FitSugar

Get Physical: Play Frisbee

FitSugar — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Working out doesn't always have to be something you dread, in fact it should really be something you love to do. It doesn't have to be dull and repetitive and it doesn't have to make you sweat. Throwing the old disk around is one of those things that works your muscles and your heart without you even realizing it, since you're having so much fun.

Grab your boyfriend or girlfriend, your dog (if you have one) or some pals and head on down to a beach, a park or someone's big backyard. Bring along a frisbee and start passing it around. If you get a whole group of people together, you can play a game of Ultimate Frisbee.

Throwing the frisbee around works your upper body. Your core gets a workout too, since you're twisting your torso every time you throw. When someone throws the disk to you, you'll end up running, diving, and leaping for it which will work your leg muscles and your heart. If you end up missing the catch (which is bound to happen), you'll end up laughing your butt off, which works your abs and relieves stress.

Playing regular frisbee for 30 minutes burns around 150 -170 calories and Ultimate Frisbee burns 230-250 calories. That's a lot considering playing frisbee is mostly about laughing and having a good time.

Fit's Tips: A frisbee is a great thing to pack along for your next BBQ. Why sit around and chomp down chips and dip while you're waiting for the burgers or veggie burgers to cook, when you can work up an appetite by tossing the disk.

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It's Ultimate Frisbee Time

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Warmer weather always makes we want to go for a nice long walk in the park. I always see college kids, running around barefoot, and tossing around a frisbee.

Some ladies are causal frisbee tossers, and others take the game much more seriously. Ultimate Frisbee has taken this carefree pastime to a whole other competitive level.

It's like a whole bunch of sports rolled into one. You play on a field similar to one used for football. It requires the athletic endurance of soccer, and the quick thinking and passing of basketball. It's played by 2 teams of 7 players.

In order to score a point, you need to catch the frisbee in the other team's end zone (kind of like football). You can run around unless you have control of the frisbee, then you need to stay put until you pass it.

If you want to play, you can always get a bunch of your buddies together for a friendly game, but you could also join a club, team, or game in your area.

Want to see the 10 rules of Ultimate Frisbee? Then read more

Here are the rules:

The field is rectangular, with endzones at each end. A regulation field is 70 yards by 40 yards, with endzones 25 yards deep.
Each point begins with both teams lining up on the front of their respective endzone line. The defense throws ("pulls") the frisbee to the offense.
Each time the offense completes a pass in the defense's endzone, the offense scores a point. Play is initiated after each score.
The disc may be advanced in any direction by completing a pass to a teammate. Players may not run with the frisbee. The person with the disc ("thrower") has ten seconds to throw the frisbee. The defender guarding the thrower ("marker") counts out the stall count.

When a pass in not completed (e.g. out of bounds, drop, block, interception), the defense immediately takes possession of the frisbee and becomes the offense.
Players not in the game may replace players in the game after a score and during an injury timeout.
No physical contact is allowed between players. Picks and screens are also prohibited. A foul occurs when contact is made.
When a player initiates contact on another player a foul occurs. When a foul disrupts possession, the play resumes as if the possession was retained. If the player committing the foul disagrees with the foul call, the play is redone.
Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls. Players resolve their own disputes )there are no referees).
Ultimate Frisbee stresses sportsmanship and fair play. Competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules, and the basic joy of play.

Get in Gear: Ultra Star Frisbees

FitSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 02:00:00 -0700

You can't very well toss the disk around or play a game of Ultimate Frisbee without a Frisbee, can you?

Check out these Ultra Star Discs - they're The Official Disc of the Ultimate Players Association and the choice of teams worldwide. These have been the leading Frisbee sold and used since Ultimate Frisbee was introduced in 1981 (that's pretty impressive).

So what I'm saying is that these are state-of-the-art, top-notch Frisbees we're talking about here. Not only that, but they only cost $7.95. They come in black, red, white, or yellow.

