FitSugar

Vitamins and Minerals: What's the Diff?

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 02:00:00 PDT

First off, it's good to know that our bodies require 6 nutrients:

Carbohydrates
Fats
Protein
Vitamins
Minerals
Water

Carbs, fat, and protein are known as macronutrients because we need to eat them in larger quantities (grams per day). Our bodies metabolize them and turn them into energy.

Vitamins and Minerals are considered micronutrients because we need them in smaller quantities (milligrams per day). They don't give us energy but rather help our bodies carry out necessary and important physiological processes.

Vitamins are either water-soluble (water is required for absorption and are excreted in urine) or fat-soluble (requires fat for absorption and are stored in fat tissue). There are 9 different water-soluble vitamins: Vitamin C and all 8 B vitamins. There are 4 fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.

Each of these vitamins have unique roles and functions in our bodies. For example, Vitamin A promotes healthy eyesight and helps us see in the dark while Vitamin K plays an essential role in clotting the blood.
Minerals are either Macro (major) or Micro (trace) minerals. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, and sulfur are considered Macro minerals and are needed in quantities of 100 mg a day or more.
Iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, selenium, fluoride, molybdenum, copper, and manganese are Micro minerals, and are needed in much smaller or "trace" amounts.

There are 16 essential minerals and they are also needed to keep the body healthy. Calcium prevents osteoporosis and iron prevents anemia.

Want to know what else makes them different? Then

read more Vitamins are organic which means they contain carbon, and they contain atoms of one or more different elements. Minerals are pure inorganic elements (containing atoms of the same element), meaning they are much simpler in chemical form than vitamins. Vitamins can be affected by heat, light, and chemicals so proper processing, cooking, and storage is necessary to preserve their health benefits. Minerals on the other hand are considered more stable. Fit's Tips: To get enough vitamins and minerals each day, make sure you're eating a variety of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and protein. It's completely possible to get everything you need in your diet alone. If you are concerned about a deficiency, get tested by your doctor.

Keep Running: Prevent Plantar Fasciitis With These Tips

Susi May — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:06:42 PST

From pounding the pavement running to spending a day in fashionable shoes that lack proper support, feet take a beating. If you're training for a race this Spring and upping your mileage, it pays to show your peds some love. You can do some preventive prehab to avoid coming down with a case of plantar fasciitis. This painful condition, which can be common in new runners and affects women more than men, occurs when the the fibrous band that runs from the heel bone to the base of the toes stretches too far and tears. These micro tears cause inflammation of the fascia and the tissues surrounding it, making every footstep painful and abruptly stalling your training schedule. If you're experiencing some unexplainable heel pain, try these methods to keep plantar fasciitis at bay.

Take a Pure Barre Class in Your Own Home

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:08:00 PST

When you're looking to tone your derriere, sometimes you need to go minimal. That's the philosophy behind the Pure Barre method, where micro movements rule the workout. We were curious to explore this toning technique and took a tutorial from Pure Barre instructor Gina Ragnone on three moves that tone the tush. Get ready to move small but burn big with this booty workout you can do in the comfort of your own home.

If you need a printout of the workout, click here.

One Sexy, One Green: Sprint Pushes Out Two New 4G LTE Phones at CES

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:30:04 PST

Sprint customers will soon have a wider range of choices when it comes to phone selection. The company announced two new phones at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, one with an advanced OS, the other with a green thumb. Check out the details on each of them below, and stay tuned for pricing and release date information.

Galaxy Nexus
You've heard its name before. Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is one blazing-hot phone that you should definitely keep an eye on. Coming with 4G LTE speeds and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich operating system - which boasts an all new interface, facial recognition, NFC technology, native support for Google Wallet, and lots more - the Galaxy Nexus is a tough act to follow. Not to mention its 4.65-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen, 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, and teardrop-shaped bod. Sexy.

LG Viper
The LG Viper may be eco-friendly - its casing is made of 35 percent recycled plastics and comes with an energy-efficient charger - but that doesn't mean it's boring as dirt. The Viper is a 4G LTE phone, and comes with a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, two cameras (one 5MP rear-facing and one VGA front-facing), and a nice 4-inch WVGA NOVA display. Plus, you can expand your on-board memory up to 32GB with your own microSD card.

