FitSugar

Fittingly Mad: Can't a Girl Go For a Run? Geez

FitSugar — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 08:30:00 PST

Here's the deal. This actually happened. No joke. I was out running the other day and some guy yelled from his porch, "Hey baby. Why are you running away? Why don't you run over here?" I wanted to run a mac truck over him.

It was as if my baggy sweatshirt, said "Rude comments welcome?" Why do guys feel like they can hoot and holler at anyone with boobs? Do they think they are being funny? Sexy? Motivating? My response was run even faster to get away from the idiot.

Now I'm not saying all guys are to blame. But it's that one sleazy guy who can ruin a run and running alone in general. Don't let him ruin it for you though.

Fit's Tip: If you run alone keep the volume low on your iPod so you can still hear what's going on around you. If you run in the dark, use well lit streets. Or call up your best friend and run together in a girl pack.

On Long Training Runs, Stash Your Water Along the Way

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:35:15 PDT

Warm weather inspires many runners to head for the great outdoors. The gorgeous scenery definitely inspires me to tackle bigger trips, so whether you're running long distances for fun or are training for a marathon, here's a tip for staying hydrated: Instead of carrying around your water, stash it along the way. It's like having your own personal water stations!

Map out your route ahead of time and set markers every three miles or so. Fill up reusable water bottles with four to eight ounces of H20, and then take a drive before your run. Stash the bottles in safe, convenient, and appropriate spots so you can grab them quickly and gulp them down. Or, if you prefer, you can carry the bottles with you and sip as you run. Stash each empty container when you're done - just remember where you hid them so you can collect them all later.

How Women Should Save at Every Life Stage

Wise Bread — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:15:50 PDT

We all face different money issues at every life stage, so figure out what you need to save for with this helpful Wise Bread guide.

The recession has pushed almost all of us, regardless of age, a decade behind in building personal wealth. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re in your 20s and haven’t paid off student loans, or in your late 30s or early 40s and still paying off debt or saving up for a down payment. If your retirement account isn’t where you’d like it to be in your 50s, do the best you can to build it up. What matters is doing the best you can to make sound financial decisions so you can enjoy the important things in life without worrying too much about money. Here are few tips for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s on saving and building wealth.

In Your 20s

I can’t stress this enough - start saving early. Even if you think you’re broke, give up lattes twice a week and put the $25 a month you save into a retirement account. The hilarious truth of the matter is that the earlier you start saving, when you can least afford it, the harder that money works for you to earn interest. Investing just five percent of a $40,000 salary annually from age 25 to 65 can pay off big in the long run. Assuming a six percent rate of return, at age 65, you’d have $479,241 in your 401(k), thanks to the magic of compound interest. Invest 10 percent of a $40,000 salary, and that number grows to $830,678 by age 65.

On to credit card debt, especially important in your 20s. I know about this one first hand. I thought I had a great handle on my credit card spending in my early 20s. So great, in fact, that over the next several years I didn’t bat an eyelash at charging multiple plane tickets to Europe, rounds of drinks with friends, and several pairs of new shoes.

Several years later, I was still paying it off. The only way I dug myself out of debt was to get a second job in addition to my full-time job while I was finishing school. That meant a 60-plus-hour workweek, no social life, no excess spending, little sleep, and a lot of headaches for over a year. Trust me, you do not want to put yourself through the stress that excess debt causes. Before you whip out the credit card to travel or go out or buy a new gadget, ask yourself if you really need it. Force yourself to spend responsibly. If you want to travel, set aside 10 percent of your earnings and take one great trip a year.

Read on to find out more.

3 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With Your Workout

Leta Shy — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:05:46 PDT

Now that it's April, we're thinking about Earth Day, when we celebrate our continuing commitment to reduce waste and do our part for the planet. Calculating and reducing your carbon footprint, the amount of environment-unfriendly emissions it takes to make it through your day, is one important way to go eco. So how does your workout factor in? Here are three ways to reduce your carbon footprint while you exercise.

