FitSugar

Running: Treat Your Feet Right With Quality Sneakers

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:15:00 PDT

One of the reasons I love running is that it really requires no special gear. You just need a body and a desire to run. Then again, you might not need a racquet or clubs to go for a good jog, but I would suggest quality running shoes.

If you are taking up running, good quality running shoes can seriously make this habit stick. Old shoes, tennis shoes, cheap shoes often don't provide enough cushion to protect your feet, ankles, and knees which can lead to injuries and prevent you from learning to love running. Since shoes are really the only important gear needed for running, I wouldn't skimp on them. You don't need to pay out the nose for some newfangled shoe, but generally what you pay for is what you get. Expect to pay around $100. Which may sound like a lot, but can you really put a price on your knees? Plus, maybe the guilt of an expensive gear purchase will motivate you to run.

Look for a well cushioned shoe that fits your foot, matches your foot type and gait pattern. The best place to start this endeavor is a running store since they tend to employ people obsessed with running. Therefore they should be able to help you figure out your gait and point you toward the shoe for you. The American Council on Exercise recommends shoes with greater shock absorption for runners with high arches, which may make you more prone to ankle sprains. On the other hand (or foot I could say), if you have low arches look for a shoe with greater support and heel control. Here is a list of running shoes rated by the The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. It should help you figure out what brands could be good for your needs.

Fit's Tip: Buy a shoe that’s as wide as possible across the forefoot without slipping in the heel.

Source

3 Disease Cures Hiding in Your Supermarket

Prevention — Mon, 28 May 2012 05:11:10 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Yup! You can demolish these diseases with your diet.

By Molly Raisch, Prevention

Here's one thing to add to your grocery list: disease-fighting foods. A growing body of research shows that you can squash certain symptoms with what you eat. In fact, eating the right foods may be just what the doctor ordered for these ailments:

Dry Eye 
If you suffer from dry eye (you know, that annoying gritty feeling when you blink), then relief may be found in a simple cup of joe, according to researchers from the University of Tokyo's School of Medicine. Study participants were given either a caffeine supplement or a placebo, and they then had their eyes tested 45 minutes later. The results? Not a dry eye in the house for those who'd had caffeine: they produced more tears than their noncaffeinated counterparts. This could be especially good news for women, as dry eye tends to affect postmenopausal women more than any other group.  

7 Diseases That Strike Younger Than You Think

Learn more food cures after the break!

Workout Clothes For Moms-to-Be, At-Home Highlights, and Outdoor Wedding Gowns: The Best of PopSugarTV This Week

Brittney Stephens — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:27:31 PDT

This week in PopSugarTV, Fit rounded up the most comfortable maternity workout clothes to keep you looking cute throughout your pregnancy. Yum is getting ready for grilling season by giving us a tutorial on how to grill vegetables perfectly, just in time for your Summer barbecues. Bella let us in on how to paint balayage highlights at home for a sun-kissed look, and over on Fab, it was all about finding the best romantic gowns for an outdoor wedding. We also talked to Alicia Silverstone about her eco-friendly beauty collection and her reunion with her Clueless costar Jeremy Sisto. Check out all the videos in the links above and visit PopSugarTV for even more!

Sip on This: Strawberry Mojito

Zelana Montminy — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:00:10 PDT

Toasting at happy hour doesn't have to mean drinking a ton of calories. To reduce added sugars, chef Travis London uses fresh fruit to sweeten his drinks. The strawberries in his healthier mojito not only add flavor but antioxidants too. Learn how to make this refreshingly light cocktail, then print out the recipe and get ready to muddle.

Lil Links: How Do You Decide to Add Another Baby to the Family?

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:32:19 PDT

Is three children one too many? - BabyCenter Blog
Sienna Miller shows off her boho-chic bump - Celebrity Baby Scoop
16 reasons to live like a 2-year-old - HuffPost Parents
Jillian Michaels says adoption is a calling - Celebrity Baby Blog
The pros and cons of common labor and delivery positions - FitPregnancy
The best baby travel gear - Parenting
9 cute headbands for baby girls - The Bump
Should this little girl's hair bow have been banned from school? - Yahoo! Shine
6 mom-approved movies for grade-school kids - Circle of Moms
How to cut your kids' hair at home - LearnVest
Custom birthday books moms and kids will love - Cool Mom Picks

Shawn Johnson Talks Weight Loss and Learning to Love Her Body

espnW — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:05:26 PDT

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

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow hers other Olympic hopefuls' journeys on espnW.com.

Four years ago, I was standing on an Olympic podium, wearing a gold medal, and still thinking to myself how I could have been better. It had nothing to do with my performance - it was all how I looked. Back then, I always felt like I could have been a few pounds lighter. But the irony is, when I look back at the pictures, I look unhealthy and too thin. It's easy to get into a trap as an elite athlete, because you're made to feel that you're never perfect, that you can always be better. That's how you improve in your sport, but it's also tough because you aren't satisfied with yourself ever - it's second nature not to be. I'd always think, "Just get a little stronger, a little lighter," until it was completely ingrained in my mind.

