FitSugar

Fit Tip: Finding "Moderate Intensity" For You

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:15:00 PDT

The new exercise guidelines recommend getting cardio exercise at moderate intensity. The question is what is moderate intensity for you - how do you find it and measure it? Well, Dr. Margolis, over at Yahoo Health has provided three ways to determine your intensity level.

The talk test. If you can hold an amiable conversation, then you are not working in the moderate intensity zone. You need to be breathing hard to be in this zone so a normal conversation should not be possible. Run by yourself? Then try singing with your playlist and if you can belt the entire chorus, you need to pick up the pace.
The "8 to 20" scale. Imagine a scale of intensity between 8 ad 20, with 8 being barely moving (like holding your toddler's hand while he or she navigates the early stages of walking) and 20 being working as hard as 007 in the "parkour/free running" scene in Casino Royale. You want to workout at and be able to maintain intensity of around 12.
Heart rate. Moderate-intensity exercise means working between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Check out the Fit Calculator to determine your numbers. You want to be work in the Endurance Training Mode - "going the distance."

Writing about all this makes me want to go for a run or a ride! See ya later!

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How Do You Rate With the Richter Scale?

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:12:02 PDT

April 26 is dubbed Richter Scale Day after Charles Richter, an American seismologist responsible for creating the Richter Magnitude Scale, who was born 112 years ago today. If you happen to live in a seismically active area, use this day as an excuse to create or replenish your Earthquake preparedness kit with supplies, sufficient water, and nonperishable food items. In the meantime, put your geology know-how to the test with our quiz.

Take the Quiz

8 Ways to Make Your Own Career Luck

LearnVest — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:15:52 PDT

People often say that you make your own luck, but how do you make your own career luck and get the job of your dreams? LearnVest shares how you can do so.

You sit next to someone on an airplane who later helps you land your dream job.

Your dentist’s daughter is a book editor, and wouldn’t you know it, she’d just love to publish your memoir.

You have a role model in your industry, and your roommate’s fiancé just so happens to be her best friend.

OK, chance doesn’t always work out as we might wish . . . but a few travel apps, a weak economy, and plenty of gumption got us thinking.

Cajoling Lady Luck may be easier than ever, with new services like Planely, a Danish start-up, and Satisfly, a Hong Kong-based start-up. Both apps connect passengers before their flights, so they can see the Facebook profiles of fellow travelers and choose seats by people they’d like to meet. Airlines like Dutch carrier KLM and Malaysia Airlines are getting in on the act with similar services of their own. Sharing and viewing this social media info is, of course, optional all around.

Read on for more.

Lose Weight and Get Fit With Your Phone

Health — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:14:36 PST

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

A sleeker, stronger body could be just a tweet or a Facebook post away
By Jamie Beckman

One of the best tools for peeling off pounds is already in your bag: It's your smartphone or iPad. In fact, all that texting, tweeting, and posting - the average woman spends more than 80 minutes a day on her phone, according to a recent report from the mobile apps analytics firm Flurry - can tip the scales in your favor.

And one in three of us are already using social sites like Facebook to get slender, reports research from the University of Arizona. So go ahead and steal these suggestions from women who took their shape-up viral.

Tweet Your Way Thin
Nancy Tessier, 50, lost 28 pounds by posting all her meals and snacks to Tweet What You Eat (@twye), an online food journal that lets others eyeball your noshes. "Sometimes it was a lot easier to decide not to eat something than to have to tweet it for the world to see," she says.

Posting your weight-loss numbers can help, too. The University of Arizona research suggests that women who reveal shape-up victories on a weekly basis trim down faster than those who update less frequently. If you're feeling shy, think up a Twitter handle and upload a cartoon character as your avatar so you can share the skinny without feeling self-conscious.

Health.com: Diet Tricks the Pros Tell Their Friends

Gain a Following
Get some virtual support pronto by following Twitter hash tags like #fitblog. Carla Shorts, 27, started chiming in on #fitblog's weekly live chats - and dropped from a size 12 to a size 6 in just a year. "When my weight loss reached a plateau, having women point out that my 30-minute elliptical routine wasn't going to cut it anymore was key," she says. "I started running and began to lose again."

