FitSugar

Latest Exercise Trend: Ramping

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:45:00 PDT

I am always looking for a way to do something new, fitness wise. At one point, step aerobics was the latest thing, but that time has since come and gone. You'll still find step classes in almost every gym, but they are not nearly as popular as they once were.

Enter Ramping. I know it sounds a little odd but ramping is very similar to step aerobics (in fact it was created by the very same person that created step aerobics) but it is requires a lot less impact on your joints because instead of stepping up onto a flat step or bench, you lunge on and off an adjustable-incline ramp (half-moon looking contraption pictured above) specifically designed for ramping. Ramping is great for really working your butt and hamstrings. Great for getting those legs short shorts ready this summer. Check out the ramping site online for more information as well as to find a class near you.

Ramp Pesto

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 17 May 2011 04:27:55 PDT

Enjoy ramps while they last! Need a place to start? Take a nod from OnSugar blog Fresh Tart and make garlicky ramp pesto.

The calendar says May, but the temperature reads February, with mean little snow flurries icing our not-spring cake.

It pretty much sucks.

But there are ramps! Lovely, garlicky-grassy ramps, which taste like spring, and that means something.

There's a recipe - and more! - after the break

It's Ramp Season! Make Scott Conant's Risotto

Susannah Chen — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:40:23 PDT

There's a reason why foodies are so fanatical about ramps; the wild leeks are the first sure sign that Spring has arrived, especially in areas home to a long Winter. But be aware of their short season: the minute ramps arrive, the window on their availability is already beginning to close.

If you're not deterred by garlicky breath, uncooked ramps have a pungency that adds punch to homemade pesto. Or, enjoy them in a mellower state, as I like to do, by sauteing their stalks and greens until translucent, and slowly melding their sweetness into a rich, creamy risotto. The recipe, when you continue reading.

DIY Kitty Ramp

Tara Sharp — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:00:00 PST

We spotted this amazing cat ramp on Lydiat's OnSugar blog and just had to share it with you! Lydiat's husband constructed this impressive kitty ramp from this design that's simple, attractive, and unobtrusive enough to blend in nicely with the room while providing a way for their feline to get upstairs. Check out my slideshow to see more pics of the finished project!

Do You Work Out on Your Lunch Break?

Michele Foley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:11:27 PST

The dark days of Winter have me skipping my usual afterwork gym session; emerging from a workout to pitch-black darkness and freezing temps doesn't appeal to me. To make up for it, I've been ramping up weekend workouts and fitting in gym sessions during my lunch breaks at work. It takes extra planning (and organizing) when it comes to my workday, but it's worth it to avoid the dark commute home. I also have to make sure I am speedy getting in and out of the locker room since every extra minute at the gym is one less minute I'm at my desk. To make sure I don't run over on time, I follow these timesaving tips for working out at lunch.

Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, and More Dress Up For the Academy Awards Luncheon

Marisa Tom — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:14:39 PST

As part of its annual ramp up to the Oscars - airing Feb. 26 - the Academy hosted a star-studded nominees luncheon yesterday. Translation: we were treated to a plethora of super stylish midday looks. Michelle Williams stepped out in a sweetly sequined Victoria by Victoria Beckham sheath, Viola Davis continued her red-carpet reign in a shockingly pink Juan Carlos Obando halter dress, and Rooney Mara kept it chic in a Thierry Mugler-meets-ASOS ensemble. Curious to see what The Help's Octavia Spencer chose for her luncheon appearance, or which Elie Saab masterpiece The Artist's Bérénice Bejo donned? Just keep clicking, then be sure to share your pick for "best dressed" in the comments.

4 Reasons to Try TRX Suspension Training

Leta Shy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:45:17 PST

It may have been developed for the Navy SEALs, but you don't have to be in secret-weapon shape to work out with TRX. The concept of the TRX suspension training is pretty basic: you use two cables on your feet or hands to partially suspend your body and use your own body weight as resistance. The muscle groups you work as well as how hard you work them all depend on the positioning of your body on the cables.

To find out more about the benefits of the workout, I spoke with Randy Hetrick, former Navy SEAL and current CEO and founder of TRX, at the unveiling of the newly expanded TRX Training Center in San Francisco, CA. If you've ever wondered about all those odd-looking straps hanging in your gym, read on to find out more about working out with TRX.

