FitSugar

Take It to the Gym: Printable Love Handle Workout

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:23:24 -0800

I know not everyone likes to do ab work next to his or her laptop. I know I am unique in this case. For all of you that go to the gym and want a little guidance (not from your iPod - but a tangible piece of paper) here is a print out version of the Love Handles workout. Now you can really take it with you where ever you choose to exercise.

Pilates Twist: 10 sets

Keep reaching energy out the top of your head.
Twist with just the ribs, not the pelvis.

Can Can: 10 sets

Really pull your navel to your spine as you straighten your legs

Twisted Crunch: 10 times, each side

Make sure to lift both of your shoulders evenly off the floor

Side Plank and Thread the Needle: 3 times each

Really lift the pelvis up
Press the hand firmly into the ground
Scoop though your abs to "thread the needle"

Dumbbell Side Bends, 10 sets

Make sure to bend just to the side, not forward or backward.

Gear Review: miCoach by Adidas

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:30:18 -0800

After spending much of my day telling other people what to do - in a nice way of course - it's oddly comforting to have my miCoach Pacer ($139) tell me to speed up or slow down when I am out for a run. The miCoach is Adidas's answer to the Nike+ running system, but it offers real time audio coaching. This means a voice, you select the accent (I have chosen British male and like to think James Bond is coaching me), interrupts your music to let you know if you're running too fast, too slow, or just right for the selected workout. Some runners might find this annoying, but it does help me stay on track. No pun intended.

I have learned a couple things from my miCoach, which I've been using since Adidas unveiled the product at the Consumer Electronics Show, where the company gave me one to test. First, I am a visual person. I had become quite accustomed to checking my heart rate monitor watch for my stats: heart rate, time, and if I am using my foot pod, distance and pace. With the miCoach Pacer all this data comes to you in audio form. It is a bit of a tricky transition, but once made, all will go smoothly. You can press the center button on the Pacer to hear your real time stats. You pre-select what you would like to hear using the Adidas website, where you manage your information and select your workout schedule.

For more on the miCoach keep on reading!

Spinning Hands Cheat Sheet

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:00:10 -0800

When the ground is covered with snow, getting your fitness on outdoors can be quite a challenge. Spinning is one of the best ways to keep your cardio up during the cold months of Winter without braving the elements, so be sure to check out a class. Like every workout, though, there is some jargon involved, and some spin instructors throw out numbers for the hand positions without explaining exactly where you are supposed to grip the handlebars. Not all classes use these hand positions, but if you take a class trademarked as Spinning, you will likely hear these numbers coming from your spin instructor as she tells you to stand and sprint. Here is a little cheat sheet so you know where your hands go while you pedal away.

Position 1: Hands placed in the center of the handles. You can place the hands one on top of the other in this position. This is a good spot when warming up, cooling down, or recovering from a sprint interval.
Position 2: Hands are just inside the upward curve on the handle bars. This is where your hands will most likely be for most of the class.
Position 3: Hands hold on to the top of the handles. This position should really only be used when standing for a climb. If you use it seated, you can strain your back.

Do you spin? Tell me how you feel about spinning in the comments section below.

Weight Loss Sabotage: Eating "Light" Foods

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:47:43 -0800

When you go grocery shopping, you'll see a plethora of "light" packaged foods. From crackers to chips to salad dressing to beverages, many people trying to lose weight pack these items into their carts so they can feel good about eating healthier versions of the foods they crave. The problem is, these foods actually end up being just as unhealthy, but in a slightly different way. Companies can't just remove the fat or lower the number of calories without affecting the flavor. To compensate, they add extra sugar, sodium, additives, or chemicals. Or in the case of these Light Lays, they add fake fat (Olestra), which is believed to interfere with the body's absorption of important vitamins, and can cause diarrhea.

Light foods are just bad news, so it's OK to embrace real food that contains real fat. According to Women's Health, "many nutritionists recommend eating full-fat food in smaller portions to lose or maintain weight." Balance is the key. Enjoy the foods you love - like steak, French fries, and ice cream - in moderation, and don't get obsessed and go on a fat-free diet. Our bodies need certain types of fat in order to function normally, and they also help satiate your hunger longer, so you avoid overeating. Be a label reader and give foods made with healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and fish the green light. Limit the amount of saturated fat you consume by opting for lean meat and nonfat dairy products, and completely avoid trans fat, including hydrogenated oil. Only 20 to 35 percent of your diet should include fat, so shoot for 44 to 77 grams of fat a day (for a 2,000-calorie diet).

Smarter Eats: Analyze Your Recipe With Calorie Count

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:00:22 -0800

Knowledge is power. Now you can take those recipes you have followed for years and learn how they stack up nutritionally.

Calorie Count has a great recipe analyzer. It's simple to use - mostly just cutting and pasting - and you can find out how many calories those holiday cookies really contain.

For a short tutorial on how the recipe analysis tool works, read more.

It's so easy. Here's how to analyze your recipes.

