FitSugar

Who Knew? Texting's Tied to Neck Pain

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:00:20 -0800

Turns out excessive texting can get you more than a hefty phone bill. Though it's the preferred choice of easy communication for young adults and teens, a new study reveals that texting can actually increase upper body pain in the neck and shoulders.

Though this is only a preliminary study, the research shows that the same neck and shoulder discomfort seen in working adults is now being seen in college students between the ages of 18 and 21, specifically males. Judith Gold, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Temple University’s College of Health Professions and Social Work, says of the study's findings, "What we’ve seen so far is very similar to what we see with office workers who’ve spent most of their time at a computer. The way the body is positioned for texting - stationary shoulders and back with rapidly moving fingers - is similar to the position for typing on a computer."

Interestingly enough, the study didn't point to any texting-caused discomfort in the arms and wrists, but stay tuned - Gold says the research is just underway and further studies are likely to deliver more conclusive answers on whether this is all text-attributable neck tension.

Healthy Tech Bits: Flu Spotting and Texting For Child Obesity

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I love when the health world overlaps with the tech world; it makes health blogging that much more relevant. Technology is ever advancing, and folks are finding new applications for communication technology in addressing age-old problems in both the public health sphere and individual waist lines. Google and texting are helping the world get a little more healthy.

Along with searching their medicine cabinets for symptom relief, victims of the flu are also searching the Internet to verify their symptoms. By tracking these queries. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the search engine giant, has been able to spot flu outbreaks more quickly than the Centers For Disease Control, by as much as two weeks. Advanced warning like this helps hospitals and public health officials plan for outbreaks or those flu epidemics we keep hearing about. There is a bit of skeptecism though about the accuracy. You should check out their up-to-date graphs at google.org/flutrends/, as well as a US map of flu activity by state.

To see how texting can benefit kids, just read more.

Although many parents complain about the texting habits of their children, the texting habit might just pay off when it comes to self monitoring food and exercise habits for weight loss. Both adults and children are often poor at tracking their healthy changes and weight loss efforts. Keeping a food journal has been shown to help keep adults on track, but kids these days have moved beyond pen and paper. A recent study conducted by the UNC Hospital found that texting and receiving feedback via texting helped children ages 5 to 13 effectively monitor their behavior. The message on texting is that it is "gr8 4 kids" and weight loss. Not much of a surprise, but good to know we can experiment with communications technology and harness them for healthy purposes.

Source

ER Docs: Texting and Motion Don't Mix

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

We have become a nation of texters. A few of you even text while at the gym. Texting on a treadmill is considerably safer than texting while crossing the street, and that is why the American College of Emergency Doctors issued a warning against texting while on the move.

It may seem simple to keep our thumbs busy on your BlackBerry while walking, but it can lead to minor accidents like twisted ankles and head wounds from streetlights, as well as unfortunate fatalities from stepping distractedly into oncoming traffic. Illinois is considering a law banning text-walking hoping to help its citizens avoid these tragic accidents.

The warning issued by ER docs isn't limited to text-waking. They think that texting and most activities just don't mix. Emergency rooms have treated patients who sustained injuries while mixing text messaging with horseback riding and cooking. My advice is to put the phone down and focus on the task at hand, even if it is as simple as walking down the sidewalk.

I am curious if any of you have hurt yourself while texting? Share the gory details in the comment section below.

Source

Healthy App: iPractice

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:00:24 -0800

I heart my iPhone because there are so many awesome apps to inspire healthy living, from iTreadmill to Slim Down Shopping List. Here's a new app from Yoga Journal called iPractice. It contains 15 yoga sequences all in the palm of your hand. The mini-classes are designed for different needs - some uplift your spirit, some calm your mind.

Once you pick the sequence, you can look at each individual pose on its own, or play the sequence in a slideshow format. A nice feature is that you can choose to have audio instruction walk you through the sequence, so you feel like you're in a class. There's also music to go along with the sequence, but I thought the dreamy tunes made it hard to hear the person talking. If you just want to hear the relaxing melodies, you can also turn the audio instruction off, and since there's text underneath each pose, you can follow along on your own. The photos of the poses were clear and colorful, and the sequences included a mix of both simple and challenging poses.

If you're interested in checking it out, download the free version here which offers two sequences, or the full version here for $4.99, which offers all 15 sequences.

View 9 Photos ›

Get your yoga on by getting iPractice on your iPhone.

5 Things For Safe Outdoor Workouts

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:31 -0700

Even though cold temps are moving in, some of you may still love sweating it out in the outdoors. Exercising outside is a great way to lift your spirits, is usually free, and prevents boredom, but you need to be especially aware of your safety. So here are some things you'll need for outdoor workouts.

Road ID ($20): This colorful fabric bracelet ID can be personalized with up to seven lines of text. Wear it on your wrist or attach it to your sneaker or jacket, and in case of an emergency, someone will know your name, where you live, and who to call.
Cell phone case: Whether I'm biking far away from home, or just running in my neighborhood, I always carry my cell phone in case I get hurt and need to call for help.

