FitSugar

When in Doubt, Run Defensively

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:00 PST

Forty-one million Americans consider themselves runners. We are by far outnumbered by the 202 million licensed drivers in our country. In light of those numbers you need to play it safe and run defensively. Here are a few ways to run safely as the days become shorter:

No matter how much reflective detailing decorates your sneakers, and no matter how bright your neon windbreaker seems, you should never assume drivers can see you. Pay attention to the traffic around you.
Make yourself as conspicuous as possible. Wear a flashing red bike light on your back.
Make eye contact before you cross the street or in front of a car.
Run against the traffic, whether you run in the street or on the sidewalk. If you run in the street, since asphalt is kinder to knee joints, be aware of cars making right turns, since motorist often don't look around when turning right.
Keep your iPod volume down, and if it is dark skip music entirely so you can use your ears to stay aware of approaching cars.
Most importantly, if you're running in the dark, run with a buddy. Two people are more visible than one, and you can look out for each other.

Source

How Not to Destroy Your Marriage

The Good Men Project — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:30:42 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Mark Tyrrell offers eight relationship tools to make your marriage work.

"All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble." - Raymond Hull

So how do you make your marriage work? Or do you just blindly hope it'll take care of itself?

Think of a hot, successful date with someone you’re attracted to. You have fun, great conversation and more sexual chemistry than a warehouse full of pheromones. You don’t have to “work at” the date because it’s self sustaining. It runs as smoothly as the gliding hand of a classical guitar maestro and you can’t wait for another rendition.

Teenage Dating in a Twilight-Hunger Games World

But marriage, or any long term relationship; well that’s a whole other caboodle.

If we’re not careful, marriage can deteriorate into little more than a torturous assault course; littered with routine boredoms, frustrations and resentments. Couple all that with external pressures and sometimes marriage feels not worth the effort. But there are major benefits to being hitched or committed, other than just a beneficial tax regime.

Healthy marriage; healthy people.

Being happily married bestows heaps of health benefits. You might be forgiven for thinking that if you’re married you don’t live longer it just seems like it but, no, a good marriage really can help you clock up more years (1) and married people are happier (2) even though they don’t always look it from the outside.

But when marriage doesn’t work it can feel being manacled to a maniac, marooned with a misogynist or nailed to a nag. And I don’t care what the studies say, that’s not healthy. You may hear couples say stuff like: “We are making our marriage work!” but how do we do this?

Making it work.

We pay lip service to “working on the marriage” but what is the work we need to do? Marriage vows such as “to love and to cherish” and “forsaking all others, for better or for worse” don’t really tell us how to make it work, although they give us a clue.

Fortunately a ton of research has been done on what to do and not do to make your marriage, or any intimate relationship work. Follow the guidelines here to become “good at marriage."

Tip one: Be romantic but keep it real.

We are all (force?) fed romance in movies and novels. The handsome man gets the beautiful woman. But what I wonder is what happens after our romantic couple ride off into the sunset together? What do they do exactly? Bicker? Moan at one another? Start to ignore each other?

After all that romance, our beautiful couple is bound to have massive expectations of their life together. But when rose tinted expectations clash with day to reality, watch out!

Romance is vital in any relationship. Always seeing the best in your partner helps to keep things intimate and love should be expressed. But if you have been raised on Mills and Boon Romance novels or feel-good movies, then your own romantic expectations can work against the sustainability of your long term relationship.

When day to day life fails to live up to the giddy, heady lust-filled days of the pre-settled down romance people can become angry, even blame one another: “This wasn’t what I signed up for." They find it hard to take the rough with the smooth because they never really figured there would be any rough.

Expectations not diluted with at least a dash of realism can be a royal road to relationship ruin. Your partner may be an angel, but they have feet of clay. You must learn to love those feet or at least accept them a bit!

Get the rest after the jump!

Taser Protection When Running at Night: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:30:00 PST

Tasers are not without controversy, but the Taser C2 ($400) is hoping to change all of that. Our hope is that you will never need to use it, but if you do find yourself in serious trouble, the Taser C2 will immobilize your attacker for a full 30 seconds - enough time for you to run and find help. And unlike pepper spray, you won't have to worry about the wind blowing the spray back at you. Purchase does require a background check, and in some states, a permit to carry. Could this be a new way to protect yourself while running alone at night?

The device seems like it has the potential to provide peace of mind, but the idea of carrying a taser is sort of intense. Less intense (and oddly funny) though is that the Taser C2 is pink and its holster doubles as a MP3 player.

