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5 Reasons to Start Running

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PDT

Have you taken up running yet? Well here are five more reasons you still may want to start running from health.com:

Running incinerates calories. For a 140-pound woman, an hour of walking at 4 mph burns 420 calories, while running at 5.2 miles an hour ups the burn to more than 750. Increase your speed to 6 mph, and you’ll blitz almost 100 more.
Running tones every muscle in your lower body, including the glutes, quads, calves, and hips. “It especially leans out your glutes,” says Jenny Hadfield, who has signed on as Health’s "Girls on the Move Running Club" coach (find out more about her at jennyhadfield.com). Your core and upper body get a decent workout, too.
Running is super-efficient. “To keep you in a healthy cardiovascular range, a 20-minute run on days when you’re time-crunched is more than sufficient,” Hadfield says. “You can run to do an errand or around the park while your child has soccer practice.”
Running requires minimal equipment. No gym membership or extensive gear necessary. Just lace up a pair of shoes, throw on a sports bra (buying tips), and head out the door.
Running helps prevent age-related weight gain. And it may prolong your life. Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California studied 41,582 female runners in 2005 and found that the more a woman ran, regardless of her age, the smaller her waist, hip, and chest circumferences.

What It Takes to Buy a Home

Kiplinger — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:14:47 PDT

Do you have what it takes to buy a home? Consider this exhaustive guide from Kiplinger.

Tired of renting? It could be a great time to buy your first home. In many cities, home prices have bottomed, and rents have risen. Mortgage rates are still superlow. In fact, homes haven't been as affordable since 1971. On the downside, in many cities, buyers have fewer homes from which to choose and more competition for the best houses.

In Austin, TX, newlyweds Mark and Ariane Corcoran bought their first home in March. They were renting in a popular downtown neighborhood, where they paid $1,200 a month for a 500-square-foot loft apartment, when they inherited enough money for a down payment. When they began shopping, they expected to buy a classic 1930s Austin bungalow. They found lots of prospects online but drove by most of them. "Agents are really good at taking photos that exclude what they don't want you to see, like the used-car lot out back," says Mark.

They put in an offer on a $225,000, 800-square-foot home. But after the home inspection, they realized that it needed $20,000 to $30,000 in renovations and repairs and that they'd quickly outgrow it. They walked away during the state-mandated rescission period (during which a buyer can back out for any reason and get back any earnest money deposited).

Ariane identified their next prospect within an hour after the listing appeared online. It was a newly built, 1,600-square-foot home with three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a yard for the dogs. The builder asked $270,000, the couple offered $260,000, he countered, and they paid $268,000. They put down 20 percent to avoid private mortgage insurance and snagged a 30-year fixed rate of 3.75 percent from a credit union. Their monthly mortgage payment is $1,524.

Before you take the plunge, consider the answers to questions often posed by first-time buyers. Read on for what to ask yourself.

3 Ways to Say Goodbye to Belly Fat

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:53:32 PDT

A nutritious diet and regular exercise have helped you reach your weight loss goal, but you're still trying to get rid of that little extra pooch around your midsection. Here are three things you can do every week to help you achieve a trimmer belly.

When eating: Take an honest look at your diet and your bathroom schedule. Your belly might not be caused by fat, but by air trapped in your digestive system. If you're not getting enough fiber (you need 25 to 30 grams a day), constipation can cause bloating. Here are some common reasons women don't get enough fiber and how to overcome them. On the other hand, overdoing it on fiber or eating too many gas-producing foods like broccoli, apples, or beans can also make your belly stick out. There are also foods you can eat, like blueberries, that are proven to diminish belly fat, so be sure to include these five fat-blasting foods in your diet.
When doing cardio: Studies show that including interval training in your cardio sessions is proven to diminish belly fat. If you find that you normally stick to a consistent pace when running, biking, or swimming, mix it up by adding 10- to 60-second fast-paced or sprinting intervals.
When strength training: Basic crunches can help tone your abs, but they only target certain abdominal muscles. Incorporate full-body exercises like side planks as well as balancing moves on a ball or on one leg to target all the muscles in your core.

8 Things You Think Are Good for Your Money . . . That Aren't

LearnVest — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:03:23 PDT

You may be wasting money when you think you're saving. LearnVest shares eight of the biggest money misconceptions.

Frugalista. Recessionista. In the past few years, people have coined a lot of silly words describing women and their approach to money, but the thought behind each of them is the same: You care about your hard-earned dollars and want to make them stretch.

That's true of most of us: We scrimp, we pinch, we try to feed our proverbial piggy bank as much as possible. Yet sometimes, in our excitement to be financial overachievers, we overreach.