Commute as workout: The average commute takes about 15 miles each way, which can translate into over a ton of carbon dioxide emissions per year. If possible, try biking to work once or twice a week: it can help save you time, since you won't have to worry about fitting in a workout that day, and cutting out drive time just a few times a month will cut your carbon footprint. Never biked to work before? Here are some tips for how to bike to work safely.
Skip the gym: It's not just driving to work that can add up in emissions. Driving to the gym can also rack up carbon emissions, as can all the energy and resources it takes to keep you cool and comfortable once you get there. Running, biking, even strength training outside can be more convenient and more fun than trekking to the gym every day. Plus, working out at home can cut down on a lot on resources, like all those extra towels or the energy it takes to power a treadmill.
Heat up naturally: Hot temps may be on the horizon, but Spring days and nights can still be chilly. That can mean turning up the heat on the thermostat to stay comfortable or opting for a comfortable car ride over a walk to the store. Wherever you are, raising your heartbeat for just a few minutes can make things comfortably warm. If you're taking a walk, increase your pace or do a few minutes of lunges first. If you're cold at your desk, do these five discreet strength-training moves at your desk. You'll be burning calories and raising your body temperature without having to turn up the heat - keeping your thermostat down by two degrees can save you one ton in carbon emissions if you do it throughout the year (along with raising the temperature of your air conditioner in the Summer).

Turns out, your workout can really help your eco-friendly ventures! If you need more ideas to help offset your carbon footprint, here are more ways to green your fitness.

Spring Clean Your Fitness With These Tips

Leta Shy — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:06:54 PST

It's almost time to Spring clean, which means dusting off, editing, and organizing every aspect of your life. What you wear and use during your workout is no different; here are three tips for Spring cleaning your fitness.

Inspect your gear: You may never give up that old college T-shirt, no matter how threadbare it gets, but there comes a time when you need to retire old workout gear. Go through all of your gear, from wicking headbands to running shoes, and get rid of clothes that aren't doing it for you. Stretched-out sports bras and pants, too-thin socks, or smelly shirts should be retired. Invest in a few new pieces for Spring to enhance your current collection, and be strategic about the old stuff: once you get a new pair of running shoes, save the old pair for rainy runs or around-town errands and make sure to donate anything that's still usable.

Clean your equipment: Whether you have a stellar home gym or just a few dumbbells and a yoga mat, chances are some of your equipment may be due for a clean. Luckily, a safe, effective, and great-smelling cleaner is just a few minutes of DIY away. This yoga mat cleaner, just a mixture of water and a few drops of tea tree and lavender or peppermint oils, is a safe, nontoxic way to kill germs on anything from your yoga mat to your dumbbells.

Organize well: Once you've cleaned and edited your workout wardrobe, it's time to organize all of your gear. Keep your workout clothes somewhere easily accessible: this will help save time when you're putting together your gym bag. Bonus if you can store them somewhere where you can see them - when you're greeted with cheery workout clothes every time you open your closet, you may be less tempted to skip a workout!

Avoid Getting Hurt! Don't Make These Mistakes When Running Outdoors

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:51:48 PST

Warmer Spring weather inspires many to ditch the gym and run outside in the fresh air and on open roads. Before you make the switch from treadmill to street, avoid these common mistakes that could lead to injury.

Doing Too Much Too Soon
Between the steep hills, wind factor, uneven or slippery terrain, and not having a belt propelling you forward, running outside is harder than running on a treadmill. And since it's more taxing on your muscles, you are more prone to shin splints and other pains. Start off with shorter distances on flat roads or trails, and as your endurance improves, gradually increase your mileage and hill work. If you experience shin pain, take a few minutes to walk and stretch out your lower legs. Don't run through the pain because it may cause further injury, preventing you from running at all. When you're not running, strengthen your shins with this exercise.

Keep reading to find out other outdoor running mistakes that may cause injury.

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Organize Your Photo Library

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:09:14 PST

Spring shouldn't be just an excuse to clean out your closets. It's also a great time to get your digital photos in order. I'm guilty of just tossing my pics into one jumbled and disorganized file (which makes it a pain to find a specific pic), but we can all start fresh and clean from here on out, thanks to some helpful tips from the pros. Bradly Treadaway, digital media coordinator and faculty member at the International Center of Photography in New York, shares how easy it is to keep your photos in order with just a little bit of proactive work. Make it your mission this Spring to keep your photo library in order with the helpful tips below.

