FitSugar

8 Emotionally Unhealthy Things to Give Up For Lent

Colleen Barrett — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 07:00:37 PST

Whether you're Christian or not, Lent is good time to detox; literally if you partied for Mardi Gras, and figuratively, if you're everyone else. It's like God's Spring cleaning. A time to renew vows for lapsed New Year's resolutions if you will.

This year consider giving up some emotional baggage with these unhealthy behaviors and relationships.

Your ex: Well, only if you want to! Whether you're still seeing him or working up the courage to defriend him, make today an ending and a beginning.
Fakeness: Stop smiling when you don't mean it; your face will freeze that way. And nobody wants a permanent fake smile, because they put us in bad moods.
Toxic friends: If anyone in your life consistently makes you feel bad about yourself, sever the ties today. Here are eight ways to recognize toxic people in your life.
Mean-spirited gossip: Or maybe you've gotten a little toxic? We all have at some point. Promise not to start any hateful chatter - there are healthy ways to do it - and change the subject if someone else starts. Once you break the habit, you may find it's quite pleasant.
Snooping: Is your Internet snooping out of control? Snooping is like a drug, but it's not called Charlie Sheen. Still, once you start, you can't stop. Try anyway - even if it's just to see how long you'll last. You might be surprised.
Oversharing online: Posting your whole life on the Internet can feel like socializing, but it's gotten a bad rap. Ask yourself a few questions: what's your motivation? Who do you want to see it? Do you want a response? Is it TMI? In short, think before you post.
Dating "just nice" guys: We all want to date nice guys, but nice is not enough. Ditch your guilt, rally your self-confidence, and say, "No more Mr. Just Nice guy."
Your comfort zone: Start dating, stop dating, take a class, travel alone, or just change your daily routine - whatever! Most people find a piece of happiness on the outside.

Are you ditching anything that's bringing you down?

Do You Feel Comfortable Naked?

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Jennifer Love Hewitt has had her share of body issues and media. However, these days she's making sure you know that she's perfectly happy with the way she looks. In fact she told Health magazine in a recent interview that now that she's nearly 30, she wishes she had been nude from the time she was 12 until 28.

This got me to thinking because a lot of us have issues being nude (alone or in front of someone else) and unfortunately for many of us it's because we're not happy with our weight. It's too bad because the body truly is a beautiful thing. I love that JLH says, "I want to tell all young girls to walk around in bikinis all summer-and enjoy it. I want to tell them to never, ever feel bad about anything." Amen sister!

But for some, this is much easier said than done. So I am still wondering about you guys . . . do you feel comfortable naked?

Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT

It's not the hours we spend at the gym that makes a difference in our health, it's the little things too.

Recent research has found that simply being happy can lengthen your life 7.5 to 10 years. So take time each day to relax and reflect on the positives. I like to write down five positive things that happened in my journal each night to remind myself of the joys I might easily forget the next day. It only takes a few minutes to do, but it provides a wealth of happiness for me - and apparently it is extending my life as well.

Source

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Being a Sports Fan

Prevention — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:19:15 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Cristina Goyanes, Prevention

It’s no wonder your friends aren’t available to hang out on Sundays in the Fall and Winter - according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 64 percent of Americans claim to be professional football fans, and as of 2010, women make up 44 percent of the NFL fan base.

Being a sports fan doesn’t mean you’re expected to know all the players and stats of your hometown teams and destined for a beer gut - it’s about coming together in the name of good times as part of a community.

“Bonding over sports - the highs and lows of the game - strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things,” says Renee Clauselle, PsyD, who runs a private psychology practice in Long Island, NY.

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Rooting for the same team creates an immediate sense of family, says Daniel Wann, PhD, a Murray State University professor who has been studying the psychology of sports fans for over 20 years. “If you identify with a local team, you build an instant connection to others around you,” he says.

Beyond the bonding aspects, watching sports can motivate you to pump up your own workouts - and even burn a few extra calories when you jump, cheer, and clap during the highlights of the game. Find out more ways being a sports fan is a winning situation for your health.