Tips For Springtime Running in the Rain

Kristen Hawley — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 21:06:20 PDT

Spring has sprung and that means moving off the treadmill and into the great outdoors. But since Spring often equals rain showers, an outdoor run could be nearly thwarted by weather. Don't be afraid of the rain - with a few simple adjustments to your normal routine you'll be on your way to a great run, elements and all.

Do not wear cotton. While comfortable, cotton shirts, shorts, socks, basically cotton anything soaks up water quickly, becoming heavy and generally uncomfortable. Stick to wicking materials, and finish your outfit with a waterproof top layer. Check out our Spring running must-haves for wicking gear and rain jackets.
Wear high(er) socks. Speaking of socks, since running in the rain can cause blisters, choose a pair of (non-cotton) socks that reach above your sneakers. I'm not prone to blisters, but one rainy run with too-short socks had me limping to the finish.

Check out the rest of the tips after the break.

Would You Hire a Dudela?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:36:23 PST

If a doula's job is to help a mom-to-be with her childbirth experience, who's there to help the future dad? The Dudela!

In a post to the parenting message board UrbanBaby, a new dad proposed being the go-to guy every father-to-be needs in the delivery room. Among his responsibilities are:

MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT. We will meet before the due date to craft an announcement statement, which I will send via text message to contacts of your choosing within the first hour of your baby's life. During labor and up to two hours after delivery, I will respond to all incoming texts and phone calls, taking messages when required. The battery life on all of your devices is safe in my hands. And what if she's not feeling that Bjork playlist you made for her iPod? I'll put on some Sam Cooke instead. SOCIAL NETWORK COORDINATION. Check you in at the hospital on FourSquare? Check. Update your Facebook status with baby's first picture? I like. Tweet the birth announcement? #Yes FANTASY SPORTS ASSISTANCE. The world of sports will not stop for the birth of your baby. Don't worry whether Curtis Granderson matches up well against David Price (he doesn't) or if the 49ers defense can stop the run (they can). As a veteran of many fantasy leagues, familiar with both the ESPN and Yahoo! platforms, I will ensure your team doesn't miss a beat, so you won't miss a beat in the delivery room. CONCIERGE SERVICES. You're going to want to get some celebratory cigars. Good thing I've been a subscriber to Cigar Aficionado for the last 10 years.

Is it a joke? Yes. The Daily Mail interviewed the man behind the posting who said it was a joke, but who's to say that dad doesn't need a lil helper through the labor and delivery process?

Source: Flickr User Marc van der Chijs

How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

Health — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:03:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Does your metabolism grind to a halt after 35? Can certain foods rev it up? Answers ahead — and they're good.
By Paige Greenfield

Here's something to feel good about: your body is a calorie-burning machine. You'll even torch a few while reading this article. The point is, every single thing you do — from breathing to eating to sleeping — uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate. And just like your curly hair or warm personality, yours is unique.

"There are so many factors that determine your metabolic rate," says Janet Rankin, PhD, professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech. Among them: your height and weight (bigger people burn more calories), your gender (women have slower metabolisms than men), your age (your metabolic rate declines as you get older), how much muscle or fat you have (muscle burns more calories than fat does), and your DNA.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Although you can't rewire your double helix or switch back the clock, there's still plenty you can do to be a fast burner, Rankin says. All you need to do is remember these four research-backed truths.

Cardio Revs Your Metabolism For Hours Afterward
Resistance training often hogs the metab-boosting spotlight. It's no wonder, since a pound of muscle at rest fries three times as many calories as a pound of fat. However, cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism humming.

New research explains why: In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, people pedaled a stationary bike as hard as they could for 47 minutes.
The finding: They slashed 190 calories above their resting metabolic rate for 14 hours after their workout. Add that to the 519 calories, on average, the cyclists scorched from the workout itself, and that's one heck of a sweat session.

"If you do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward," says study author David Nieman, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Appalachian State University.

So how can you tell if you're pushing hard enough? Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

More useful tips after the break.

3 Easy Tips For Soft, Kissable Lips

Michelle Phan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:00:00 PST

We're excited to continue our partnership with YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan! Every other week, we'll be bringing you the best from her website, MichellePhan.com. This week, Michelle has the lowdown on making your lips kissable just in time for that holiday party:

Hi everyone,

Mistletoe is tricky. You can’t really avoid it, since you never know when it will reveal itself. You also can’t run to the bathroom and freshen up when it finally does, because that would ruin the moment, and it’s really more of an on-the-spot kind of thing.

