FitSugar

Fit Tip: Run With Someone Who's Faster Than You

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:30:00 PDT

One of my running goals is to run a little faster and I've found that when I run outside alone, I'm not that motivated to push myself. When I run with someone else, whose pace is slightly faster than mine, it totally encourages me to kick it up a notch and keep up. So if increasing your speed is something you want to do, find a running buddy who'll give you that extra push.

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How to Prevent a Bad Running Day

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:56:02 PST

Some days I slip on my sports bra and sneaks and I feel so light and strong - like I could keep going and going. Other days it seems like my legs are trudging through mud. What gives? We can't prevent bad running days entirely, but here are a few things you can do in order to have more good days than bad.

Get enough sleep the night before. Hit the hay early enough so you get seven to nine hours of shut-eye.
Make sure you're hydrated. Not drinking the appropriate amount of water before and during your workout can lead to dizziness, headaches, decreased energy and performance, dry mouth, and cramps. A few hours before running, drink about 15 to 20 ounces. Drink another eight to 10 ounces 10 to 15 minutes before heading out.
Eat before your run. Remember that food is fuel. If you're not working out for five or so hours, enjoy a meal that contains protein, fat, and carbs. Several hours before a run, eat a meal that's under 500 calories. Thirty to 90 minutes before you head out, enjoy a carb-loaded low-fat snack. If you're working out first thing in the a.m., fuel up with easily digestible carbs that are low in fiber. Getting too much fiber can cause major cramps during your run.
Hit the ladies room. There's no need to carry unnecessary weight with you, so if you can relieve yourself before your run, you'll feel much lighter and will be less likely to experience belly aches.

See more tips after the break!

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!

Personal Trainer Tricks You Don't Have to Pay For

Leta Shy — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:54:25 PDT

There are so many reasons why splurging on a personal trainer is a good idea. They teach you how to work out safely and efficiently, and show you how to attain your healthy goals. But often it's hard to justify the high price tag if you have other expenses that are also begging for your wallet's attention. If you're not in the market for a personal trainer, here are some tricks that trainers use to whip you into shape that don't require any money at all.

Just a little more: You pay your trainer to deliver results, which often translates to you panting on the floor while your trainer is telling you that you need to do 10 more push-ups. Channel that extra push, sans price tag, during your next workout. Just pushing yourself to go for five more minutes can help you burn up to 60 extra calories. Need motivation? Check out our chart of calories burned with just five more minutes of exercise.

Get creative with your workouts: Trainers have a knack for developing workouts that target muscles you didn't even know you had, but don't think that you can't create your own fun circuit workout that combines cardio with strength training. If you need ideas, try one of our all-over body circuit workouts (like this total-body circuit workout using dumbbells or this belly-fat blasting circuit workout by celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins) for an example of an efficient and trainer-inspired workout.

Read on for more ways to exercise like a personal trainer after the break.

Dos and Don'ts of Running With a Partner

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:38:35 PDT

Most days I fit my workout in whenever I can, so I tend to sweat it out alone. But I love the days when I can meet up with my running buddy and we hit the trail together - I run a lot longer when chatting it up with a friend. There are definitely some dos and dont's when it comes to running with another friend, so keep these in mind the next time you head out with a partner.

DO call if you're going to be late: It's hard enough to find an hour in your busy schedules that you're both free, so when you do, make every effort to show up on time. If you're running late, be sure to text or call to let her know - you don't want to keep her waiting, or worse, worrying that something is wrong.
DON'T bring your headphones: Unless you both prefer listening to your personal tunes and not conversing, save the headphones for when you're running solo. Or if you both want to listen to the same running playlist, put your iPhone on speaker so you can enjoy the music but still hear each other.

Keep reading for more dos and dont's when it comes to running with a fitness buddy.

Competing Works: How to Use That Edge in Everyday Workouts

Leta Shy — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:07:17 PDT

When your lungs are at their capacity, your legs are aching, and all you want to do is stop, you may think you can't possibly push yourself to perform better during your workout. But you may just need a little mental boost. In competition, your brain can give you that extra push to perform better, according to new studies as reported by the New York Times.

The studies found that while our bodies may tire out before we'd like them to, competition spurs our brains to give us an extra mental boost, which can translate to better performance. In one study, cyclists were tricked into racing against what they thought was their fastest time but was actually one percent faster than their personal bests. The cyclists ended up performing just as well as the faster times, even though their previous best times were slower.