Buy one from UltimateFrisbees.com.

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:00:16 -0800

What a NFL linebacker says about Britney and Angelina's weight loss - That's Fit
Why you should consider ultimate Frisbee - Mark's Daily Apple
Make a yummy Greek chicken wrap - Shape
Stay fresh-faced through all the holiday parties - Vital Juice Daily
Shape your shoulders with this easy routine - Self
Meet the sleep medicines of the future - Health
The constant battle of binging versus butt size - Elastic Waist
A great holiday gift idea for health nuts - Vitamin G

Source

Favorite Excuse For Not Working Out: I Just Hate It

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:30:00 -0700

When it comes to taking care of yourself, you have no problem eating healthy and watching your calorie intake. That part is easy. It's the exercise part you have a problem with. You just hate it. Maybe you can't stand going to the gym, or working out in public. Maybe you hate running outside or on the treadmill because you can't breathe or it hurts your knee. Maybe you don't know how to use weight machines or dumbbells. Maybe you just don't like your exercise outfits, or maybe you just never liked exercise, period.

You're not alone. If you hate working out, then you probably haven't found the type of exercise that's right for you. There are millions of ways to move your body, and you've got to find one that speaks to you. It has to be fun, affordable, and cause no discomfort. It must also be convenient so you're more likely to stick with it, and it has to be effective so you see results. Here are some exercise ideas:

If you don't like exercising alone: Take fitness classes at a gym such as spinning, sign up for a group lesson with a trainer at your gym, or join a dodgeball team.

If you hate the gym and love the outdoors: Go for a hike up a steep mountain, hit some bike trails, or play Ultimate Frisbee.

If you think exercise is boring: Sign up for a hula hooping class, watch a movie on your iPod while using a cardio machine, or jump into a Circus Arts workshop.

To see the other ideas read more.

If you have knee or back pain: Use an elliptical, take up swimming, or do strength training with dumbbells or resistance bands.

If you don't like moving fast: Do yoga, Pilates, or go for a long walk with a friend.

If you just don't know what to do: Hire a personal trainer for a series of sessions. They'll help you figure out how to reach your goals, how to use machines at a gym, how to do exercises at home on our own, and can suggest new ways to exercise to prevent boredom.

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Alternative Activities for Spring

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Spring has sprung which means we are able to spend a little more time outside these days and getting a good workout is not only reserved for the confines of your gym walls. You may love the gym, but there are other things you can do outdoors this spring to supplement your workout. For a list of alternative activities for your aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (weight lifting) workouts, read more

Alternative Aerobic Activities:	Alternative Anaerobic Activities:
Mountain biking	Gardening
Skating (Rollerblading or Rollerskating)	Fishing
Walking	Golf
Dancing at a concert in the park	Horseback riding
Hiking	Rock climbing
Water sports	Softball
Kayaking (though could be anaerobic as well)	Spring Cleaning
Ultimate Frisbee	Frisbee Golf
Swimming	Playing tag with your kids outside
Taking the dog for a walk/run	Volleyball Game
Singles tennis	Doubles tennis

Fit's Tip: Keeping up with your regular cardio and weight training program is important. You know your level of fitness. For example, if your body is used to running 30 minutes on the treadmill three times a week, walking your dog for 30 minutes three times a week will not give you the same results. However, adding any number of these alternative workouts never hurts.

Tips Straight from The Biggest Loser

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 03:00:00 -0700

If anyone knows weight loss, it's the folks over at The Biggest Loser.

