The Pill vs. Building Muscle


Updated 10/14/11 11:49 AM · Posted by FitSugar · 27 comments

Oral Contraceptives Interfere With Women's Ability to Build Muscle

If you're looking to build lean muscle mass, taking oral contraceptives might be interfering with all your hard work. A recent study from Texas A&M University, involving 73 generally healthy women between 18 and 31, found that women not taking birth control pills gained 60 percent more muscle mass than women on the pill during a 10-week time period. All the women in the study participated in Read more

5 Exercises to Ditch Arm Flab Forever


Updated 04/19/12 3:10 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Arm Exercises From Celeb Trainer Jay Cardiello

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help! Ah, that infamous area along the back of your arms, the nemesis of so many women. How do you tackle the jiggle? First, I want to tell you what not to do, as people are often tempted to take the wrong course of action. And that is the concept of spot Read more

From the Community: Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Activity


Updated 04/02/12 2:40 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

The Difference Between Aerobic and Anaerobic

Not sure what the difference between aerobic and anaerobic activity is? In our Get Fit For 2012 group, FitSugar reader meetcasey explains what each term means and why we should be doing both. Aerobic exercise requires the body to utilize oxygen to create energy. With anaerobic exercise, the body creates energy without extra oxygen — your body relies on its natural chemicals to create Read more

From the Fit Community: Can You Really Make Your Muscles Longer and Leaner?


Updated 01/31/12 3:50 PM · Posted by · 3 comments

Can Pilates Make Muscles Longer and Leaner?

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wanted to know: are all those claims about creating longer and leaner muscles through exercise true? She asked an expert and posted the answer in our Fit Community. You've probably heard it numerous times before — a workout that promises to give you longer, leaner muscles (we've often heard this said about PIlates or ballet-based training methods) . . . so can Read more

10 Tone-Up Tweaks to Get a Better Burn


Updated 01/18/12 2:16 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

How to Get a Better Burn When Strength Training

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar! It happens to the best of us. Your gym routine becomes just that — a routine. Bust out of your plateau and burn more fat with these strength-training tweaks from the pros. Make Every Day Your Best Burn Yet Supercharge your gym routine by ditching the moves that have stopped delivering results and replacing Read more

Top 10 Mistakes You Make on the Elliptical Trainer


Updated 01/16/12 10:31 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

Top 10 Mistakes You Make on the Elliptical Trainer

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

The Top Fat-Burning Foods


Updated 01/19/12 8:18 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Best Foods For Burning Fat

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site. By Paige Greenfield It's true: certain foods have a very high thermogenic effect, so you literally scorch calories as you chew. Other eats contain nutrients and compounds that stoke your metabolic fire. Feed your metabolism with these. Whole Grains Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole Read more

When It Comes to Weight Loss, Calories Count More Than Protein


Updated 02/04/12 6:12 PM · Posted by · 5 comments

Counting Calories Matters More Than Protein For Weight Loss

There are tons of diets claiming that focusing on protein is the key to weight loss — either eating more or less of it can help you shed pounds fast. But a new study has found that weight loss may be less about how much protein you eat than how much you eat overall. The study, released this week in JAMA, followed 25 participants closely for 10 to 12 weeks who all stayed in a hospital for Read more

5 Reasons Your Workout Isn't Working


Updated 11/24/11 4:54 PM · Posted by · 2 comments

Why You Are Still Gaining Weight

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. Have you been working out consistently for months (maybe even years) and yet the scale is creeping up? Here are five ways your workout could be keeping you from losing weight, and what our experts recommend to start shedding pounds again: 1. Your workout routine is making you eat too much. Is your workout causing you to Read more

From the Community: Why Can Men Pig Out, but Still Not Gain Weight?


Updated 05/18/11 2:10 PM · Posted by · 0 comments

Why Do Women Gain More Weight Than Men?

Ever wonder why it seems like men can eat anything, but still not gain any weight? FitSugar reader livingthin turned to an expert for an answer and posted it in our 10 Pounds DOWN! community group. Q: So I understand the math, 3500 calories equals one pound. But there are obviously other factors, right? Otherwise my husband who eats cookies, chips, and drinks tons of Mountain Dew all day would Read more