FitSugar

7 Most Effective Exercises

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 08:45:00 PST

When it comes to exercises, not all are created equal. While we all may have our favorites, some are better known to be more effective at getting the job done than others. WebMD has created a list of their top seven (odd number, eh?) most effective exercises and here are highlights:

Walking. Any exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise, which strengthens the heart and burns calories. And walking is something you can do anywhere, anytime, with no equipment other than a good pair of shoes.
Interval training. Whether you're a beginner or an exercise veteran, a walker or an aerobic dancer, adding interval training to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight.
Squats. Strength training is essential, the experts say. And our experts tended to favor strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups. Squats, which work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals, are an excellent example.

There are more effective exercises so

5 Aphrodisiacs to Set the Mood Right Tonight

Susannah Chen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:09:21 PST

If it's really true that 70 percent of women and men expect to get hot and heavy tonight, then dinner should have one mission: to make the two of you swoon. We've offered the lowdown on healthy foods that'll stimulate sex drives - but what foods do chefs put on the menu to help you get in the mood?

To find out, we turned to David Bazirgan, who's no stranger to sexy meals. As the executive chef at San Francisco's Fifth Floor Restaurant, he helps to set the standard for the city's relaxed fine dining atmosphere. To check out some of the ingredients that he elects to use on his Valentine's Day menus - and to hear what he calls the most "underrated" aphrodisiac, read more.

One-Minute Makeover Tip: Kick Up Your Colorblocking Quotient

Marisa Tom — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:00:08 PST

We're constantly looking to reinvent the way in which we style our most beloved items of clothing - that is, without having to endure the consequences of a costly shopping spree. By combing through the arsenal of chic Fab community looks and tapping into our editors' fashion prowess, we've whipped up an easy way to soup up your wardrobe with just a quick trip to the back of your closet. Today, let's go bold and vibrant: mix-and-match cool color combos.

The best part about colorblocking is, hands down, its endless potential for fun, playful, and totally unexpected color matchups. This may be a good time to brush up on the ol' color wheel. Some of our favorite complementary pairings are: minty green with bright tangerine, deep violet with saffron yellow, and neon pink with crimson red.
Use these color combos to emphasize your shape and your strong knowledge of silhouette proportions. We love seeing contrasted hues against a long-short hem or in the mix of soft vs. hard structural edges.
To execute this look, it takes almost no effort at all. Find your favorite colorful pieces and pair 'em up. The effect is striking, but super simple to achieve. Whether it's a colorblocked sweater-and-jeans combo or a sweet juxtaposition of a bold dress over opaque tights, it's a zippy way to spice up a look.

Photos courtesy of Smileforstyle, BrittandWhit, and Erikets

A Doctor Dishes: Which "Superfoods" Are Worth the Cost?

LearnVest — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible - even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93 percent of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells, and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some superfoods are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer, and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste.

Are Superfoods "Good Buys" If I’m Shopping on a Budget?

Read on to find out.

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

Are You Ready For Marriage, Or Are You Rushing Into It?

YourTango — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:00:04 PST

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, YourTango.

When I was a little girl I remember watching all the Disney Princess movies (You know the ones: Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin… there seemed to be an endless supply), and I loved everything about those fairy tale stories-the handsome prince, the white dress, the cake, the pumpkin stagecoach, and the big castle to live happily ever after in-I always pictured my future playing out just like my favorite princesses. Doesn't every girl?

We all know the saying "first comes love, then comes marriage," and when you feel you've found your perfect match, you start to picture yourself eventually settling down. You see the future, you see building a strong and wonderful married life together, and even creating a family. You start imagining fairy tales and castles and Cinderella dresses . . .

But you know what? It's not that simple. I wish it were. There's a lot more to marriage than just the love you feel for one another. The Beatles' might have said, "All you need is love," but real life doesn't work that way. Ever. Marriage requires effort.

Before you start calling up wedding coordinators and venues, before you start looking for a dress and picking out a cake, put away your emotions long enough to ask yourself a few questions.

What makes this person The One?