It turns out there are a number of things that sound like they'd be doing good things for your money, and make you feel like you're saving more . . . when, actually, they're having the opposite effect.

Paying Every Debt Equally

When you have multiple debts to pay off (a credit card here, a student loan there) you might feel like a rock star simply for keeping up with them all and dividing your attention in a lot of different directions. Which, in a sense, you are! After all, you should always pay at least the minimums on all your loans.

But, if you have extra money to pay down your debts, you’re doing yourself a disservice by dividing it equally. The debts with the highest interest rates grow the fastest, so you should focus your muscle on the most toxic debts first.

Read on for more.

3 Ways Walkers Can Benefit From Going Barefoot

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:57:41 PDT

If you're into running, there's no doubt you've heard the buzz about barefoot running. It's become trendy for a reason: running barefoot can help you have better form and technique, preventing injury and pain. Runners aren't the only ones who can benefit from ditching their footwear. If walking is your exercise of choice, here are some reasons you'll want to try going barefoot.

Active and engaged muscles: Slipping on shoes may protect your feet from dangers, but it also means the muscles in your feet don't have to work as hard. The cushioned sole of a shoe absorbs all the sensations and pressures, which means your feet have become more passive over time. Because weak muscles are more prone to strain, pain, and injury, walking barefoot allows you to engage your body more, making feet stronger and better able to handle workouts.
Better walking form: One way a walker can have incorrect form is by roughly pounding the ground with each step. Cushiony sneakers absorb the force, so you're not even aware that you may be walking incorrectly. Remove your shoes and you'll instantly walk lighter, causing less jarring impact on your joints. Even though walking is considered a low-impact sport, it's still hard on your feet. Improving form means less risk for injury.
Busting through the walking plateau: Walking the same way, day in and day out, means using identical muscles every time you head out for a walk. Your body quickly strengthens the muscles in use, easily adapting to the demands placed on them. Without the opportunity for new challenges, muscles won't become stronger and can actually become injured from overuse. Walking barefoot forces your body to use other muscles not normally used when walking with sneaks, which helps you achieve a more effective and different type of workout. You'll especially feel the difference when walking barefoot on different surfaces.

Keep reading to learn how to start barefoot walking.

3 Reasons to Increase the Incline on Your Treadmill

Leta Shy — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:00:52 PDT

Whether or not you love the treadmill incline as much as Jennifer Aniston does, increasing it is an efficient and smart way to get the most out of your run. Here are three important reasons to up the incline on your treadmill.

Calorie burn: Upping the incline, even just a little bit, will help you burn a few extra calories with just a little more effort. Going from a zero-percent incline to five-percent incline burns over 100 more calories when running for 30 minutes, no matter your pace. Check out our chart to see just how many calories running on an incline burns. You might be pleasantly motivated.

Bikini bum: Kill two birds with one stone by working your lower body while raising your heartbeat, just in time to show off all your hard work on the beach. Just like running hills or hiking, running on the treadmill is a great exercise for toning your glutes and quads.

Better runner: If you've never run outside before, hopping off the treadmill and onto the road can be a wake-up call, since running outside isn't as easy as running on a flat, consistent treadmill. But if you increase the incline whenever you run inside, you'll be amazed at how much better your endurance and stamina become.

Of course, you'll really feel it when you start upping the incline more than a few percentages (it'll affect your pace as well, so take it slower if needed), but you'll be glad you did. Ready to start? Here's an under-20-minute incline treadmill workout if you're pressed for time, or try this rolling hills treadmill workout instead.

21 Disposable Products You Can Reuse

Wise Bread — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 09:00:39 PDT

Even when the product is supposedly "disposable," you can always reuse it. Wise Bread shares awesome ways to reuse these 21 disposable products.

It’s said that we live in a disposable society. But the word "disposable" is a misnomer. Disposable is considered throwaway, something you use once and dump, regardless of the life that may be left in it. As a frugal shopper with a concern for the state of our environment, I think that just won’t do.

I often reuse many so-called “onetime-use” items, and I asked friends, family, and colleagues to tell me which disposable items they squeeze more life from. Here’s my list, including some of the surprising ideas I was given.

RELATED: 25 Things to Throw Out Today

1. Butter Wrappers

If you’re like most people, you unwrap your butter, pop the stick into your handy holder, and throw the wrapper away. But wait a second - instead of trashing the wrappers, keep them in a sandwich bag. The next time you need to grease a baking tray or dish, you’ve got something all ready to go.

Read on for more.

5 Signs You Should Cancel Your Gym Membership

Leta Shy — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 02:03:04 PDT

I love my gym for many reasons: it adds structure to my workouts and motivates me, the class selection is amazing, and the people - both trainers and members - can be very inspiring. But I know that many times a gym membership isn't the most cost-effective solution for getting fit, and going isn't for everyone. Are you wasting your money? Here are five signs it may be time to cancel your gym membership.