The ultimate bubble bath is within reach

Your best defense is to just be prepared for the possibility at all times. Here are some tips to keep your lips mistletoe-ready all season long, no matter what the weather or circumstance. Check them out now.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "I Kissed a Girl"

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:41:59 PST

Everyone's got election fever on this week's Glee, and we find out the results of both the student body and congressional race. Because of the political ad threatening to expose Santana, we watch her deal with her sexuality, and the support she gets (and doesn't get) from those around her. It brings out a soft side of Finn (no, that's not a reference to Santana's preferred insults for Finn), who asks everyone to sing a song celebrating women. Sue also gets taken to task for her love life, but her tactics end up hurting Coach Beiste.

Meanwhile, Puck and Shelby take their forbidden relationship to the next level, and Rachel does something to help Kurt, but she ends up hurting the whole glee club. It's a surprisingly emotional episode, and there are lots of great lines (Santana and Sue really outdo themselves this week), but what made it for me are this week's upbeat, encouraging musical numbers. Let's break it all down into the highlights when you keep reading.

John Edwards's Affair Could Cost Him More Than His Reputation

Annie Scudder — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:40:41 PDT

When it comes to sex scandals, politicians like Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Edwards really outdid themselves. Edwards carried on an affair that produced a child while his longtime wife was dying of cancer, and Schwarzenegger fathered a child with his housekeeper, who continued to work for him and his wife for another decade. These contemptible details guarantee little sympathy from the public, and now for Edwards some serious karma in the form of a grand jury indictment and possible jail time.

This morning, the former senator, vice presidential candidate, and progressive sweetheart was indicted on charges that he violated campaign finance law while trying to hide his mistress Rielle Hunter and her pregnancy from the public while running for president. He's charged with illegally using almost $1 million of donor money for Hunter's housing, medical care, and travel in order to protect his campaign.

Edwards's defense is that he used the money for private purposes, namely to keep his late wife, Elizabeth, from finding out about Hunter, therefore he wasn't required to report the donations. But since the affair would have harmed his campaign, it's hard to argue the cover-up was not part of his political strategy. If American presidential campaigns focused less on personal scandals and more on policies, maybe Edwards wouldn't have had to worry about his infidelity being exposed. But we all know that's not the America we live in.

Are you surprised Edwards is facing serious consequences?

Tribeca Takeaway: The Bang Bang Club

Allie Merriam — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:30:56 PDT

This year's Tribeca Film Festival kicked off in NYC last night with the star-studded premiere of Cameron Crowe's The Union. Screenings commenced this morning for a handful of other movies, and today I was able to check out Ryan Phillippe's The Bang Bang Club.

Who's behind it? South African filmmaker Steven Silver both wrote and directed the piece. It's his first feature after a long career in documentaries - he wrote Gerrie & Louise, based on the life of a colonel in the South African Defense Force, and directed the Emmy-nominated story of a Jerusalem bus bombing in 2002's The Diameter of the Bomb.
What's it about? Phillippe heads a cast that includes Taylor Kitsch and South African actors Neels Van Jaarsveld and Frank Rautenbach. The four men play photojournalists at a Johannesburg newspaper who head into townships to document the communities' violence during the height of apartheid and in the run-up to the country's first democratic elections in the early '90s. Malin Akerman plays their editor, Robin Comley, who serves as a mentor, then love interest, for Phillippe's Greg Marinovich. The four men come to be known as the Bang Bang Club for their work, which goes on to win Pulitzers and bring them great acclaim at a high price. Along with Robin, they play as hard as they work. The film raises questions of what exactly the role of a photojournalist is - to document, to help those suffering, or, somehow, do both?

To see what I thought of the movie, just

What did I think? I was actually surprised at how much I liked this movie. I (perhaps unfairly) wasn't expecting much, but the finished product was quite good. The material was gripping, and the mix of action and romance pretty much means there's a little something for everyone. The violence is at times extremely graphic, but it never seemed excessive or exploitative. The topics of genocide, apartheid, and South African political upheaval are still sensitive ones nearly 20 years later, but I think Silver took the material, his actors, and settings and created an interesting, gripping final product. My one gripe was the cast's handling of the elusive South African accent - was Akerman going Australian? Kitsch speaking like a Brit? Phillippe, to his credit, seemed to have a good handle on the way of speaking. The Bang Bang Club will be out in limited release in the US tomorrow.