FitSugar

Move It at Home: Denise Austin - Shrink Your Female Fat Zones

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:06:35 PST

I don't know if Denise Austin is a powerhouse or an exercise fiend on crack. Nevertheless, I have got to hand it to her - she really keeps you moving. There is something about her manic manner that is equal parts frightening and entertaining. My theory is to use whatever means necessary to keep the DVD on the screen and your body moving.

At the end of this 40 minute work out you really feel like you have worked your female fat zones (arms, back, abs, hips and backside) and you know for certain where you are going to be sore. The work out moves quickly between body parts, so it is hard to get bored with it even with multiple viewings. I believe her mantra might just be "You will have the sexy looking arms you always wanted" since she says the phrase repeatedly through out the work out. Her optimism and over the top positive energy are encouraging and almost make up for the boring unmotivational music.

My one serious complaint is that at least half of the work out relies heavily on exercises using a physio ball. For many of the exercises there really aren't variations you can do without a ball. You will also need 5 to 8 pound hand weights. Boy does Denise come up with some great things to do with them.

Try it before you buy it and put it on your Netflix queue. Or buy it from from Amazon for $9.99.

Foods That Can Make You Look Pregnant

Shape — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:29:06 PST

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

Over the weekend, I saw a photo of a female celebrity (who is in a relationship with a male celeb) leaving a café with the caption, "Baby bump?" and I had to refrain myself from shouting out loud, "Come on, can't a girl eat without the world thinking she's having a baby?!"

The truth is having a perfectly flat stomach all the time just isn't normal. After you eat or drink, food and liquids naturally expand your stomach and intestines, so at least a little "bump" is inevitable every single day. So if you regularly get stalked by paparazzi or you have family members who are anxiously awaiting news of a new addition, here's the lowdown on when you might get mistaken for being pregnant:

See which foods may make you look pregnant after the break!

Experts Say This Is the Most Effective At-Home Workout

Self — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:17:01 PST

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Between infomercial-style ads for Pajama Pants and Ab Rollers, perhaps you've seen advertisements for P90X DVDs. Or maybe you have a friend who suddenly looked a bit more taut and toned, who casually referenced the muscle confusion-based fitness craze.

The point is P90X is undeniably a major exercise movement. But does it work? A recent study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says yes. And here's why.

First, it's obvious why ACE bothered to do this study. The organization loves to investigate the latest greatest fitness trends and, according to them, over three million copies of P90X were sold as of November 2010. And that was a year ago. Who even knows where that number is at now?

Everyone from famously buff Sheryl Crow to Bruce Springsteen has trained with creator Tony Horton, which lends him credibility upfront (especially if you're a Bruce fan from Jersey!). The concept behind this type of "muscle confusion" is that the body burns more fat and builds more muscle if you mix up your exercises so regularly that it never gets comfortable with any single one. For one thing, you're dodging that dreaded plateau.

"The basis of muscle confusion is to keep the body from becoming too efficient at performing individual and sets of exercises," explains Alice Burron, MS (Exercise Physiology), American Council on Exercise National Spokesperson and ACE Personal Trainer. "This type of inefficiency burns more calories because the muscles haven't yet adapted to the new workload. Overall more calories are burned, and as a percentage, then, more calories are burned from fat. That is, if a proper caloric intake is maintained in tandem with the workout."

Find out just why P90X is so effective after the break.

Facials and Acne

Allure — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:05:00 PST

We're excited to present this story from our friends at Allure:

Getting facial treatments with extractions may reduce premenstrual acne, but the timing seems to be important, according to a report in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science. When performing comedone extraction (steaming and gently pressing on the skin around blocked pores to remove dirt, oil, and debris), "I observed that when I did this with my clients midcycle, just after ovulation, they had less acne prior to their periods," says study author Katerina Steventon, a cosmetologist in the United Kingdom.

Her hypothesis: Such facials should be done around ovulation, because pore size decreases afterward, and because the skin becomes more oily and vulnerable to bacteria before menstruation; all these conditions may make extraction less efficient in preventing premenstrual acne. This needs to be tested in a clinical study, she adds.

From the Fit Community: I've Lost the Inches but Not the Weight

Fit Community — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:08:33 PDT

It's an age-old question: how come my pants feel looser but I weigh more now than before I started exercising? FitSugar reader livingthin turns to the experts for an answer and posted it in our 10 Pounds DOWN! community group.

Q: "I know everyone is always looking at the scale, but in my case I am slimmer than ever but the scale shows I am almost the same weight as I was on my son's first birthday - [I was] two sizes up [then]. I do two 50 minute exercise sessions per day five times per week; in total I exercise about 500 minutes per week if not more, and do a mix of plyometric exercises, Pilates, and hand and ankle weights. I can see my body is getting firmer and slimmer, but the scale takes my mood way down the higher it goes up. Is there a difference with different people's muscle mass density they build?" - Michele

A: Hi Michele! This question is an important one, and one that I have heard numerous answers to (although even I am not sure which one most accurately answers this). For help in responding, we turned to clinical exercise physiologist Jeff Dolgan.

"The human body tends to have a favorite weight that it functions most efficiently at," explains Dolgan. Scientists have termed this phenomenon the "set point" theory, which means the human body will adjust the components of mass to keep within a certain range. This allows for our center of gravity to stay the same and is helpful in maintaining biomechanical function, says Dolgan. Instead of worrying about the scale, says Dolgan, you should pay attention to your body composition instead. If you haven’t had your body fat tested yet, it may be a good idea to have a professional take this more objective measurement for you.

Keep reading for more advice on your body's muscle mass after the break.

Link Time - Lose Your Virginity in 9 Steps

TresSugar — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:30:00 PDT

How to lose your virginity in nine steps - College Candy
Seven female celebs who got plastic surgery for medical reasons - The Frisky
Why this woman decided marriage isn't for her - Em & Lo
A 95-year-old woman is going to prom for the first time - Glamour
Mother of boy in "High Five For First Kiss" video opens up - Huffington Post
Seven ways to sex up your marriage - YourTango
Photographer documents herself crying every day for a year - Flavorwire
Attention awkward ladies: tips for working out at the gym - The Hairpin
What?! Florida accidentally outlaws sex - Nerve
Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig's most hilarious moments - Betty Confidential
Southwest apologizes for calling woman "too fat to fly" - SavvySugar

News Alert: Men and Women Are Different, Exercise Wise Too

FitSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:00:00 PDT

Physiologically speaking, women and men are different – no real news flash there, but these differences even affect how we exercise and they haven't been studied for very long. Like most scientific studies, exercise studies were performed on men and the researchers assumed the results would cross gender line. About 15 years ago researchers began to study the female body in motion (FYI: Title IX passed over 35 years ago).

Here are a few of the differences they have found so far.

Exercise:
If you think of the calorie deficit created by exercise, it is similar to starvation. From an evolutionary perspective, exercise creates a physiological survival mode in women's bodies. The female metabolism slows down to maintain the ability to bear children in case of a famine.

The differences don't end there, so read more.