FitSugar

Formula For Drinking Water

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:00:00 PST

Trying to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily can be a bit confusing. We all hold onto the figure of 64 ounces of water a day as the optimal amount, but this is really just a generic figure that has gained mythical status. Here is a little weight based formula to help you to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily.

Take your current weight and divide by two.
Take that number and drink that many ounces of water a day.
So if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day. Pretty close to the mythical figure of 64 ounces, huh?

If you exercise for under an hour an extra glass or two of water should do the trick of replenishing fluids lost though sweating, but if you are exercising for over 60 minutes you will need more. Plus if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you need more water as well. Pregnant women should drink at least 10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily, and breastfeeding moms need between 12 and 13 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.

Fit's Tip: An easy way to make sure you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. Your pee should be very pale yellow, if not you need to increase your consumption of water.

6 Bad Beauty Habits to Break Now

Michelle Phan — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:10:00 PST

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is all about beauty, and she's here to help you start your year off fresh. This week, Michelle admonishes us against six bad beauty habits we should all break in the new year:

Hi everyone, Whether it's not always washing your face or not always washing your brushes, we are all guilty of a few bad beauty habits that we know we ought to break. What better time than the start of a new year?

See why clear lip gloss is a makeup lover's must have

Here is a list of the six bad beauty habits that I challenge everyone to break in 2012. And yes, I am guilty of some of the things on this list. (Hey, nobody's perfect! We all need to try harder!) See them all below.

How to Know If Your Baby Is Dehydrated

Heather Dale — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:37:10 PDT

One would assume that with all the milk babies drink that they don't need any more fluids. But because babies have relatively small fluid reserves and high metabolic rates, they can easily lose electrolytes and water, which are crucial for their little bodies to function. And if your baby is having a bad bout of diarrhea, she'll also be susceptible to becoming dehydrated more quickly than usual.

Dehydration is reversible, but it's important to take action as soon as possible. If a baby's fluids aren't replenished over a long period of time then it even be fatal. Here are some important signs to watch for to know if your baby is dehydrated.

Gear That Every Hiking Backpack Needs

Michele Foley — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:24:00 PDT

With cooler temps on the way, early Fall is one of the best times to go hiking. Whether it's two miles or 20, you'll want to make sure that your backpack is filled with all the essentials. From protecting your skin to protecting yourself against a serious emergency, here's everything you should have in your pack before hitting the trail.

Water - When hiking, do not let yourself get dehydrated! Carry a big water bottle or, better yet, a Camelbak. A Camelbak generally allows for more water and makes it easier to get a drink than having to fish for your bottle. Camelbak reservoir pouches fit right inside a pack, and a tube from the pouch runs out toward your shoulder. To get a drink of water, bite down on the end of the tube and suck. What's great is that Camelbak pouches double as backpacks, meaning you'll have room for all of your other goods, too!
Sunscreen - When spending a full day hiking, one application of sunscreen won't be enough. Make sure to follow the specific guidelines on the sunscreen bottle to know how often to reapply. Keep in mind that if it's hot out, you'll want to apply sunscreen more frequently since you'll likely be sweating it off. For maximum protection, buy a broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen with a water-resistant formula.

See the rest of the items - including one that may save your life - after the break!

7 Budget Beauty Tips For a Glowing Bride

Emily Co — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:00:13 PDT

Kate Middleton looked beautiful on her wedding day, but did you know she pulled a savvy move and did her makeup herself? It's important to look your best on your wedding day, and looking good doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg. Follow these simple tips from Dana LaRue, founder of The Broke-Ass Bride blog, to look as pretty as a princess on your big day without breaking the bank:

Mall Makeup Magic: If you can't swing a makeup artist but don't trust yourself to DIY, head to the mall. Most makeup counters offer complimentary make-up applications, with the hope that you'll buy at least one product they use. Find a counter you love (I recommend Laura Mercier because their makeup photographs beautifully), and schedule an appointment for the morning of your wedding. Then once you're all glammed-up, buy yourself the lipstick so you can retouch throughout the day, and be on your married way!
Do It Yourself: Try DIY beauty products and treatments to save money as you glam up for your big day. You can mix your own formulas using ingredients from the supermarket, keeping your regimen affordable and free of harsh chemicals and nasty preservatives! This is a great way to save on body scrubs, moisture masks, bath soaks . . . even your own mascara!
Online Deals: Group-buying sites like PopSugar City, Groupon, LivingSocial and more are popping up every day and often feature tons of beauty treatments from haircuts and color to facials and massage, at a fraction of the normal cost.
Inner Beauty: Beauty begins within, so make sure you're exercising and eating well to keep your glow going, naturally! Sweating regularly helps slough off dead skin and improves circulation for a healthy glow. Avoiding processed foods, even for a little while, brightens the eyes and improves skin tone and texture. Remember, you are what you eat!

For more budget beauty tips, read after the break.

Don't Dehydrate: How Much Water You Should Be Drinking

Leta Shy — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:50:42 PDT

Maybe the hard and fast rule that you should be drinking eight glasses a day is a myth, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't regularly be raising a glass. Keeping hydrated, especially in the hot Summer months, is important for staying healthy and energized.

Water is found in every part of our body, so downing enough H2O every day ensures our cells keep functioning properly and our bodies are free of toxins. And there's much to be said about water's other effects, from healthy-looking skin to appetite-suppressing properties.

How much water is enough?
If we don't have a magic formula to find exactly how much we should be drinking, then how do we find what works for us? How much water we need depends on how much we lose in a day. Your minimum amount that you need, for example, will be different on a hot day, after you hit the gym, and whether or not you are sitting at a desk all day. Other circumstances play a part in how much we should be drinking, like where you live, whether or not you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have an illness.

Read on for to find out just how much water you should be drinking.

Healthy Cooking Tip: Start With Cold Water

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:00:32 PDT

Hot water boils faster, so to save time in the kitchen, you might be tempted to cook your pasta with hot tap water. This time-saving trick is bad for your health. The problem is lead.

Hot water is much more likely to leach the heavy metal from your plumbing pipes. Using lead to solder pipes wasn't banned until 1986, and unfortunately brass plumbing parts might contain a bit of lead as well. Plumbing parts legally considered lead-free today may contain up to eight percent lead. This means your chances of having lead-free plumbing are slim.

Why does it matter? Well, too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells (it's especially bad for pregnant women and children). So the EPA recommends that you do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. Anytime a faucet hasn't been used for at least six hours, "flush" all the water that has been sitting in the pipes. This could take anywhere from five seconds to two minutes. When the water stops getting colder, it is "flushed." I live in a state that is currently experiencing a drought, so I use this water for houseplants and potted plants on the deck.