You can also start your own hashtag, like Sherry Pagoto, 38, from Massachusetts, did with #plankaday, a challenge to spend at least a minute in plank pose each day.

Find more ways your phone can help you lose weight after the break.

Step Off the Scale! There Are Better Ways to Gauge Your Weight

Leta Shy — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:49:47 PST

Using the scale has its place, especially if you are carefully tracking your weight-loss progress. But spending too much time focusing on a number can discourage you when you think you've dropped weight after a rigorous diet and exercise plan only to find that you haven't lost as much as you thought you have (which can happen for several reasons, usually because you are gaining muscle instead). If you dread stepping on the scale, here are three ways to gauge your weight instead.

Your clothes: One of the best ways to figure out if your diet and exercise plan is working? Nix the scale for your favorite pair of jeans. The fit of your favorite clothes can be more accurate than knowing how many pounds you are.

Your energy level: Chances are, if you're eating healthy, drinking water, and exercising, you'll be feeling the effects - you'll have more energy, sleep better, and be less lethargic overall. Feeling healthy is the first step in looking your best, so don't discount the inside-out effects of your new lifestyle, even if weight loss is your main goal.

Your body fat percentage: Your body's muscle-fat ratio can make the scale tip up even when you are feeling svelte. So be sure to keep your fat percentage in mind when it's time to step on the scale. That means investing in a model that includes an accurate fat percentage measurement so you can track your progress accurately. Or get your body fat percentage measured professionally with one of these tests. And don't always rely on your body mass index (BMI) to gauge whether or not you're in a healthy weight range; it's not always the most accurate measurement. Read more about the difference between BMI and body fat percentage here.

How do you measure your weight-loss progress when you're not on the scale?

Shoe Review: Mizuno Wave Rider 15

Leta Shy — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:14:21 PST

I'm a Mizuno fan - the company's roster of running shoes has something for every serious runner (or any type of runner who's serious about getting the right gear). So I was happy to test out the Wave Rider 15 ($115), the newest model in a line of shoes that has proven to be one of Mizuno's most popular since it was introduced 15 years ago.

I was a little wary about trying the Wave Riders, however, since the shoes are built for neutral runners and not those who over- or underpronate (I usually buy shoes for overpronators). And while the Wave Rider has enjoyed immense popularity, the Wave Rider 15s were my first encounter with the style, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

As soon as I unboxed the ruby red sneakers, though, my reservations started disappearing. My first thoughts were that even though they look substantial, they felt incredibly lightweight. The sole is relatively thick, but it doesn't interfere with the responsiveness of the shoe as you run. In fact, as I ran I felt more connected with the ground than I thought I would.

Read more about the Mizuno Waver Rider 15s after the break.

The Most-Overlooked Tax Deductions

Kiplinger — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:50:44 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Every year, the IRS dutifully reports the most common blunders that taxpayers make on their returns. And every year, at or near the top of the “oops” list is forgetting to enter their Social Security number at the top of the tax form - or making a mistake when entering those nine digits.

But think about it for a minute: Do you think that’s the most common mistake . . . or simply the easiest to notice?

One thing we know for sure is that the opportunity to make mistakes is almost unlimited, and missed deductions can be the most costly. About 45 million of us itemize on our 1040s - claiming more than $1 trillion worth of deductions. That’s right: $1,000,000,000,000, a number rarely spoken out loud until Congress started tying itself up in knots trying to deal with the budget deficit and national debt.

Another 92 million taxpayers claim about $700 billion worth using standard deductions - and some of you who take the easy way out probably shortchange yourselves. (If you turned 65 in 2011, remember that you now deserve a bigger standard deduction than the younger folks.)