Keep reading to learn how being a sports fan benefits your health.

Community Roundup: Do Sweets Make Us Sad?

TresSugar — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 02:00:27 PST

Foods and feelings - Mydisfunkshion
How we affect the people around us - Rules to Live By
An engagement story - Learn From My Mistakes
Loving my boyfriend while being attracted to women - Lesbian and Bisexual Support
Trust issues in relationships - Do, Dump, or Marry
Someone asked me if I'm pregnant today, and I'm not! - Group Therapy

The 5 Worst Habits That Damage Your Immune System

Prevention — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:19:31 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Kick these surprising habits to keep colds, flu and other bugs at bay.
By The Editors of Prevention.com

Staying healthy isn't just about using hand sanitizer and avoiding coughing co-workers. It turns out some pretty surprising daily habits - like how you fight with your husband or whether you stay up late for Letterman - can impact how well your body fends off colds, flu and other pesky bugs. Here's a list of science-backed tips to add to your stay-healthy arsenal today.

1. You Avoid the Water Cooler
Friendship may be Miracle-Gro for your immune system. Research shows that the fewer human connections we have at home, at work, and in the community, the likelier we are to get sick, flood our brains with anxiety-causing chemicals, and live shorter lives than our more sociable peers. In one study, researchers who monitored 276 people between the ages of 18 and 55 found that those who had six or more connections were four times better at fighting off the viruses that cause colds than those with fewer friends.

What to do: Don't let a jam-packed workday or hectic schedule get in the way of your friendships. Stop by a co-worker's office for a quick Monday morning catch-up, or e-mail/text your friends at night to stay in touch when you're too busy for phone calls.

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2. You Often Feel Tired
Scrimping on sleep has a powerfully detrimental effect on immunity. The perfect example: college students who get sick after pulling all-nighters cramming for exams. Poor sleep is associated with lower immune system function and reduced numbers of killer cells that fight germs. In fact, University of Chicago researchers found that men who had slept only four hours a night for one week produced half the amount of flu-fighting antibodies in their blood (jump-started by a flu shot) compared with those who slept 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours.

Keep reading to learn how to keep your immune system strong after the break.

How to Stick to Your Diet (or Workout)

Health — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:07:08 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Su Reid St. John

I've been struggling a bit recently with old, not-so-great eating habits. I've made a few halfhearted attempts to stem the tide, but it wasn't until last week, when I found my favorite jeans a little hard to button, that I realized I'd gotten pretty far off track. So I turned to a simple mantra for help: It's not an option.

I repeat it every time a plate of brownies shows up in the break room, my husband bakes gingerbread cookies and leaves them on the counter, or I'm simply contemplating a second helping of tortellini.

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I actually got it from Lisa Delaney, author of the funny, insightful book Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (and former executive editor at Health magazine). She came up with the phrase in a desperate moment, trying to stop her formerly out-of-shape self from quitting yet another workout. "Those four little words ended the internal argument right there," she writes. Bam. Done.

It's not an option.

The finality of this particular mantra is what makes it so effective for me. It simply slams the door on the possibility of doing something I don't need to do - this is the way it is, no arguing. It's oddly freeing, too, because as soon as I say it, my inner waffling comes to a halt and I no longer have the stressful "should I or shouldn't I?" debate running nonstop through my brain.

More tips after the break.

The Best Time Investments You Can Make

LearnVest — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:15:57 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

We all agree that time is more valuable than money.

At least, that’s what we say.

Then we turn around and spend hours watching bad TV we’re not even that interested in. Or 45 minutes on the phone with customer service fighting a $5 charge. Or years in a relationship or friendship we stopped feeling fulfilled by long ago.

But I’m convinced it’s not for a lack of good intent that we often end up treating time as our most fungible asset. (Hey, there’s plenty more where that came from, right? Well, not really . . . ) I think we simply get too busy to think about it, or don’t think we have the resources to make more time in our lives. We do have the resources, though. All it takes is a fresh look at how we really spend our days, hours and moments.