It's for anyone: So, who should do TRX? Everyone, Randy says. "People who like yoga and Pilates tend to like TRX because there are some crossovers. But it's also great for runners, cyclists, or anyone who is an endurance athlete and wants to have more strength training." Even reluctant "power lifters" are usually swayed by the workout once they see how effective it can be at building muscle, he says.
It's beginner-friendly: Another reason to try a TRX class - it's easy to tweak exercises to your own level of difficulty and ramp up when necessary. "It's all user-defined," Randy says. "You determine how hard or how easy you really want to go. So really advanced or really beginners can work out in the same class and get what's right for them."

Read on for more reasons to try TRX.

Yummy Links: From Shark's Fin to Horse Meat

YumSugar — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:57:25 PDT

One Hong Kong-born chef on why Chinese culture doesn't need shark fin. - Inside Scoop
What do you think of Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of Bon Appétit? - The Feast NY
Spring is in the glass! 107 drinks to make right now. - Grub Street NY
Here are 50 more food blogs that you should be reading. - Saveur
Today, one man will take a bite out of his 25,000th Big Mac. - Bites on Today
Chicago, the city named after ramps. - Good
Memorial day must make: grilled tomato bloody maria. - Serious Eats
What should a restaurant do when it's accused of food poisoning? - Chow
Top Chef Canada has its hoof in its mouth over a challenge involving horse meat. - Huffington Post Food

Source: Flickr User InterContinental Hong Kong

The Consequences of Overtraining, and How to Prevent Them

Leta Shy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:20:20 PST

We may want to push ourselves to meet new goals, but there can be a fine line between pushing ourselves to the limit and overtraining. And research has shown that more and more of us are actually pushing ourselves past what is healthy for our bodies when we train.

Serious athletes are trained to exert their bodies to their max point, and many recreational exercisers, from the grunting guy straining to lift too much at your gym to your friend who always complains she feels dizzy after a workout, may think they should do the same, all the time. The problem is that recreational athletes may lack the knowledge to know when their bodies are telling them to rest, which makes them perform worse - and, as a consequence, just want to train even more to start seeing results. That can lead to a vicious, painful, and exhausting never-ending cycle of overuse injuries, constant fatigue, and worsening athletic performance.

When it comes to your own workout, don't be that person. Read on for some important tips for preventing those unpleasant consequences of overtraining

Top 10 Mistakes You Make on the Elliptical Trainer

Prevention — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:08:59 PST

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 1997 to 2007. And while you may be proud of yourself for making it to the gym and squeezing in some cardio, taking a lackadaisical approach to your elliptical workout and casually spinning your legs while reading a magazine or watching TV isn't going to blast away those holiday cookies. Here, 10 mistakes you frequently make on the elliptical and how to fix them so you maximize calorie burn while adding fun to your ho-hum routine.

Top Workout Ideas For When the Gym Is Too Crowded

1. You’re too lazy to enter your information.
Most machines are calibrated for a 150-pound person - but personalizing your stats will help you get a more accurate calorie read. Aim to burn around 100 calories per 10 minutes, says Jennifer Cassetty, an exercise physiologist.

2. Your resistance is zero.
You might feel like a million bucks spinning at a mile a minute, but without resistance, you’re not going to see results, says Röbynn Europe, a personal trainer at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Make sure that you’re using enough resistance to push and pull through the stride. Then continue at a moderate pace until you feel like you’ve done all you can do. "You shouldn’t feel like you have even five minutes left in you when you step off," she says.

3. You're a sloucher.
Standing up straight helps to lengthen your abs, giving you a chance to engage your core and even work your upper body muscles, Cassetty says. Certified personal trainer Neal I. Pire, MA, CSCS, president of Inspire Training Systems in New Jersey, recommends hopping on a machine with an upper body component so you can engage even more muscles - and blast more fat. Can't find a machine that lets you pump your arms? Let go: some research suggests that leaning on machine armrests during exercise reduces calorie burning.

How to Buy a Cardio Machine

4. Your machine sounds like it’s going to take off.
If you can hear the purr of the machine while you’re exercising, it means that you’re going too fast without enough resistance - which means you're not getting the most calorie burn out of your time, Cassetty says. Keeping a steady, moderate pace at a resistance that forces you to use your muscles will get, and keep, your heart rate up.

Learn four more fitness mistakes after the break.