FitSugar

You Asked: End of Summer Detox?

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:00:27 -0700

Dear Fit,
Over the Summer I've definitely been overindulging, chowing down at BBQs, eating tons of ice cream on hot days, and drinking more beer and cocktails in a weekend than I would in an entire month the rest of the year. I know it's not the healthiest, but hey, it's Summer and it only comes once a year. I haven't really gained weight, but I feel pretty disgusting. I'm wondering what you think about doing a detox to celebrate the end of my Summer diet, and the beginning of new healthier changes. I was just going to eat raw fruits and veggies, and drink water for two weeks to cleanse out my system.
- In Need of Detox

Well we've all been there, so you're not alone in taking in the goodness of Summer. While everything is OK in moderation, it's nice that you've recognized that you've crossed over that line. So now what to do? To find out if a detox is the answer, read more.

I cannot say this enough but no, a detox is not what you need. Raw fruits, veggies and water are healthy, yes, but you can't live on those alone for two weeks. You want to make sure you're getting enough protein, healthy fats, and other essential nutrients. If you don't, you'll experience symptoms such as loss of energy, headaches, muscle aches, irritability, and digestive issues.

Instead of a detox, what I do recommend is eating a diet full of all the healthy foods you can find including fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, lowfat dairy products, and nuts. Omit or limit the foods that are high in saturated fat, sugar, and alcohol, and you'll instantly feel better. There's no need to shock your system and go raw for two weeks. Just make the commitment to eat healthy, but be sure to allow yourself small indulgences every once in a while. If you deny yourself the things you crave completely, it can backfire and set you back to your Summer ways.

Stay Fit by Packing These 8 Vacation Vitals

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:00:20 -0700

Just because you're traveling this Summer doesn't mean you have to leave your workouts behind. Pack some fitness gear and take it with you. Here are some things I have found that are small and lightweight, and will fit perfectly in your suitcase.

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Recession Proof Your Workout: Inflatable Kayak

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:01:18 -0700

While kayaking will keep you cool in the Summer, buying one of these boats won't exactly help your pocketbook. Kayaks cost anywhere between $400 and $2,000 - not including the paddle. Here's a much cheaper way to paddle along in the water. For $100, you can get this Coleman 2-Person Touring Kayak, and it comes with two aluminum paddles.

Although it's made with durable 26 gauge PVC, I still wouldn't take this kayak over roaring rapids, but it'll do a great job keeping you afloat on a calm lake or river. Paddling will strengthen and tone your upper body and core and will also increase flexibility in your hamstrings. The best part is you can always fall overboard into the crisp water to cool off. Another great feature of an inflatable kayak is it's lightweight and can be deflated, so it's easily packable for camping trips. If you plan on kayaking alone, then go for the 1-Person Kayak ($80) instead.

Walking Barefoot? Make Sure You've Had a Tetanus Shot

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:00:24 -0700

Nothing beats walking barefoot in the grass - it's the definition of Summer. Most of the time your feet make contact soft, warm, clean grass and soil, but not all the time. A cut or puncture from some sharp object can be extremely painful, but contracting Tetanus from your wound is much worse. Getting pricked by a rusty nail, as most people think, isn't the only way to get this infectious disease. It's happens when a wound becomes infected by bacterial spores that live in soil, dust, and animal waste. That means insect bites, splinters, scrapes, burns, and yes, stepping on a rusty nail are all ways you can get tetanus. The disease causes severe, uncontrollable muscle spasms. The jaw can become locked by muscle spasms, causing this disease to sometimes be called lockjaw. In severe cases, the muscles used to breathe can spasm, causing lack of oxygen to the brain, which can lead to death.

Tetanus is easily prevented though, by arming yourself with a tetanus shot. After you receive the initial series of shots when you're a kid, an adult should get a tetanus shot every 10 years. Are you protected? If you can't remember how many years it's been since you've had this shot, call your doctor.

You Asked: The Heat Has Shortened My Runs

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Dear Fit,

I always wanted to get into running and my New Year's resolution was to be able to run 30 minutes straight, four times a week. I've kept it up until the Summer sun and heat got the best of me. Now I can barely do 15 minutes and I'm exhausted. I tried pushing myself, thinking it'd just take some getting used to, but now during my runs I get headaches, stomach cramps, sweat uncontrollably, and a few times felt dizzy and nauseous. I don't want to give up on running outside since I'm training for a half-marathon this Fall. I also don't have access to a treadmill in an air-conditioned gym. Any tips?

-Overheated Heather

Being too hot to exercise the way you want to is so frustrating. I have some suggestions though so read more.

Summer is generally a hot time of year, but certain times of the day are hotter than others. Try to do your runs early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is out of the sky. Stick to shady places like the woods, or breezy areas such as near the ocean or a lake. Make sure you hydrate before you head out and bring water with you to drink and pour on your body to help cool you off.

Wear a heart rate monitor to keep track of your heart rate. When exercising in the heat, your heart rate will rise in order to send more of your blood supply to your skin to cool it down. A heart rate monitor will allow you to keep track of the intensity of your workouts. This means you'll probably have to run at a slower pace, or even walk, which just means your normal run will take longer. If you don't want to compromise your pace, then break up your workouts. Do 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. Or you can slowly train your body to acclimate to exercising in the heat. Gradually increase the duration of your runs until you're able to go for 30 minutes.