In another study, cyclists consistently beat computer-generated images that mimicked their own personal bests when they thought they were actually racing against someone else's time. As the cyclists crossed the finish line, they sped up in order to beat their "competitors" and ended up beating their best times by a significant amount.

The results show that reaching our limits isn't always about physical fatigue. Scientists think that our brains may allow us to tap into stored anaerobic energy - nonoxygen-derived energy that's converted from glucose stored in our muscles - just when we need it most, like when we're crossing a finish line and striving to push past a competitor. Ready to improve your game? Use that competitive mentality in your everyday workout with these tips.

Friends and Weight Loss: Use 'Em and Lose It

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:57:30 PDT

Losing weight is not easy for so many reasons. Not only does it take commitment and determination, but it can be such a long journey that it's tempting to give up before reaching your goal. If you have a close friend you can lean on, it's likely to make dropping pounds easier and more likely. It should be someone you're comfortable with, someone you can count on to be there when you need them most, and someone you can share your achievements with. Here are some specific ways you can use your buddy on your weight-loss quest:

Call when cravings are at their worst. When you’re having an insatiable urge to hop in your car and head to the nearest bakery, speed dial your friend so they can talk you into eating fruit instead.
Swap healthy recipes, strength training tips, fitness DVDs, health magazines, and running playlists. Boredom can drive you to hop off the healthy wagon, so spice things up with new snack and meal ideas, workouts, and kick-butt tunes courtesy of your fellow fit-minded pal.

For some other ways you can use a friend to help you slim down and get healthier keep reading.

Running Hills: Go From No Way to Give Me More

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:15:55 PDT

There's an enormous hill by my house that I used to pass by and shudder. That is, until I went on a run with my hill-loving neighbor. Hills are intimidating, but they really do make us better runners. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

Here are some tips to make hills feel easier so you can start incorporating them into your runs.

When You're Not Running
When you're not running, cross-train with other types of intense cardio to strengthen your heart. Mountain biking, hiking, walking with the treadmill's incline pumped up - all at a vigorous pace - will do the trick. At first, it will feel like it's impossible to catch your breath, but as your body gets used to the physical demands, you'll be able to get through an intense workout without feeling like you're going to pass out.

Strong legs are also important because they propel your body weight forward when you're running up a hill. When strength training, focus on moves that target your calves, shins, quads, hamstrings, and booty like balancing side leg lift squat, reverse lunge, Superman booty lifts, calf raises, and elbow plank with donkey kick.

Keep reading to find out what tactics you can use during your run to make hills a breeze.

5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before College

Lizzie Fuhr — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:35:54 PDT

It's already August, and that means it's nearly time to go back to school. I can't help but get a little nostalgic, and slightly jealous, about all the incoming freshmen who will land on campus for the first time and embark on some of the best times of their lives.

I'm sure you'll remember being inundated with a ton of information, thrown at you from left and right from family, friends, and practically any stranger who heard you're heading off to college. And it all culminates into the craziest combination of anxiety and excitement. If you're on the cusp of college, be sure to take in all of it the best you can. You never know what piece of advice your crazy aunt will give you that will make the transition a little smoother.

Or maybe you're the one dishing out the advice to your scholarly loved ones. Either way, here are five things we wish someone had told us - or rather, wish we had listened to - before we left for college. Just keep reading.

Choose Anyone! Study Finds Personality Similarities Don't Impact Marriage Either Way

Annie Scudder — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:00:38 PDT

Similar personalities among spouses won't impact a marriage for better or for worse. A new study examining married couples who have lasted at least 40 years found neither personality similarities nor differences impact how happy a couple is. Browsing online dating profiles just got a whole lot faster, since there's apparently no need to look for someone with a compatible personality. Just choose the person you're most attracted to.

We've all heard that opposites attract, but it makes more sense that couples with similar personalities would make it in the long run. But that assumption's not backed up by science, says the study's lead researcher, Frederick Coolidge. Based on his research, he says the desire to make the relationship work makes personality differences irrelevant, explaining, "My very speculative suspicions is that this need for a relationship is so strong that it overcomes differences."

Going back to online dating, while there might be no need to waste time evaluating personality - or your money on sites that promise matching you based on personality - you probably shouldn't choose people at random. Another study last month found that singles have better luck with people of a similar attractiveness level.

Let's do our own data collection: when dating, have you had better luck with someone of a similar temperament or not?