You'd rather be outdoors: The thought of being cooped up indoors has you dreading - and then skipping - your workout, but you continue to hold onto that gym membership "just in case." Some people find gym workouts boring, so if you're one of them, start getting creative outdoors. Even if you're not a runner, you can still have an effective workout outside; find an open space where you can do your circuit workout, invest in a bike, or grab your yoga mat and seek out an inspiring place to stretch.
You only use one piece of equipment: Take a look at your gym workout. Do you just make a beeline for the treadmill and leave? If you're not utilizing your gym's classes or equipment or asking trainers for help, you may be wasting your money. Instead of paying $50 a month just to use a treadmill, save the money to buy a piece of gym equipment for your home or just go for a run or walk outside.
You waste time once you get there: The hardest part about going to the gym may be getting there, but that shouldn't be the part of your workout that burns the most calories. Whether you find the gym uninspiring or whether you use it as social hour to catch up with friends, if you're not dedicated to your workout once you're there, you're wasting your money along with your time. Take a look at your gym workouts; if you can't find any type of exercise at the gym that inspires you, try something else.

Read on for more reasons you may want to cancel your membership.

How I Gained 30 Pounds in College (and Then Lost It)

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 03:08:40 PST

In college, I was no stranger to the "Freshman 15." In fact, all that newfound freedom to eat whatever and whenever combined with the all-you-can-eat dining hall and late-night pizza runs made it the "Freshman 30." Now that I've been at a healthy weight for a while, I can look back on all the mistakes I made. I'm sharing these mistakes now in the hopes that I can help someone else avoid the sadness and insecurity that comes with weight gain.

Good-bye, Home-Cooked Meals
With no one to cook me healthy, balanced meals, or tell me to eat my broccoli and not a brownie sundae for dinner, I quickly made my own - unhealthy - meal decisions. This included ordering take-out, devouring junk food, and eating way more food than I did when home.

Is That Cookie Vegan?
My school population was 90 percent hippie, and I was already a vegetarian, so it's no surprise that becoming vegan was my next move. I didn't miss milk or eggs at all. Why miss it when there's decadent vegan ice cream, dairy-free cheese, and even a pizza place downtown serving vegan pizza? I was a total junk-food vegan and must have gained 10 pounds on vegan cookies alone. The late-night candy runs for Swedish fish didn't help either.

No, I Don't Need a Bowl - I'll Eat Out of the Bag
Chips, cookies, crackers, cereal; I ate a lot of my snacks with no plates or bowls because I was too lazy to do the dishes, which often meant polishing the entire package in one sitting.

Carrot Cake Counts as a Vegetable
I may have been vegan, but I hardly ate vegetables, unless you count tomato sauce on pizza, carrot cake, and greasy french fries. My diet was based around these four food groups: pasta, bagels, cereal, and cookies. Come to think of it, I hardly ate fruit either since it wasn't that easy to find on campus (or rather, not that appealing).

Continue reading to see the other reasons I gained weight, and more importantly, how I lost it.

5 Reasons to Treat Yourself Without Feeling Guilty

Laura Marie Given — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:00:14 PST

Sometimes it can be hard to justify those random treats you like to give yourself, whether it's a pedicure or a weekend getaway. Even worse? The posttreat guilt that often sets in.

Learn to ease up on yourself and focus on how much you deserve that reward, because the truth is, that treat will make you a better person in the long run. Need an excuse to kick back and relax? Here are five reasons you should go ahead and treat yourself:

You'll feel rejuvenated. Taking the time to reward yourself is crucial to your well-being. Even if you just steal away from your desk for a few minutes to sit in the sun, you'll feel refreshed and energized. Small steps can mean big rewards, and you'll return to your work with a fresh new attitude.
It's sure to perk up your mood. Nobody wants to be around a grouch, and if you aren't allotting some time and cash for the things you love to do, your energy will definitely be off. Pencil in a fun class or a spa treatment a couple of days a month to lighten your spirit and boost your everyday joy.
You'll have more to give. When you're good to yourself, you have the capacity to be good to others, too. Regularly treating yourself means that you'll be a better co-worker, friend, and significant other, so think of all that "me" time as a gift to both you and your loved ones.
It can serve as motivation. Set up a reward system for yourself so that each treat feels earned and well-deserved. Bonus: that light at the end of the tunnel will be a great inspiration that drives you to do more.
You'll avoid burning out. If you simply go, go, go without ever taking a step back, exhaustion will likely set in, and you'll have to take extra time to get back on your feet. Avoid any chance of burnout or illness by forcing yourself to treat your mind and body well.