FitSugar

Get the Look: Hayden's Cheery Gym Look

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:30:00 -0800

Hayden Panettiere looking super cute leaving the gym recently. I am loving her youthful and fun workout gear (much brighter than my all my black clothes). I may feel inspired to brighten it up a bit, besides the winter is dark enough as it is why not brighten it up?

Me, I could never hit the gym in terry cloth (I sweat way to much, they would weight 100 pounds by the end), but one of my good friends only works out in her terry cloth pants and loves it. The Nike Shox Sneakers are a fabulous running shoe made with cushioning, stability and traction in mind (I live in mine). Her Under Armour tank is made with HeatGear technologies designed to keep you dry on the sweatiest of gym days, plus I love the two tones. While the tank does have a built in bra, think about adding a sports bra as Hayden did for added support.

Nike Gym Basics Short Top Sports Bra	Under Armour Heat Gear Sport Tank Womens
Nike Women's Shox Saikano	Juicy Couture Terry cloth trackpants

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Flynet

Quiz: The Juicy Truth

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:30:52 -0800

With juice labels touting their healthy benefits, it's easy to believe we're doing our bodies good with a glass of fruit juice. But just this week, Dr. Jennifer Ashton caught my attention when she stopped by the CBS Early Show to clear up some juicy health myths. Take the quiz and see how juice stacks up to your other beverage choices.

Take the quiz

Health Benefits of Pears

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:13 -0700

Apples are in season in the Autumn, but pears are too. The soft, sweet, buttery flesh of the pear makes this Fall fruit one of my favorites. Plus there are so many varieties to choose from - Bartlett, Bosc, and Anjou - that they each seem like a different fruit. These juicy gems are pretty healthy for you, too.

Pears are high in fiber. One medium-sized pear contains six grams, so snacking on a pear can help you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. They're a delicious way to keep you regular too, which can help prevent colon cancer. A diet high in fiber can also keep your cholesterol levels down, which is good news for your ticker. Getting your fill of fiber from fruit is also linked to a lower risk for breast cancer.
Pears contain a fair amount of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, and B6. For expecting or nursing moms, they also contain folate. Pears aren't too shabby in the mineral department either, containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Vitamin C and copper are antioxidant nutrients, so eating pears is good for your immune system, and may help prevent cancer.
Pears also contain boron, which our bodies need in order to retain calcium, so this fruit can also be linked to osteoporosis prevention.

For the other health benefits, read more.

The hydroxycinnamic acid found in pears is also associated with preventing stomach and lung cancer.
It's a hypo-allergenic fruit. That means those with food sensitivities can usually eat pears with no adverse effects.
Eating three or more servings of fruits a day, such as pears, may also lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.
Quercetin is another antioxidant found in the skin of pears. It helps prevent cancer and artery damage that can lead to heart problems. A recent study at Cornell University found it may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease. So don't peel your pears!

Tell me, what's your favorite type of pear?

Why We Overeat: We Crave Fattening Foods

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:38 -0700

Juicy hamburgers, crispy French fries smothered in cheese, brownie sundaes topped with ice cream - why can't we say no to these fattening foods? We can't help it, according to Health magazine. Dr. David A. Kessler, author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite says, "We’re hardwired to hunger for fatty, sugary, salty foods because, back when our ancestors were foraging for every meal, palatable eats meant extra energy and a leg-up on survival."

Well thank you Mr. Caveman for my desire for greasy pizza and cheesecake. Not only do high-fat foods taste great, but when you devour them, a signal is sent to your brain that you're satisfied and happy. Your brain also forms long-term feel-good memories of the experience, which makes you crave it again and again. Even seeing or smelling certain fattening foods can spur pleasant thoughts that make us crave it. Well I guess old habits die hard. It does make me feel better to know that my brain's hunger for triple chocolate mousse pie is a force stronger than my willpower.

How can you combat this hardwired desire? Find out when you read more.

The best thing you can do is know which high-fat foods are triggers for you. Dr. Kessler says since certain moods, times of day, or places can spark our need for our favorite treats, avoid giving into your cravings. This will prevent the link from forming between foods and their triggers. Also set yourself up for success by avoiding foods that you can't say no to. That means you might want to find a different route to work that doesn't take you past a chocolate shop.

Healthier Fare or Big Burger: Which Do You REALLY Choose?