Once you're on the Calorie Count website, under the Food tab click New Recipe option.
Enter all the ingredients into the recipe. You can cut and paste if the ingredient is online or in some electronic form - so easy. If the recipe says it makes between eight and 10 servings, go for the middle number and type nine in the box. Click on the orange Analyze Recipe button under the ingredient box.
If the analyzer doesn't recognize an ingredient or can't compute a measurement, it will flag that line. I have found you must enter eggs and egg whites on separate lines and you must write a specific amount for each ingredient - "1 to 2 tablespoons" is too gray for the system. So once again find some middle ground and type in "1.5 tablespoons." Click the Analyze Recipe button a second time.
When all the ingredients are flagged green, the information in the standard nutrition data format will be correct. If you find your recipe too high in fat, sugar, salt, or calories, you can begin to play with your recipe and see how substitutions will affect the nutritional quality of your recipe. As for taste, you will just heed to see how your experiments work. To save the recipe on the site, you do need to be a member. Registering is easy and free.

What recipe are you going to analyze first?

Source: Flickr User Muffet

FitSugar Exclusive: 5-Factor Workout by Harley Pasternak

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:50:33 -0800

I always thought three was the magic number, but for celeb trainer Harley Pasternak there is magic in the number five. His 5-Factor philosophy of diet and fitness has helped Hollywood darlings from Jessica Simpson and Eva Mendes get fit. Although he currently works with Vanessa Williams and Alicia Keys, Pasternak will be accompanying Lady Gaga on tour. He's bringing snacks as well as workouts to keep the diva in shape while on the road.

We know you're busy too, so we asked Harley to create a holiday time-saver workout for FitSugar readers. His 30-minute workout gets your heart rate up and works your legs and abs - two areas I always want to tone. To check out his workout keep reading.

Turkey Breakdown: Light, Dark, and Tofurky

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:29 -0800

The main course for Thanksgiving has traditionally been turkey. This meat can be a great source of lean protein, but some parts of the bird are healthier than others. To see how your turkey choices add up, check out the nutritional info of this meat and also a meat-free option.

Which has more calories, white or dark meat? To find out read more.

While dark meat does contain more calories, fat, and cholesterol, it also contains a considerable amount of iron, so go ahead and eat that drumstick you crave. Keep in mind that the skin contains a ton of calories and fat, so feel free to indulge a little, but don't go overboard. As for the Tofurky, I'm surprised to see that a serving size contains so many calories, but at least it's low in saturated fat and high in protein.

Enjoy whichever main course you choose, but remember that these numbers don't include stuffing, mashed potatoes, or gravy on the side. If you want to save room for a slice of grandma's famous pumpkin pie, limit the turkey fixings.

Amanda Peet: So in Love

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:17 -0800

Amanda Peet is undoubtedly feeling great. She's starring in the number one film in the country, and in the December issue of Self the actress shares that nothing brings her more joy than hanging at home with her hubby and baby girl. In fact, the actress credits her husband, screenwriter David Benioff, as being her healthiest habit. Oh, true love!

The 37-year-old actress is not without her envies, though - she wants "boobs, a gentle six-pack, and a perky butt." And when it comes down to it, she secretly wishes for a bod like Gisele Bündchen's or Jennifer Aniston's. Outside of a little admiration, especially since Peet strives to live a life full of balance and a lot of laughs.

To hear Peet's take on health, read more.

Amanda is a big fan of moderation:

"To me, staying healthy means doing everything in moderation. Eat a lot of greens, but in moderation. Exercise, but in moderation. Drink wine, but in moderation. Sleep as much as you can. And have people around you who are very funny."

At the end of the day it all comes back to love for Peet, who says that her 2-year-old daughter is the reason why she stays healthy.

"I do feel like it's important for her to have me be as healthy as I can be. So, you know, I don't want her to have horrible eating habits. I don't want her to never exercise. But obviously I'd much rather have her play a sport than have a gym membership before she's 20. I mean there are kids in LA who go to the gym and they have a trainer. I'm like, Play a sport!"

Check out more shots of the hot mama and visit lilsugar to read more about Amanda on mothering. Also, see lots more photos, quotes on Self.com.

View 5 Photos ›

Food Review: Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:02 -0800

Women need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day, and sometimes meals alone won't bring you to your daily quota. I'm always looking for quick snacks that are high in fiber, and when I came across these new Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars ($4) at the store, they looked like a tasty way to help me reach my goal.

To find out how these Almond Butter Crunchy Granola Bars taste and see how many calories are in one serving continue reading

Catching Up With Biggest Loser Tara Costa

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:47:08 -0800

Even though she is no longer required to pull big numbers at the weekly Biggest Loser weigh-ins, Tara Costa is still working it. She told Life and Style that she's "still battling the last 10 pounds."

Tara currently weighs 164 pounds (down from 294 at the start of the show), but the second runner-up of from last year's season says she'd "love to live at 155-ish." Her plan of attack is twofold. She's headed for a week-long stay at the Biggest Loser Resort and Spa, located in Ivins, UT, where guests can reenact the rigors of the weight-loss reality show: six hours of daily exercise and a healthy diet. Her second method is running. Tara ran in the New York City Marathon last Sunday, completing the 26.2-mile course in 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 12 seconds.

I love keeping up with past contestants from the show and seeing that they are still living healthy lives. Like Tara, are you battling the last few pesky pounds that refuse to go away? Join the Weight Loss Support group, to meet like-minded people who share your goals.

Photos courtesy of NBC and Getty