FitSugar

A Week In Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 19 May 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Want to accessorize like Fergie-Ferg? Then check out the Terminator FuelBelt. Will you be both hydrated and cool? Well, it depends on how your are using the word "cool."

Worried about sun damaging to your skin? Well, don't let your SPF 30 turn into SPF 20.

Have you heard the term TOFI? The acronym means Thin Outside Fat Inside - read more about this condition here.

Planning a bachelorette party? Well I've got some great alternative ideas you might be interested in: private yoga class, S Factor strip exercise class, a spa or a Mehndi party.

I am so impressed with Tyra Banks' workout these days. She isn't doing crunches; she's boxing!!!

If you are feeling stressed out, you might just need a good cry.

Interested in taking your workout outdoors? Try a Boot Camp.

I want to hear what you have to say about vertical workstations - a desk set above a TreadMill.

Speaking of TreadMills - have you seen this doggie TreadMill.

Interested to know how Hilary Swank stays looking so trim? Interestingly enough, she believes in moderation.

What do you hate most about going to the gyno? Tell me here.

Plagued by seasonal allergies? I got two ideas for you: eat local honey or try hot pepper nasal spray.

Tight hips? You must try the Double Pigeon. It's a great stretch.

Here are some ways to avoid foot pain caused by running.

Source and Source

Being Thin Doesn't Mean You're Not Fat

FitSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 14:30:00 -0700

I have talked about being TOFI (thin outside, fat inside) before, but it is back in the news more than ever right now.

New research has found that people who maintain their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are otherwise slim.

They eat too many fatty, sugary foods - and exercise too little to work it off - but they are not eating enough to actually be fat. Scientists believe we naturally accumulate fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.

There is an increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes with anyone who has increased fat, no matter where it is. This means that normal-weight persons who are sedentary and unfit are at much higher risk for death than obese persons who are active and fit.

MRI's seem to be the only real way to tell if you're TOFI right now, so in order to keep your internal fat deposits at bay then a combination of diet and exercise is the way to go. If you just want to look thin, then maybe all you need to do is diet, but if you want to actually be healthy, then exercise has to be added as well.

Thanks to ccsugar for bringing this issue back to my attention.

Source

Who You Calling TOFI?

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:47:53 -0800

Do you hate your coworker because she eats whatever she wants and never works out yet still is thin? Well don't because chances are she is TOFI.

TOFI stands for "Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside." New studies are finding the fat deposits these so called Tofis carry are hidden in the white fat that lies around their vital organs, streaked through their underused muscles and wrapped around the heart. This hidden fat (rather than the fat lying in dimples underneath the skin) that can only be seen in high-tech MRI scanners is what sends out chemical signals, potentially leading to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and heart conditions.

Consider this: Sumo wrestlers have a BMI of 56 and eat up to 5,000 calories a day, but they have very little internal fat. Surprisingly they also have low cholesterol, low insulin resistance and a low level of fatty acids. This seems to be due to the fact that their fat is all stored under the skin, on the outside.

Research is still being done on TOFI but as of now the best way researchers have discovered to combat the dangerous hidden fat is to eat a healthy diet with lots of dietary fiber. As always, exercising is always a good addition for anyone looking to be healthy, overweight or not.