What else should you have on your outdoor workouts? To find out read more.

Airdrive Earphones ($60): I'm a big fan of listening to music while I work out, but it's not exactly safe to blast Fergie so loud you can't hear anything around you. These headphones sit just outside the opening of your ear, so you can hear your tunes, and also be aware of outside noises.
Reflective gear ($60) or lights ($15): Since the days are shorter, you may be exercising before the sun rises or after it has set, so you need gear that makes you more visible to drivers. They make all sorts of wearable reflective gear now, but when it's really dark, you may also want to sport a headlamp so not only can others see you, but you'll be able to see where you're going too.
Pepper spray ($10.50): If you work out in an unsafe neighborhood, or are in the woods and worried about animals attacking you, then pepper spray could save your life. This one has a handle so you can carry it easily, and it's ready to use instantly.

Tweet What You Eat: Food Journals in the Digital Age

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:09 -0700

If the whole world knew what you ate all day, would it motivate you to make better food choices? That's what the folks behind Tweet What You Eat (TWYE) are hoping.

TWYE is a Twitter-based online food diary that is updated in real time via the web or a text message. And unless a member has opted to keep their diary private, the 15,000 (and growing) members of TWYE get to see what you eat, all day, every day. Most users do go public and the founders admit that this has been key to finding success on TWYE. Users might think twice before gorging on cake, cookies, or donuts if their diary is open to all.

To learn how to use TWYE, read more.

Basically you text or tweet what you eat throughout the day to TWYE, including calories. You can also submit calorie-burning activities to get a more accurate reflection of everything that's going in and out. If you don't know how many calories a particular food item has, that's OK, because the site has a database of popular foods and their caloric breakdown. At the end of each day you are given a grand total of the calories you took in.

The service is fairly new, so all you can really do is track calories - there's no breakdown of fats, carbs, or nutrients - but it's a great tool if that's all you're interested in doing. It seems incredibly helpful for those times when you're on the go, since you only need your cell phone to make an entry.

Would you use TWYE?

Healthy Eating Tip: Text Your Food to DIET1

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:00:44 -0700

Deciding what you want to eat at a restaurant can be hard, especially when nutritional information is not easily accessible. In situations like this, just send a text message to DIET1 (34381). Include the restaurant and the menu item in your message, and the service will respond with a text containing the information you requested. I tried it out (several times) and it's really speedy, not to mention a little addictive. The database covers over 36,000 foods from 1,700 restaurants in North America, so try it out the next time you are dining out.

Until then, see how much you know without the help of your phone with this little calorie quiz on some of our favorite foods.

Do You Email or Text at the Gym?

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:30:00 -0700

A lot of us have major issues with folks talking on their phones at the gym - it can be distracting during an otherwise peaceful time. Checking your BlackBerry or text messaging, on the other hand, is not nearly as distracting for the other gym goers, but it could spoil the relaxing part out of going to the gym for you.

It's not abnormal, Medical News Today reported that one in 10 people who head to the gym check their phones and email and text while working out. I'll admit it, sometimes I'll take my BlackBerry with me on the treadmill if I am waiting for an important email. Naturally I am curious about you, do you email and/or text while at the gym?

Source

Weight Loss Through Text Messages

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Has your fitness buddy been slacking off a bit in the motivation department? Maybe you're looking for something new to get motivated during the day. If so, you may want to try Sensei ($5.75/week), a new way to transform your mobile phone into a personal health coach that adjusts to your lifestyle and schedule.

Using the information collected as you sign up for the program, Sensei puts your personalized program to work for you. From this you'll be getting advice and feedback throughout the day. Best of all, with a click on your phone, you can change your program from anywhere. I suggest trying the free three-day trial to see if it's even something that motivates you - also, I don't suggest Sensei unless you have unlimited text messages with your cell phone plan since you'll be getting your tips and advice in text message form.

If this sounds like something that would work for you, try it out at Sensei.com.

Design Your Own Swimsuit at Splish

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Digging what you wear for your workouts makes a big difference. A triathlete friend of mine has always been a competitor, but being a mom inspired her to race even more. She wanted to carry the spirit of her family with her while training for an upcoming race, so she designed a swimsuit with the text "race like a mother" decorating her lovely tush, as well as her sons' names. When I saw her wearing her personalized suit designed at Splish, I knew I wanted to design my own suit too.

At Splish, you can choose from three suit styles (only one tiny suit available for men) and from there you can go crazy with text, graphics, colors, and prints. The website is easy to use and you can easily revise your design.

To see what I came up with, just read more.

Obviously, I didn't go to design school, but this suit has some FitSugar spirit. The suits cost between $60 and $70 depending on the fabric you choose. I am going to head back to Splish and tweak my design a bit.