I’ve been thinking about time as a tangible asset not unlike money in many ways, and about ways to invest our time to yield higher returns - better memories, more hours well spent, even minutes that nourish us instead of fly by. After much research, experience and reflection, below are what I found to be the seven best investments you can make with your time. Think of these as blue-chip time investments that can’t go wrong - and that will yield high dividends for a more fulfilled life.

1. Invest in “Life-Extending” Time

Investing time in caring for your health is an obvious one that will certainly yield you more time, literally - in days, months, if not years tacked on to your life. Yet we often take our health for granted until we experience a wake-up call. Proactively invest your time in your health by eating well, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and regularly seeing your doctors. Invest heartily in those non-physical markers of well-being as well: emotional, mental and spiritual health - you will reap many hours of well-lived life from them. Learn the habits of the Blue Zone people, from the regions in the world where people live the longest. Some common lifestyle traits they share? Building in natural movement and activity, lowering stress and being part of a faith-based community.

Read on for more great time investments.

5 Health Reasons to Make Time For Cuddling

Shape — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:08:28 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Next time your guy gets on your case about cuddle time — he says he's too hot, needs his space, doesn't feel like relaxing — present the evidence. Research suggests that there's more to cuddling than meets the eye. Lovey-dovey'ness aside, the health benefits of cuddling will surely convince him to make time for it.

Reason 1: It Feels Good
Cuddling releases oxytocin, which is also known as the feel-good hormone. "It increases overall happiness," says psychologist, physical therapist, and author of bestseller A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness Elizabeth Lombardo.

"Cuddling, holding, and sexual play releases chemicals, like oxytocin, in the brain that create a sense of well-being and happiness," says Dr. Renee Horowitz, an ob-gyn who recently opened the Center for Sexual Wellness in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Cuddling can also release endorphins, which is the chemical released after a good workout or when you eat chocolate, Horowitz adds, which contributes to that great feeling.

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Reason 2: It Makes You Feel Sexy
The most obvious benefit to cuddling is getting close to your partner in the physical sense. Cuddling can lead to fun sexy time or relaxing and loving time post sexual intercourse, but there's also a chemical plus.

"There is also the release of dopamine, which is an excitatory hormone that increases sexual desire," Horowitz says. Plus, studies show that sex is healthy for fitness and mental reasons, too. So it's a win-win.

Keep reading for two more reason to snuggle up!

6 Smells That Boost Your Health In Surprising Ways

Prevention — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:11:50 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Certain scents can help memory, mood, energy, and libido
By: Sarah Mahoney, Prevention

Did you know that the human sense of smell can identify thousands of aromas and is 10,000 times more precise than our sense of taste?

We have millions of smell receptors in our noses. When they detect a scent, they shoot the information to the olfactory bulb - a pea-size cluster in the brain, which sorts the signals and relays them to the limbic system. This primitive part of the brain governs many memories and emotions; some of our most basic behaviors - feeding, fighting, or fleeing; as well as sexual arousal, pleasure, and maybe even addiction. Because of their close proximity, the neurological controls for these behaviors often become entangled. That's why, for instance, during the early stages of attraction, dinner is often a prelude to sex.

It also explains how odor can help
lower stress levels, improve mental and physical performance, ease pain, end insomnia, and even help us lose weight, research shows. Here’s how to use your sense of smell to your advantage.

To Resist a Snack Attack
Sniff: Green Apple or Another Favorite Scent
A fragrance you love can help manage cravings, according Alan Hirsch, MD, founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. In one study, Hirsch gave overweight people banana, green apple, and peppermint to sniff when they felt a craving; they lost more weight than non-sniffers.
Try this: Keep a bottle of a favorite scent handy throughout the day and try sniffing instead of snacking.

To Calm Down
Sniff: Orange or Lavender
In an Austrian study, researchers wafted the smell of oranges before some participants and lavender before others. The two groups felt less anxious, more positive, and calmer, compared with participants who were exposed to no fragrance at all.
Try this: Add a few drops of either oil to a room diffuser and use in your office on stressful days.

Learn more soothing scents after the break.