I must say that the most important thing to consider when running in heat and humidity is to listen to your body and not overdo it. Some of the symptoms you described above sound like they could turn into heat exhaustion, which means your runs will be doing more harm than good. In that case, think about using this time of year to cross train with cooler cardio activities such as swimming, kayaking, and water aerobics.

Sun Poisoning: Even Worse Than Sunburn

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:03:11 -0700

Whether you skipped the sunscreen because you wanted a tan, or you actually wore it but forgot to reapply, now you're left with an awful sunburn. As you take a closer look, you notice parts of your skin appear blistery, and slightly yellowish in color. That's not just a sunburn, it's sun poisoning, and it's even more damaging to your skin. Not only does it cause a painful rash, but symptoms also include fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, chills, and headaches. The area may swell and the blisters can open and lead to infection.

Sun poisoning is your skin's reaction to UV rays, and just like an irritating sunburn, the rash usually results in itchy, peeling skin, but eventually goes away on its own within 10 days. That's good to hear, but there's bad news too. To hear it, read more.

The more extreme UV exposure your skin gets, the more your skin is damaged, and the bigger your risk is for developing skin cancer. So you want to prevent sunburns and sun poisoning at all costs. Make sure to avoid long hours in sunlight, especially from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Always slather yourself with broad spectrum sunscreen that has an SPF of 15 or higher whenever outside. It must be applied 30 minutes before you head out, and reapplied every two hours. If you're especially sensitive to sun, wear a hat and lightweight clothes to cover your skin, or just enjoy the shade under an umbrella.

Tell me, have you ever suffered from sun poisoning?

Photo by Kelly Sue

Go Kayaking to Strengthen Core and Upper Body

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:56 -0700

If you're too hot to run, bike, or hike outside, but you still want to enjoy the Summer weather, exercising on water is a great way to beat the heat. Kayaking is one of my favorite water sports because it's safe to do alone, or if you prefer some company, you can kayak with a group of people.

The paddling action will effectively tone your arms, back, and abs. Sitting upright will also increase flexibility in your hamstrings and improve your posture. It's a great complement if you're a runner or biker, since most of the work is done by your upper body and back. You can paddle hard to burn calories and work your muscles, and if you get tired, you can slow down or take a break and just let the current float you along. The best part is that if you get hot, you can jump in the water for instant refreshment.

To find out how to get started read more.

Rent a kayak at a nearby lake, river, or bay, and it'll cost between $20 and $40, depending on how long you want to stay out and what type of kayak you rent. I recommend taking a lesson or class to learn how to paddle efficiently, and to also get tips on how to get in and out of your kayak while in the water. Go when it's not windy, so the water will be less choppy. Wear waterproof sunscreen and a hat to protect your skin.

If you love kayaking, consider buying one. Ones made out of plastic will be less expensive than fiberglass kayaks, but they'll also be heavier and harder to repair if it gets damaged by rocks. If you want one that's even lighter, they make kayaks out of kevlar, graphite, or carbon fiber. One of these kayaks will cost between $400 and $2,000, and that's not including the paddle. If that's too steep, many gear shops will sell used kayaks for much cheaper.

Learn to Love: Garlic Scapes

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:06:57 -0700

If you're a big garlic fan, then you're going to love cooking with garlic scapes. They're the long, thin, loopy green stems of the plant that shoot up above the garlic bulb.

If left to grow, bulbils - which kind of look like flowers - will form, which can be planted to grow more garlic. The only problem is that the scapes will consume a lot of the plant's energy to make those bulbils, which will result in smaller garlic bulbs. So farmers often chop the scapes off before the bulbils form, which is great news for us since garlic scapes are delicious. They taste like garlic, but are much milder. Scapes are tender sauteed in olive oil and eaten on their own, or they can be used in recipes such as dips, sauces, stir-frys, and soups to add a garlic flavor and green color.

Garlic scapes taste good, but are they good for you? To find out, read more.

As you can see from the chart below, scapes contain a decent amount of protein, vitamin C, and calcium. Since they're part of the garlic plant, they offer the same health benefits as the cloves, such as prevention of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Scapes are also known to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. This delicacy is usually only available for a short amount of time in the Summer, so look for them at your local farmers market or grocery store. Stock up and freeze what you don't use for when they're not available.

	1/2 cup raw garlic scapes
Calories	101
Total Fat (g)	.5
Sodium	11
Carbs (g)	22
Fiber (g)	1.5
Sugar (g)	.5
Protein (g)	4.5
Vitamin A (IU)	0
Vitamin C (mg)	21
Calcium (mg)	125
Iron (mg)	1.2

Source

5 Things to Remember When Hitting the Trails

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:28:50 -0700

Trail running in the woods is one of my favorite ways to work out for so many reasons. It's peaceful, all those hills are great for my quads and booty, the shade is cooler and protects me from UV rays, and the soft dirt is easy on my joints. If you love trail running, too, here are some things to think about:

Harder to spot than curbs, tree roots and rocks are a natural part of the trail. Keep your eyes peeled and focused forward, constantly scanning the trail for obstacles.
Wearing bug spray is a great idea since mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies love to buzz around in damp places.
Avoid mud and puddles. Not only is it slippery and dirty, but if your feet get wet, you're more likely to develop blisters.

What else should you keep in mind when hitting the trail? To find out keep reading

Too Hot to Exercise? Try These Tips

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:03:51 -0700

Many of you are psyched you don't have to deal with snow or bitter weather now that Summer is here, but now you have to deal with humidity and high temps. Here are some tips for exercising in the heat.

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