FitSugar

Home Fitness Test: Step Test

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:00:00 PST

It is good to assess your fitness level from time to time. It helps you stay well rounded in your workout life. Plus, if you test yourself every couple of months you will see how much you have improved. Or if the results are not to your liking, the fitness assessment might just motivate you. Here is a way to test your cardiovascular endurance that I found at Top End Sports. It is simple and fun to do.

Here's how it works:

Step Test
Assesses: Cardiovascular Endurance
Equipment: 12 inch step, stop watch, heart rate monitor (if you have one)

Step Test

Find a bench or step that is as close to 12 inches high as you can find.
Step onto bench with right foot and then the left foot. Step down with right foot and then the left foot.
Repeat starting with the left foot this time.
Keep a steady rhythm for three minutes.
Measure your heart rate for the next minute, by either taking your pulse for 60 seconds. Or if you have a heart rate monitor, note your heart rate after three minutes of stepping and your heart rate after one minute of standing, and average those two figures together.

To see what your numbers mean

Age	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55
Excellent	below 85	below 88	below 90	below 94
Good	85-98	88-99	90-102	94-104
Above Average	99-108	100-111	102-110	104-115
Average	109-117	112-119	111-118	116-120
Below Average	118-126	120-126	119-128	121-129
Poor	127-138	127-138	129-140	130-135

So, how did you do? Source

Home Fitness Test: Abdominal Strength

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 04:00:00 PST

People tend to neglect their abs in the Winter. Maybe it has to do with bikini season being so far off, or the vast number of layers we tend to wear in the cold. Well, here is an abdominal strength test that I suggest you try. Hopefully, it will inspire some joyous abdominal work.

Crunch Test
Assesses: Abdominal Endurance
Duration: 60 seconds

Lie on your back on a soft surface (exercise mat or carpeted floor).
Bend both knees to right angles and flex your feet slightly, lifting your toes off the floor.
Place your hands on your thighs.
Start your stop watch now as you perform basic crunches by lifting your head and shoulders up and off the floor, so the bottom tip of the shoulder blade is just off the floor. Your hands will slide up your thighs to your knees. Lower head back to the floor.
Repeat as many times as possible in one minute!

To see what your results mean just

12 – 22 = average
23 – 30 = good
30 – 36 = very good
37 or more = excellent

Well, how did you do? Let me know in the comments section below. Interested in more at home fitness tests? Then check out these assessments you can do in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Source

Home Fitness Test: Quad Strength and Endurance

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:30:00 PST

Ski season is rapidly approaching and with it means sore quads. That is if you don't do any preseason conditioning. I would start with the simple assessment of the your quad endurance, which is also a great exercise to add into your routine.
Wall Sit Test
Assesses: Quad strength and endurance

Place your back against the wall, and walk your feet out and away from the wall about 3 ft.
Bend your knees allowing your back to slide down the wall.
Bend both your hips and knees to 90 degrees and adjust your feet as needed. Imagine you are sitting in an invisible chair.
Start your stop watch now and see how long you can hold the position. Don't forget to breathe!

To see what your results mean

76 seconds or more = very good
58-75 seconds = average
57-30 seconds = below average
30 seconds or less = poor

Interested in more at home fitness tests? Then check out these assessments you can do in the comfort and privacy of you own home. Source

At Home Fitness Test: Core Strength

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 04:00:00 PST

It is good to assess your fitness level from time to time. It helps you stay well rounded in your workout life. One element that is important no matter if you are a runner, snowboarder, or into lifting weights, is core strength. You need to have a strong and stable torso regardless of your favorite form of exercise.

To test your core strength is simple, and you can do it home; all you need is a stopwatch.

Core Stability Test

Start by lying on your stomach on the floor and place your elbows directly underneath your shoulders with your forearms on the floor making parallel lines.
Curl your toes under and press up into an elbow plank and start timing yourself.
Hold the plank for as long as you can.
Remember to breathe!

To see what your results mean just

Home Fitness Test: Resting Heart Rate

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:35:00 PDT

Sometimes it is a good idea to assess your fitness level. You don't need to spend a lot of dough and have a trainer put you through the wringer. There are some great tests you can do in the comfort of your own home. The test explained below you can do in the comfort of your own bed!

Resting Heart Rate Test
Assess: Level of Aerobic Fitness

The number of times your heart beats per minute, when you are at rest, indicates the strength and efficiency of your cardiovascular system. A strong heart is able to pump more blood with every beat, so you want a low resting heart heart (RHR). A lower RHR tends to correspond with a higher aerobic fitness level. Let's take seven time winner of the Tour de France Lance Armstrong as an example. Rumor has it that at the peak of his career Lance's RHR was only 32 beats per minute.

To see how to do the test just

Take your pulse first thing in the morning, by placing two fingers on your wrist, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe.
Count the number of beats you feel in 60 seconds (or the number you feel for 15 seconds then multiply that number by four). When counting, do count the first beat as zero.
The number of beats you count in 60 seconds is your RHR.

