Healthy happy you.
A friend asked me to go for a run the other day, and I agreed with the disclaimer that I was pretty poky in the speed department. I was surprised that I wasn't as slow as I thought. I've been working on my pace, and I guess what I've been doing has been effective. Try these tips on your runs to give your running pace a little kick in the pants. Don't fear the hills. Running uphill is much Read more
If you're a runner and you want to increase your speed, build your endurance, and have the ability to tackle hills with a breeze, you need to have strong quads. Strengthening your thighs can also prevent injuries such as runner's knee. This common injury, which often happens to new runners, is tied to a combination of weak quads and tight hamstrings and calves. Wall squats (also called wall sits) Read more
The more I race, the faster I want to go. My competitive spirit gives me that "need for speed." A recent article in the New York Times detailed one often forgotten element of moving quickly — relaxing. It seems counterintuitive, but tension makes you tight and that tightness interferes with your groove and slows you down. You need to learn how to get in that relaxed state while working hard Read more
One of my running goals is to run a little faster and I've found that when I run outside alone, I'm not that motivated to push myself. When I run with someone else, whose pace is slightly faster than mine, it totally encourages me to kick it up a notch and keep up. So if increasing your speed is something you want to do, find a running buddy who'll give you that extra push. Source Read more
I know I may have busted your bubble when I told you that one mile doesn't equal 100 calories. The truth is, the faster you move, the more calories you burn. For a woman, walking a mile in 19 minutes burns 43 calories, and jogging one mile in 9:30 minutes burns 91 calories. So if you're looking to lose weight, increasing your pace — even just a small amount — will help to burn some extra Read more
Pumping up the incline on the treadmill not only tones your tush and legs, increases your endurance, and can help you improve your speed, it also burns crazy calories — significantly more than with no incline. Need a little more proof? Check out the chart below for some inspiring numbers. *All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman. Read more
We may want to push ourselves to meet new goals, but there can be a fine line between pushing ourselves to the limit and overtraining. And research has shown that more and more of us are actually pushing ourselves past what is healthy for our bodies when we train. Serious athletes are trained to exert their bodies to their max point, and many recreational exercisers, from the grunting guy Read more
We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar! By Lisa Hoehn, Prevention As the weather drops, more and more people head straight to one machine in their gym — the elliptical trainer. According to a 2008 report from the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, the number of users of elliptical trainers in health clubs grew sevenfold from Read more
Numb fingers. Black ice. Risk of frostbite. These are all common reasons to skip running outside in Winter and take refuge in a warm, dry gym. Treadmills might feel safer, but you might even find the workout feels a little easier. Don't sell yourself short! Use these tips to upgrade your treadmill time and maximize the benefits of your run. To Burn More Calories Do intervals. Running at a Read more
It's a new year and a new you! We're kicking off a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012. Caffeine addiction is so commonplace that nobody will bat an eye if you say you need your Read more