Out of all the relationships you've been in, what makes this person the one for you? Answering this question is crucial to prevent yourself from entering a marriage for all the wrong reasons. Never pressure yourself with the idea that you may never have another opportunity to get married. There's always time. Your wedding is just one day while your marriage is for a lifetime.

When I met my husband's family for the first time I saw first hand how he treated his sisters. His sisters are 13 and 20 years younger than he is, and when I saw them together, I knew he'd be a great father. Among his other great qualities, that's what sealed the deal for me.

Do you share the same values?

Issues about careers, finances, raising children, discipline, sex, spending, religion, and values are the most important subjects that need to be addressed before you even think about engagement rings. If you can't plan for and effectively discuss these topics with your partner, you won't be able to merge your two lives together with any amount of success. If you don't feel comfortable bringing them up, then you're not ready to say, "I do."

When my husband and I started dating we talked about our personal values and beliefs. We found we shared more in common than either one of us thought. Coming from similar family backgrounds, we found it easy to envision a future together, and another way that made merging our lives together almost effortless.

Get more questions to ask yourself when you finish reading the rest of the story on YourTango: Are You Ready For Marriage, Or Are You Rushing Into It?

Written by Alisha Cornett for YourTango.

A Reader Answers: Can Exercise Help With Migraines?

Fit Community — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:52:16 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wanted to know: can exercise help with migraines? She asked an expert and posted the answer in our Fit Community.

Today's post comes to us from special guest contributor and medical expert Paul Rizzoli, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School:

When you’re prone to migraines you’re forced to think through whether or not something you do will invite a headache into your life. Exercise is definitely one of those things. Should you skip a workout because you feel a migraine coming on? Or is it better to push through in the hopes a little sweat will make you feel better?

Most headache specialists recommend exercise and an increase in overall physical activity to their patients. However, to date, there’s skimpy evidence to support the idea that working out actually guards against migraine attacks. A few studies have shown that taking regular exercise can reduce the severity, though not the number of headaches.

Keep reading to see what studies say about exercise and migraine relief after the break!

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

Are Your Birth Control Pills Safe?

Shape — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:17 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Last year during my annual exam, when I complained to my doctor about my terrible PMS, she was quick to pull out her pad and give me a prescription for the birth control pill Yaz. "You're going to love this," she said. "All of my patients that are on it think it's the best. It's even helped some of them lose weight!"

Less PMS and not having to worry about my weight? I was sold, even though I'd only intended to talk to her about lifestyle and/or diet modifications since my birth control needs were already taken care of. Before I stopped into the pharmacy, however, I looked up the pill online (Paging Dr. Google!). The results were anything but the lovefest I'd been promised. In fact, the information I found scared me so badly that I never filled that prescription.

Am I Normal? Your Top Six Sex Questions Answered

It quickly became evident that I wasn't the only woman concerned when Yaz and it's sister pill Yazmin, two of the most popular pills on the market, came up for review by the FDA after reports that the manufacturer may have hid and minimized critical health risks. But is the hysteria warranted?

Find out how safe birth control pills are after the break!

Heidi Klum Speaks Out About Her Split From Seal

Lauren Turner — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:35:25 PST

Heidi Klum thanks fans for their support - People
Channing Tatum pulls a funny penis prank on Rachel McAdams - Lainey Gossip
The most memorable Bachelor one-liners from last night - Huffington Post
How adorable is Joseph Gordon-Levitt on stage? - The Frisky
The latest on Halle Berry's family drama - D-Listed
Watch Robert De Niro audition for The Godfather - Next Movie
The 20 most effective Super Bowl ads - The Daily Beast
Minka Kelly gets gorgeous in a red dress - Hollywood Tuna
Zac Efron wears tiny Hawaiian print shorts - Pink Is the New Blog
Reese Witherspoon talks Justin Bieber - The Superficial
Selena Gomez shows skin on the cover of Cosmo - JustJared
Get to know Camille Grammer's hot new guy - TooFab
Will J Lo bring Casper Smart to the Oscars? - Amy Grindhouse
Adele will perform post-surgery at the Grammys - Hollywood Reporter