FitSugar

Minutes to a Healthier You: Posture Check

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:00:00 PDT

It's not the hours we spend at the gym that make a difference in our health, it's the little things too. Like paying attention to how you stand. Your posture affects every activity you do from cooking dinner to running on the treadmill. Take advantage of the moments throughout your day when you can to do a postural check-in: riding the elevator up to the office, standing in line at the ATM, washing the dishes, waiting for a traffic light to change to green. You catch my drift. Every time you are just standing around make sure: your pelvis is over your ankles, that your ribs are over your pelvis, your shoulders over your ribs and your head floating up above it all. Also make sure you have your weight evenly distributed on both feet. When I am standing still, I often find my glutes clenched, pelvis tucked under, and my ribs tilted back with my shoulders far behind my pelvis. Plus I tend to stand with most of my weight on my left foot. Needless to say, when I align my body and put some weight on my right foot, my back stops aching. Check your posture next time you are just standing there and see how you really stand.

Need some more pointers on how to improve your posture? Then check out - Attention: Stand Up Straight. And if you would like more tips on staying healthy during your busy days read all my Minutes to a Healthier You ideas.

Source

Work it Girl: Chair Spinal Twist

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Take a break from working already! I love doing a spinal twist at my desk because it really loosens up my lower back and gives my eyes a rest. I try to do this every half hour or so.

Push your chair slightly away from your desk and then sit down gazing forward. Bend your left knee and plant your foot on your chair - slip your shoes off if you're wearing heels. Reach your right arm up and cross your elbow over the outside of your left knee. You can increase the intensity of the twist by pulling with your hands and putting weight into your left foot.

Stay here for a few breaths or as long as you want. Then slowly release your torso back to center and place your left foot on the ground. Don't forget to do the other side! Twisting is so important for the health of our spines. This feels good and is so good for you. Try it right now and let me know what you think.

5 Exercises to Ditch Arm Flab Forever

Shape — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:07:15 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to celebrity trainer Jay Cardiello for some help!

Ah, that infamous area along the back of your arms, the nemesis of so many women. How do you tackle the jiggle? First, I want to tell you what not to do, as people are often tempted to take the wrong course of action. And that is the concept of spot reducing, or lowering fat stores in one specific area of the body. It is essentially impossible to accomplish and should not be a part of your fitness regimen. Fighting arm flab requires more than just spot treatment!

In order to tone the backs of your arms, which is where your tricep muscles are, you have to remember this: specific exercises to increase your lean muscle mass will get you results, but you must also decrease your fat intake without risking too much muscle loss. (Sound familiar? Have you managed to lose fat, but still carry some extra bulk around the tricep?) So, to lose the wiggle and jiggle, be sure to eat a healthy balanced diet with proper nutrients; get at least six to eight hours of sleep so that your body can repair, recover, and build muscle; and consistently maintain your exercise program. And be sure to incorporate these five flab-fighting exercises into your workout routine.

The Ultimate Abs and Arms Workout

See Jay's arm workout after the break!

6 Ways to Sit Less Every Day

Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:03:42 PST

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

By Sarah Kehoe

Need help being less sedentary? Here are the best ways to sit less and move more, from easiest to hardest.

Pace on the phone
Invest in a two-way speakerphone, a superlong phone-to-ear cord, or a quality headset so you can be more mobile while you chat.

Even if you simply stand while on the phone, you'll naturally shift from leg to leg.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Putter after eating
Or take a quick walk postmeals. The fat levels in your bloodstream are highest after eating, and simply moving around afterward increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase, which spurs your metabolism.

Opt for bar seats at restaurants
Sit on the front third of the bar stool. Spread your feet just wider than hip distance, so they're supporting a fair bit of your weight, and gently roll your hips forward, arching your back slightly.

This position is called "perching" - it maintains an S-shape in your spine and distributes your weight more evenly.

Health.com: 20 Ways to Torch 200 Calories

Leave the seat at home
Whether you're going to a concert, tailgate, or park, don't bring a chair.

You'll find that if you don't have one, you stand the whole time or naturally move back and forth between your blanket and standing, says Marc Hamilton, PhD, a microbiologist at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

More suggestions for giving up the chair after the break.

How to Get Rihanna's Rock-Hard Abs

Shape — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:32:58 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Rihanna is one hot singing sensation. Having recently been named the best-selling digital artist of all time - thanks to a whopping 47.5 million downloads of her hits - the sexy songstress is also a top contender for album of the year at this year’s Grammy Awards.

But not only does the Barbadian beauty know how to rock a stage, she also rocks a bikini, too! No stranger to showin’ off some skin, getting that taut and tight tummy definitely takes work.

The Top 10 Best-Dressed Stars at the Golden Globes

That’s where inspirational fitness expert extraordinaire Ary Nuñez comes in; she’s been training the artist hard for almost four years. “We focus on the core muscles and we do a ton of repetitions,” Nuñez says.

See Rihanna's ab workout after the break.

From the Fit Community: Is Your Cycling Class Giving You Back Pain?

Fit Community — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:08:43 PDT

Do you find that you have back pain after spin class? FitSugar reader livingthin turns to an expert for an answer and posted it in our 10 Pounds DOWN! community group.

According to a recent stat published in Women’s Health Magazine, 58 percent of professional cyclists experience lower back pain and experts think it may be even more common among casual riders who tend to sit too high or too far back in the seat, reports the magazine. "Sitting on a bike can often cause stiffness in the lower back or pain after a prolonged bike ride," says Dr. Yoav Suprun, DPT, and owner of SoBe Spine in Miami.