While the new season of the Biggest Loser does not start until September 11th, 2007 (I am so excited I can hardly contain myself), Kim Lyons, Devin Alexander (author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook) and several of the "Biggest Losers" offer these tips and tricks on WebMD to help motivate you:

"Eat often -- snack often," says Alexander. While this may seem contrary to traditional dieting advice, the chef says that as long as you keep an eye on calories and portions, eating often will stave off hunger attacks that ultimately sabotage your diet. "When you're starving, you grab whatever is available -- and that's the quickest way to get off your eating plan," says Alexander.
"Eat your carbs in the morning," says Biggest Loser contestant Brian Starkey. "It gets your day off to an energetic start." Lyons adds that carbs are quickly burned with activity, so eating them may help motivate you for that morning walk or bike ride.
"Post a picture of yourself on the refrigerator -- at your worst," says Biggest Loser contestant Dana Desilvio. "The next time you're thinking of grabbing something you shouldn't from the fridge, you'll be reminded of what you don't want to look like!"
"Instead of watching the clock during workouts, listen to music," to make the time go faster,says Erik Chopin (pictured above), The Biggest Loser's season-three winner. Lyons reminds us that everyday activities, like bike riding, tossing a Frisbee, or walking your dog, count as physical activity, too.

There's six more so read more

"When eating out, always ask for a 'to-go' box -- at the start of your meal," says Biggest Loser contestant Bobby Moore. Then, when your food arrives, immediately put half of it in the box, he suggests. This way, you'll not only get used to eating smaller portions, but you'll have a snack for later.
Learn to cook healthfully. "Cooking healthy doesn't have to be hard -- or take more time," says Alexander. While many "Biggest Loser" contestants said they thought cooking healthy would be complicated or time-consuming, Alexander says, most found that cooking healthy is actually easier, less expensive, and faster.
"Never overlook the power of seasoning," says Alexander. One way she made even the blandest diet foods grab the contestants' attention was by using low-sodium seasonings. "People never realize what a major difference spices can make on even simple dishes like grilled chicken or salmon," she says.
"When it comes to cooking in flavor, it's never about the oil," says Alexander. Many dieters believe that unless food is fried in oil, you don't get much flavor. But, she says, the real secret is pan-browning, which can happen without oil. The trick to getting restaurant-quality taste, she says, is to never overload your pan with food. "If you put too much in the pan, the moisture content causes the foods to steam and not pan-fry," she says. "By reducing the amount of food in the pan you get that tasty pan-seared browning, without the use of any oils."
Don't try to do too much exercise, too soon. You not only run the risk of injury, but you'll also get quickly discouraged. "Don't try to stare down 45 minutes of exercise," says Lyons. "Tell yourself it will be OK to quit after 10 minutes, because most of the time once you get going, you'll keep going."
Remember: Self-esteem feeds on self-esteem. Accomplishing a little something toward your weight loss goal every day will not only get you on the road to success, but help keep you there. "You are not just losing weight, you are changing your life and your lifestyle," says Alexander. "If you keep that in mind, you come to see that every change, no matter how small, comes together to make a huge difference in not only your weight, but your life," says Alexander.

Nike Was Right: Just Do IT

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 11:00:00 -0700

I have received a few desperate queries lately about how to start an exercise program, especially from folks who don’t like to exercise. Basically you are good at what you do, so you have to do it (exercise) to get good at it. I think we like to do things we are good at – we all like to feel accomplished, competent and comfortable. But if you are not doing something – running, swimming, yoga, Pilates, tennis, biking, hula-hoop - how can you become good at it? I know I sound like a Nike ad from the days of yore, but c’mon just do it.

So you don’t run or swim because you are not good at it. Well try swimming or running 3 days a week for a month. Chances are high that after a month you will be a much stronger runner or a better swimmer. Why? Because you practiced.

You know that expression - How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. How do you become a runner, a swimmer, an ultimate Frisbee player, a soccer gal, or an ace tennis player – you practice.

If you want to run, but never have – try this program to ease you into running, or join a Masters Swimming program. Find a team to join – make friends while you practice. The options are really endless. Just get addicted to exercise.

Reading FitSugar is a great way to start, but now I want you to put all (or at least some) of this advice into practice.

See you on the streets, the track, the field, at the pool, in the yoga studio....you get my point, right?