old diet that includes meat, and gradually increase your fruit, vegetable, legume, and whole grain intake as you fade out the meat. At first, eat small portions of foods that are especially gas-producing such as broccoli, beans, green peppers, apples, and high fiber cereals. Slowly increase the portion size over time and the gassiness should begin to dissipate. Making the switch to a vegetarian lifestyle overnight is a shock to your system, so all you need to do is move forward slowly, listen to your body, and you'll be meat-free (and less bloated) within a few weeks.