Panasonic Lumix GX1 Offers Instagram-Style Effects Without Photoshop

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:53:53 PST

Instagram has become an incredibly popular app for mobile photographers since its launch in 2010, and camera manufacturers are taking notice. Panasonic is hoping to lure mobile photography enthusiasts away from the smartphone by adding Instagram-style effects to its hardware. The Panasonic Lumix GX1 has two things going for it - its awesome retro style and customizable built-in photo filters that let you change the look and feel of your images without a secondary program like Photoshop.

Eight different filters - from "retro" to "toy camera" - give your photos a distinctive personality by adding a dose of color, contrast, and vignetting. The good news is, you can control just how much of the effect goes into your pics with the addition of a slider bar on the three-inch touchscreen LCD panel. Add a little or a lot - it's totally up to you. Additionally, the GX1 comes with a Touch Defocus tool that helps you achieve the Tilt-Shift effect, or just bring a subject into sharper focus by blurring out the background. You can even choose from four different aspect ratios, including 1:1 square if you can't get enough of that Instagram styling. An interchangeable lens model, the GX1 can be used with other Micro Four Thirds lenses as your skills improve.

You can get the Panasonic Lumix GX1 now for $700.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Gets a Closeup at CES

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:16:22 PST

Looking for a super-sleek tablet in 2012? Get a load of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 that debuted today at CES. On the inside, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is coming with Android 3.2 Honeycomb, dual cameras (a 3MP rear-facing and 2MP forward-facing), and 16GB of on-board storage and supports up to a 32GB microSD card, 4G LTE connectivity, and a 1.4 GHz dual-core processor, but it's the outside that really gets the attention here. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 boasts a beautiful Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen display and an incredibly slim profile - it's less than half an inch thick and weighs roughly 12 ounces. That's pretty impressive. Bonus - it comes with infrared technology so you can use it as a universal remote. How thoughtful.

If the price is right, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 could be the next hot tablet on the market. I know I'm interested!

LG Spectrum Is Perfect For Video Lovers

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:25:57 PST

LG introduced its newest Android smartphone at CES this morning, the Spectrum. This slim phone features a 4.5-inch True HD IPS display, which brings TV technology to your mobile. Stocked with a 1.5GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM, the Spectrum was made with video streaming in mind - its HD screen boasts 329 pixels per inch and a 16:9 aspect ratio, while other goodies like ESPN streaming in HD and 1080p video recording and playback make it an entertainment powerhouse. It comes stocked with 4GB of on-board memory and a pre-installed 16GB microSD card, but you can expand that storage space up to 32GB if you want to tote more videos, photos, or music.

The Spectrum will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich) on Jan. 19 for $200 with a two-year contract.

Face Brush Faceoff: Which Is Best For You?

Annie Tomlin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:05:31 PST

Those who are seriously into skin care know all about face brushes (or face robots, as we like to call them). These electronic gizmos promise to remove more dirt, gently exfoliate, and pave the path to better skin. Which one will suit you best? We've tested three, so read on for our rundown.

Happy Birthday, Amanda Seyfried! See Her Best Minidress Moments

Marisa Tom — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:05:08 PST

She's come a long way since capturing our hearts as lovable ditz Karen Smith in Mean Girls. Since then, she's taken the leading lady reins in Dear John, Mamma Mia!, Letters to Juliet, Big Love, Red Riding Hood, and In Time. At only 26 years of age, Amanda Seyfried has proven a force to be reckoned with on the big screen and on the red carpet. And for all her fashionable feats, we are completely wowed by this birthday girl. Amanda's eclectic taste in micro minidresses, sky-high heels, and never a shortage on patterns and prints has us wishing we could raid her closet. From donning killer Lanvin satin pumps and a watercolor-infused Prabal Gurung creation to rocking an electric blue short suit, she knows how to show off her gams with her playful sense of style. Let's review her most magnificent minis on the red carpet to date.

Get the Look: John Barrett's Braided Headband

Real Beauty — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:05:22 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

Some soirees require you to dance all night (preferably with an RPattz lookalike), which can result in a sweaty, messy mane. Be a bit type-A and prevent this drastic situation by trying a sleek braided updo. To create a holiday party look that is both elegant and fuss-free for keeping tresses off your face, we enlisted Kayley Pak, a braiding specialist at the John Barrett salon in NYC, to give us some pointers on how to execute this stay-put hairstyle. Here are her tips.