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

A recent report on CNNMoney has found conflicting reports because the media claims that we (as consumers) are looking for healthier fare in restaurants, but the restaurants claim we are actually consuming the big, juicy burger. Hum...

I figured why not ask you guys, and be honest! Even though you say you're trying to eat healthier, do you just end up ordering a big burger anyway?

Source

Melon Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:12 -0700

Refreshingly light, crisp, and juicy, melon is the perfect Summer food. You can make a mouthwatering fruit salad by mixing the different varieties, or enjoy them one at a time with some cottage cheese. I was curious to see how the many melons compare nutritionally, so I made a handy little chart. To find out which melon has the most potassium, and which has the least amount of sugar, keep reading

Snack Attack: Mango-Red Pepper Salsa

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:00:45 -0700

If you're looking for a fresh new snack that's tastes like Summer, make this simple recipe. It's juicy, sweet, tangy, and satisfying. You can make it ahead to enjoy for the week with corn chips, crackers, or toasted bread. It also makes a great topping for grilled fish or chicken. What's great about this recipe is that it's pretty basic, so feel free to get creative. Add beans, pineapple, watermelon, corn, diced cucumber, or tomatoes for even more summery flavor.

To see the recipe read more.

Recipe for Mango Red Pepper Salsa
Recipe by Lindzey Chaffin

Ingredients

2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 red pepper, diced
Half a red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Cover and allow to sit in the fridge for at least one hour.
Serve with chips, crackers, or toasted bread.

Print recipe with images | without images

Recession-Proof Your Workout: Do-It-Yourself Yoga Retreat

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:00:16 -0700

If you've always wanted to attend a seven-day yoga retreat, then you can imagine the benefits of immersing yourself in a new place, practicing yoga daily, and enjoying healthy meals loaded with fresh fruits and veggies. While these retreats are wonderfully relaxing, they often come with a hefty price tag, and in today's economy, it's not something many of us can even consider. You can, however, create your own do-it-yourself yoga retreat.

To learn how, read more.

Find a yoga studio near you that has daily classes and go to one class every day for a week. You'll reap the benefits of the daily yoga practice you'd get on a retreat, but it'll cost about $70 to $150. During that week, eat meals that are full of juicy fruits, tender veggies, and lean protein (or go meatless), and avoid sugar, processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine. Throw in relaxing hot baths, steaming cups of herbal tea, and a full-body massage. By the end of the week, you'll have spent about $300, and though you may not feel as revitalized as if you were doing sun salutations on the beach in Maui, you'll definitely feel like a new person.

Learn to Love: Watermelon

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:32:43 -0700

I was accused of being unpatriotic when I expressed a distaste for watermelon at an Independence Day barbecue a few years ago. My hostess forced a piece upon me, and I have been eating the melon ever since. Which is a boon to my diet, since there are so many healthful reasons to love this melon.

For starters, this red and juicy melon is one of the few foods high in the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene, along with tomatoes and pink grapefruit - remember, antioxidants also provide color to fruits and veggies along with phytonutrients. Watermelon is also a low-calorie food and one cup of melon balls contains just under 50 calories. Being 92 percent water, the melon makes for a great post-workout treat on a hot day since it will help replace fluids lost through sweating.

Considered a cooling food, the yellow variety of watermelon might help you heat things up in the bedroom. Research out of Texas (the largest producer of the seedless variety of the melon) indicates that watermelon has an effect on the human body similar to Viagra. Learn more.

Learn to Love Figs

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Eating many colors of the rainbow is easy, but dark purple can be hard to come by. And that is just one reason you should learn to love Black Mission Figs.

While dried figs are available all year round, fresh figs are in season June through September, which means you should start seeing them in the grocery store soon and they should be affordable. Four ounces of fresh figs provides about four grams of fiber. Figs are also a good source for potassium. Most importantly they are a sweet low-calorie food - four ounces is only 84 calories. They make a juicy dessert on a hot night. You can add figs to salads; they pair wonderfully with arugula. I like to eat them as an appetizer. To see how I prepare figs for a pre-meal snack, read more.

After washing the figs, I cut off the top stem and slice the fruit in half. I spread the fig halves with a layer of mild, soft goat cheese that I mixed with freshly ground pepper. I sprinkle the plate with freshly chopped chives. This quick finger food is surprisingly tidy and is great to eat while preparing dinner.

As you can see I was a little heavy handed with the cheese for this round, but obviously the more thinly spread the cheese is the fewer calories. Tell me, do you like figs? If so, how do you eat them?