What the numbers mean:

60 or less = Good
61-80 = Average
81-100 = High, but acceptable
101 or more = Abnormally high and not good!

The great thing about this test is that as your RHR lowers you know you are getting more fit! Source

What Your Get Fit For 2010 Fitness Test Results Mean

FitSugar — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:31:47 PST

Resting Heart Rate:
Why: The number of times your heart beats per minute, when you are at rest, indicates the strength and efficiency of your cardiovascular system. A strong heart is able to pump more blood with every beat, so you want a low resting heart rate (RHR). A lower RHR tends to correspond with a higher aerobic fitness level.

Results:

60 or less = Good
61-80 = Average
81-100 = High, but acceptable
101 or more = Abnormally high and not good!

The great thing about this test is that as your RHR lowers you know you are getting more fit!

Core Strength
Why: Core strength is not only a fitness must but necessary for day-to-day living. You need to have a strong and stable torso for lifting weights and lifting boxes or babies, and a strong core will improve your running, biking, and dancing, too.

Results:

60 seconds or longer = Strong
30 - 60 seconds = Average
30 seconds or less = Needs Improvement

Quad Strength and Endurance
Why: Strong legs are an essential part of a fit body. They help you run, walk, and lift. Muscle mass is part of a healthy body, and the quads are a largest muscle group of the legs. Lean-muscle mass helps keep the metabolism running.

Results:

76 seconds or more = Very good
58-75 seconds = Average
57-30 seconds = Below average
30 seconds or less = Poor

Stay tuned for workouts and tips to gain strength and improve your cardio endurance over the weeks to come.

How Stacy Keibler Gets Red-Carpet Ready

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:37:17 PST

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

Awards season is in full swing, and we can't help but wonder how these celebs manage to look so good. And what's a girl without access to expensive Hollywood trainers and stylists to do? We caught up with actress, model, and former wrestler Stacy Keibler (who looked stunning on the arm of boyfriend George Clooney at the SAG Awards!) to learn about the new game she uses at home to keep her svelte figure looking fabulous for the red carpet.

First of all, you look great! How often do you work out each week?

I always try to fit in some type of activity every day, but just like everyone else's schedules, some days are busier than others. I'm a big believer in being active no matter what, so even if I only have a few minutes to squeeze some moves in, it's better than nothing.

What are your go-to moves for those busy days?

I love lunges, especially because you don't need any equipment to do them. So no matter where you are, you have those to fall back on.

Keep reading more about Stacy's relationship to home workouts and George.

ACME Party Box's Cathy Keyani Takes Us Through Her 2012 Design Resolutions!

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:30:50 PST

Cathy Keyani is the co-owner and cofounder of ACME Party Box, a shop and website filled with everything you'd need to throw an eco-friendly soiree. As a mother, business owner, and former art teacher, Cathy really understands how to get the most out of a space by balancing personality with functionality.

When I caught wind that she was planning on moving into a new home in 2012, I had to catch up with her to find out which creative design resolutions she was making for the big move!

My family of four is moving into a new house in January, and in the New Year, I'm excited to focus on tackling a number of challenges to make our house fit our family's needs and aesthetics while respecting the existing structure. When playing with design it can be extremely difficult to stay true to oneself because there are so many fantastically tempting things out there to choose from. So this New Year's I'm especially committed to making design choices without being distracted by all of the beautiful shiny things that won't stand our family's test of time either aesthetically or practically.

Check out the gallery to see some of the design challenges that I'm solution-hunting for!

Gear Review: Motorola's MotoACTV Fitness Tracker

Leta Shy — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:55:36 PST

Is getting fit one of your New Year's resolutions for the coming year? Whether you're just diving into a new regimen or need a better way to track your workouts, you'll love the new MotoACTV fitness tracker from Motorola.

Released in November, the MotoACTV promises to be your constant fitness companion, and with good reason. It can track calories burned, pace, speed, steps taken, and GPS route out of the box, and holds up to 16 GB of music and workout data. All features that will make anyone's workouts better, so I was happy to test out the 8 GB version that Motorola recently sent over ($250; the 16 GB version goes for $300).

The MotoACTV is slightly bigger than the iPod Nano, and like the Apple product, it has a simple interface making it completely intuitive as soon as you power it on. You can use it as a pedometer, and the home screen shows the time, steps taken, and calories burned for the day. By swiping left and right you can navigate to four more screens with different options. Five tactile buttons and one designated back button on the touch screen work all the main functions, which I appreciated since having easy-to-feel buttons made pausing music or finding my way back to my workout screen much faster than if I were fumbling my way through touch screens. And after entering your height and weight stats, the MotoACTV tracks the amount of calories you burn throughout the day, including your basal metabolic rate. When on the workout screen, you can choose between five styles - running, cycling, walking, elliptical, and step machine - and what type of workout you want (like racing against a previous personal best or setting a time and distance goal). During a workout a pleasant voice keeps you updated on certain milestones and how long you have left in your workout.

Keep reading for more on how the MotoACTV performs.

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

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

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!