Shawn Johnson takes us inside training camp

It's easy for people to blame gymnastics for this mentality, but I feel like the sport has improved a lot. The horror stories we heard from generations ago (think Joan Ryan's infamous book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), you don't hear at all anymore. But I do believe it can improve further and that good nutrition could be a key to all of this, if it were only taught at a young age. Many gymnasts go into the elite level at 13 or so, and a 13-year-old isn't going to go to the library to read some book on nutrition! She needs to be given the right information on how to eat well. Otherwise, it's not until she's out of the sport that she realizes the damage she's done to her body by not eating enough over the past 20 years.

Shawn Johnson in the driver's seat

I see all the success we have as a country where the gymnasts aren't 100 percent healthy, and I imagine how amazing we could be if we were doing it in the healthiest way possible. I don't think it's a failure on anybody's part; the education just isn't there right now, and it's just not thought about in our sport. My parents have told me since I was little, "You're given your body for a reason. It's OK to be different. Being unique is a good thing." But I always struggled to believe it. I'm stocky, muscular and short, and I wanted to be thin and flexible so bad! My mom would say, "You're not made that way, and you're not going to become that, so you have to learn to accept and love the body you're in." Well, some people are born with that appreciation, and some people have to work really hard to get there. Put me in that second camp.

Read on for more on what Shawn Johnson has to say about body confidence and how she feels in her gymnastics leotard.

Inversion Issues: How to Remedy Common Shoulderstand Complaints

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:14:27 PDT

You're loving your yoga class from Half Moon to Pigeon Pose, but as soon as you get to Shoulderstand, you're less than psyched. Although a basic - challenging, but basic - pose, Shoulderstand can put you at risk of strain and injury when done incorrectly. Turn this pose into your favorite by checking out these common complaints and ways to remedy them.

"I Can't Breathe"
If you're well endowed or carry extra weight in your belly, then gravity causes added pressure on the lungs and throat, making it tough to take in a deep breath. A supportive bra and fitted top can help, but if you still have trouble breathing, then changing how you do the pose will make a huge improvement. Instead of stacking your pelvis and feet directly over your shoulders, hinge at your hips slightly, pressing them away from your face so your feet extend slightly behind your head.

Still can't breathe? Try the Legs Up the Wall variation; rest your lower back on your mat or, to give your hips a little lift, rest your lower back on a folded-up blanket or flat bolster.

Continue reading to learn how to alleviate neck pain and feelings of imbalance while in Shoulderstand.

Healthy Dose Link Time: Meet Masala Bhangra's Founder, Sarina Jain

Michele Foley — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:46:29 PDT

Grab a sari and start shaking! The fitness trend you haven't tried - The Daily Beast
Feel like there's a bun in the oven? Ways to banish belly bloat - Fab Fit Fun
When it's a grab-and-go kind of day: the best breakfast bars - Fitness
45-year-old Olympian Dara Torres on staying healthy while aging - Blisstree
How you can beat the breast cancer odds - Prevention
Eight easy moves that strengthen and stretch all at once - Shape
Be inspired by this serene yoga spot - it's like being in the forest! - Houzz
A look back at some of the weirdest fitness products ever made - HuffPost Healthy Living

A Reader Recipe: Protein Coconut Macaroons

Fit Community — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:33:25 PDT

FitSugar reader eatingbirdfood made some low-carb protein coconut macaroons that would be great for an afternoon or post-workout snack. She posted the recipe in our Healthy Recipe group.

These macaroons are low in sugar and carbs and made with Tone It Up's new protein powder, Perfect Fit Protein.

Learn how to make this low-carb treat after the break!

Nighttime Fasting: A New Way to Lose Weight?

Shape — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:09:52 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

If you couldn’t let anything cross your lips from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., but you were allowed to eat anything you wanted for eight hours a day and still lose weight, would you try it? That’s the apparent bottom line of a rat study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, which recently stirred up the weight loss pot.

Top 50 Summer Diet Foods for Weight Loss

Scientists put groups of mice on different diet regimens for 100 days. One group of rodents ate healthy food while animals in two of the groups chowed down on high-fat, high-calorie feed. Half of the junk food eaters were allowed to munch whenever they wanted to while the others only had access to feed for the eight hours they were most active. The conclusion: even though they ate a fatty diet, the mice who were forced to fast for 16 hours were almost as lean as those who ate the healthy fare. Interestingly, the round the clock junk food eaters became obese and developed health problems, even though they consumed about the same amount of fat and calories as the time-restricted junk food fed mice.

See if a nutritionist thinks nighttime fasting works after the break!