Store on a dedicated external hard drive - Instead of storing your photos on your computer's hard drive (which takes up lots of space), buy a dedicated external hard drive to use as your digital photo library. Store it in a safe place, and you'll never be without your precious pics.
Label your pics as you save them - Instead of dumping all your pics into one file and saving them, take the time to go through your images, keeping only the best of the bunch, and label with names, dates, and events.
Stay organized with labeled folders - Create folders for each event you shoot, specifying the event name and date for each label. If you're taking random pics, create seasonal folders (like Summer 2011) so you can stay on top of your one-off photos.
Routinely empty your SD card - By routinely moving your photos off of your camera's SD card, you'll ensure that you will never run out of space when trying to capture a family event, party, or video. Try moving photos and video files off your SD card at least once a month or, better yet, after every major event.

10 Bad Habits of Tech Users (and How to Break Them)

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:49:44 PST

As we get overwhelmed with work, kids, school, extracurricular activities, and social events, it's easy to forget about the maintenance and health of our tech . . . and ourselves. Since Spring is the time to refresh your home, it's also the perfect time to refresh your habits where your tech is concerned. Are you guilty of these 10 bad habits? Find out what they are, and how to turn things around below!

Working in poor ergonomic conditions - Sitting for hours in front of your computer - whether you're at an office or working from home - is bad enough, but throw in the poorly positioned monitor, a chair that's not supporting your back, and a desk that's too small for your stature, and you have a cocktail for body aches and pains. Check with your HR department to see what kinds of ergonomic assessment services are available to you so you can get your desk in tip-top shape. Working from home? No sweat - let this Osha ergonomic evaluation checklist help you set up a healthy home office.
Letting your tech get dirty and grimy - Your tech is pretty disgusting. Sixteen percent of phones have feces on them, while home keyboards hold 60 times more germs than a public toilet seat. Make a habit of cleaning your tech once a day, or even once a week with proper cleaning agents to cut down on viruses and bacteria that could make you sick.
Obsessing over your phone at improper times - We've grown quite accustomed to our smartphones helping us in our everyday lives, but they can easily drive a rift between you and your friends, family members, and fellow earth-dwellers at large. Keep your phone off the dinner table, don't chat in the bathroom stall or the gym, and keep your voice down when having a conversation on the bus. You know, just use common sense.

See the rest of the list after the jump.

Your 4-Month Bikini Plan Starts Here

Leta Shy — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:48:01 PST

It may seem like Summer is far off, but if you're trying to lose weight in time for bikini season, now's the time to start planning for success. We've got a few tips on how to start prepping for your Summer season; mark your calendars and check out our tips for starting a four-month bikini plan below.

Time to calculate: Thinking about losing weight long before the snow thaws helps make meeting your warm-weather weight-loss goals that much easier. Once you've got an idea of how much weight you'd like to lose, spreading out your goal through a four-month period makes the whole process seem more manageable. You can safely lose one to two pounds a week, and the more slowly you take off the weight, the higher the chances of it staying off.
Break up your goals: Who wants to crash diet? You definitely don't want to be caught off guard when it comes to bikini season. Making mini goals you can hit every few weeks not only helps you stick to your plan, but it makes tracking your progress toward your final goal easier too. If you're a runner, try these running mini goals to add to your workouts.

Read on for three more tips to get you in bikini shape in time for Summer.

Lil Links: Tips For Handling That Most Unpleasant Childhood Sickness

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:32:21 PST

How to handle a stomach virus in your home - Parenting
7 tips for a healthy pregnancy with diabetes – Health
13 ways to keep your kid entertained in a rear-facing seat - The Stir
Facebook's COO has figured out how to balance career, family, and life - Business Insider
Julie Bowen takes lil Oliver on a breakfast run - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Katherine Heigl wants three or four kids - Celebrity Baby Blog
Safe ways to moisturize pregnant skin during dry months - FitPregnancy
Why do childless people hate kids so much? - Momformation
Study shows babies like to judge - Yahoo! Shine