"The discs in the lumbar spine move backward (posteriorly) when we slouch forward on the bike (either outdoor or in a spin class). This mechanical change in the resting position of the spine can often start the stiffness followed often by slight pain or discomfort," explains Suprun.

One way to help prevent lower back discomfort (in addition to insuring your bike seat is in the proper position by asking your instructor to set you up properly) is to bend backward before and after a bike ride to make sure the back isn't stiff, says Suprun. "If it is difficult or painful to bend backward once, try to do 10-15 repetitions into the stiffness. Often the stiffness will subside with repeated movements into extension of the back (back bends)."

And Suprun recommends this "slouch-over correct exercise" for during your ride: create as large of a hollow in the small of the back as possible by doing an anterior pelvic tilt (as if pushing the belly button forward) and relax. Do this 15-20 times. "You may feel stiffness or slight discomfort in the first 10 repetitions and then it often becomes easier to do with more repetitions. Once you spend 15-30 minutes on the bike, do 15-20 repetitions of this movement, hold for two to three seconds in the anterior tilt and relax. Repeat 20 times."

Do you have a nagging exercise question or have a stellar workout to share? Post it in our 10 Pounds DOWN! group in the FitSugar Community!

DrSugar Discusses Breast Asymmetry

DrSugar — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:30:24 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! This week she tackles the topic of different sized breasts.

This week on DrSugar, we round out our series on women's health issues with a discussion on breast size asymmetry - this is a surprisingly common concern among female adolescents and even adult women! Breast size asymmetry is when a woman's breasts are different in size and is defined as a difference of form, position, or volume of the breast, and it affects more than half of all women. Typically, the asymmetry is more noticeable during puberty and eventually breast size evens out during development. However, according to the Massachusetts General Hospital website, up to 25 percent of women have a persistent visible breast asymmetry. To learn more, keep on reading.

6 Moves to Say Goodbye to Lower-Back Pain

Self — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:37:54 PDT

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

We know planks and dead-lifts are great, but the real question is, how can they help relieve your aching back?

Back pain affects about 8 out of 10 people, according to the National Institutes of Health, and is one of the most common medical problems. It's costly too - in 2004, a team from Duke University found that treatment for back pain was estimated to cost nearly $26 billion annually.

A recent study from the University of Nevada found that those would walked backwards on the treadmill for 15 minutes three times a week reported less low back pain. But walking on the treadmill isn't the only option for relief; I asked Ian Hart, CSCS, co-creator of Back Pain Relief4Life and owner of EarthFIT fitness studio for simple at-home exercises that will strengthen the lower back, ease pain and help prevent injury in the long run.

Find out Ian's recommendation's after the break.

Yoga Styles Decoded

Shape — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:34:24 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Hatha Yoga

Origin: Introduced in 15th-century India by Hindu sage, Yogi Swatmarama, Hatha poses - Downward Facing Dog, Cobra, Eagle, and Wheel, for example - make up most yoga sequences practiced today.
Philosophy: The goal of Hatha yoga is to bridge the body and mind with the breath in a series of physical poses called asanas.
What to Expect: Prepare for a gentle routine that often includes Sun Salutations, balancing poses, forward bends, and back bends to work the body and focus the mind. These movements all lead up to the final relaxation - the blissful Savasana at the end of class.

Try it if…
… you want an easy-going class that will challenge without overwhelming.

Ashtanga Yoga

Origin: One of the oldest forms of yoga, Ashtanga yoga was first recorded in ancient Indian manuscripts, but brought to life by K. Pattabhi Jois, who has been teaching it since 1948. Ashtanga (which literally translates to eight-limbed yoga) is influenced by Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a yogic guideline for a meaningful life.
Philosophy: The Ashtanga technique is concerned with linking breath and movement - also known as Vinyasa. The advanced practice utilizes the dristi (the gaze) and the bandhas (internal body locks), which assist in holding the challenging poses of the sequence.
What to Expect: Think of traditional Ashtanga as the zen form of yoga. You'll flow from pose to pose with your breath - no props, no music, and no self-help lecturing - staying present in the moment. You'll earn your Savasana, the final relaxation pose, with plenty of arm strengthening chaturangas, inversions, and other advanced poses.
Try it if…
… you're looking for an old-school, kick-ass practice that's rooted in tradition rather than trend.

See even more styles of yoga decoded after the break!

Invest in Your Bone Bank, and Do It Soon

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:30:03 PDT

On my last visit to my doctor, I was surprised to find out that bone strength peaks in women by the age of 35. After that, the body stops producing new bone and gradually loses bone mass. And in certain cases, bone loss can result in osteoporosis. Not only can osteoporosis result in a reduction of height, it leaves the body more susceptible to bone fractures. My doctor says that it's extremely important to maximize our bone strength now, to avoid the onset of problems later. Luckily, this can be done through proper diet and exercise.

Here are the two most important thing to consider for bone health:

Eating enough calcium and vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. Studies show that calcium and vitamin D are a must when it comes to bone health, and that we benefit more from eating these nutrients versus taking supplements. The RDI of calcium for women is 1,000 mg a day and for vitamin D, it's 200 to 400 IU.
Strength train for stronger bones. Weight bearing exercises will help make our bones stronger. Make sure to target areas that are susceptible to bone loss, like your shoulders, arms, spine, wrists, hips, and legs.