Yes, friends, tax time is a dangerous time. It’s all too easy to miss a trick and pay too much. Years ago, the fellow who ran the IRS at the time told Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine that he figured millions of taxpayers overpay their taxes every year by overlooking just one of the money-savers listed below

6 Things You Need to Know About Holiday Tipping

Kiplinger — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

1. Give the traditional way. PayPal? Forget it. An end-of-the-year tip should be handed over in person. Tuck the money (crisp, new bills are a plus) into a card with a handwritten note expressing your appreciation. If you can’t do it face-to-face - in the case of, say, the newspaper deliverer who passes by at 4 a.m. - mail a check or gift card, says Jodi R.R. Smith, president of etiquette consultant Mannersmith. And don’t wait until the final weeks of December - the recipients may be depending on the money to buy holiday gifts. The optimum time for end-of-year tipping is the week before Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter.

2. Make a list. The people who make your life easier should be at the top of your list. They may include your nanny or caregiver, hairstylist, fitness instructor, housekeeper, dog walker, garbage collector, and, if you live in a condominium or apartment, handyman or concierge. For a nanny, a week’s pay is appropriate. The cost of one session is a good benchmark for many others on your list, such as a pet groomer, weekend babysitter or weekly cleaning person. Consult our tip sheet; you can also find a guide at the website of the Emily Post Institute.

3. And check it twice. Take into account your relationship with the provider. If you have worked together closely or for a long time, or if you’ve received outstanding service throughout the year, you might tip at the higher end of the scale. The local cost of living matters, too; $50 goes further in the Midwest than in Manhattan.

Read on for more tips.

Experts Say This Is the Most Effective At-Home Workout

Self — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:17:01 PST

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Between infomercial-style ads for Pajama Pants and Ab Rollers, perhaps you've seen advertisements for P90X DVDs. Or maybe you have a friend who suddenly looked a bit more taut and toned, who casually referenced the muscle confusion-based fitness craze.

The point is P90X is undeniably a major exercise movement. But does it work? A recent study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says yes. And here's why.

First, it's obvious why ACE bothered to do this study. The organization loves to investigate the latest greatest fitness trends and, according to them, over three million copies of P90X were sold as of November 2010. And that was a year ago. Who even knows where that number is at now?

Everyone from famously buff Sheryl Crow to Bruce Springsteen has trained with creator Tony Horton, which lends him credibility upfront (especially if you're a Bruce fan from Jersey!). The concept behind this type of "muscle confusion" is that the body burns more fat and builds more muscle if you mix up your exercises so regularly that it never gets comfortable with any single one. For one thing, you're dodging that dreaded plateau.

"The basis of muscle confusion is to keep the body from becoming too efficient at performing individual and sets of exercises," explains Alice Burron, MS (Exercise Physiology), American Council on Exercise National Spokesperson and ACE Personal Trainer. "This type of inefficiency burns more calories because the muscles haven't yet adapted to the new workload. Overall more calories are burned, and as a percentage, then, more calories are burned from fat. That is, if a proper caloric intake is maintained in tandem with the workout."

Find out just why P90X is so effective after the break.

8 Ways to Motivate and Get Off Your Cold Weather Butt

Self — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:08:54 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

I got chills. They're multiplying. But they're not of the Grease Lightening variety. It's getting cold (nearly 75 degrees in LA) and I'm starting to see visions of couches, heavy meals, hot chocolate and layered clothing (to hide the blubber!).

What? You need fat for warmth . . . supposedly.

Okay, fine. Better nip this cold weather slump in the bud before I settle down for a five-month Snuggie hibernation. Luckily, I have certified trainer and owner of new BIA Strong Body Studio Rebecca Black (not that Rebecca Black) to motivate me. And now so do you.

And Black knows a thing or two about weight loss. Not only does the Columbus, Ohio-based trainer help other people get in shape (while participating in bikini fitness competitions), but she also experienced her own weight loss transformation. "I lost about 40lbs," she explains. "But it took longer than it should have because I didn't know what I was doing and neither did my trainer."

As we all know, it's easy to fall into bad habits, especially as the winter months approach. "This is when people pack on the pounds, especially in the Midwest and on the East Coast," laments the trainer. "As soon as the temperature starts to drop, people become hermits: Instead of going to the gym, they watch TV. They're back to school and super busy. And it's football season, so there's tailgating. I even fall into that rut and I'm a trainer. If I don't want to get up at 5am and train people, why would my clients?"

Luckily, Black has certain tricks for getting people up and ready to exercise. Here are her top eight motivational tips after the break.