FitSugar

Can You Do That?

FitSugar — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 02:00:00 PDT

I recently stumbled across this commercial for USA Weightlifting. I think it's cute and motivational. I'm personally impressed with the you-go-girl mentality of it, especially since weightlifting is such a man's world.

You all know that strength training is super important. So why not start lifting today?

Life as a Stuntwoman: A Sneak Peek Into Luci Romberg's Fit Career

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:01:27 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Whenever the latest blockbuster hits theaters, we rush to our seats to watch stars pounce from vehicle to vehicle, race through a collapsing building or barrel under a semi-truck. With all this action, we often forget that someone other than the superstar is actually performing these stunts. Sometimes celebs, like Tom Cruise, are fit enough to do their own moves, but most often a professional is called in for the job. Enter Luci "Steel" Romberg, a professional stuntwoman and freerunner, who has been in top films like Green Lantern, Zombieland and Terminator. We caught up with the super-fit daredevil to find out how you get into a less-than-mainstream career and what keeps her always coming back for more.

Most people don't think of "stuntwoman" when plotting out future careers. What made you pursue this path?

I was a gymnast all through college, and a national champion my senior year at Texas Woman's University. I was a kinesiology major, but there just wasn't really anything else I wanted to do. I could have been a professor, a physical therapist, a coach or a handful of other things with my degree, but none of them appealed to me. One day one of my teammates came back from acting in LA, and she just convinced me to give it a shot. When I first got there, I had no idea what being a stuntwoman actually entailed. I was just so pumped on the idea of it that I knew I had to at least give it a try. I've been lucky enough to stick around.

What's a typical day like when you're hired for a film?

There is no typical day. Sometimes it's really exciting and you're working right away, doing anything from falling down a flight of stairs to rolling under a semi-truck, and other days you spend the day waiting around to see if they're going to get to your segments. It's definitely exciting though, I love that I don't know what to expect when I go into work.

More about Luci after the break.

Get the Bod: Tips from Madonna's Trainer

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 PDT

Madonna is one fit woman. From injecting vitamins to building a gym 20 yards from her home, she's got her eye on health. To be Madonna's personal trainer must not be an easy task since I am guessing it takes a lot to keep ahead of Madge in the gym. Her current trainer, Tracy Anderson (who also trains Madonna's pal Gwyneth Paltrow), has recently disclosed to the Daily Mail some of the tricks she has up her sleeve for keeping A-listers fit.

For highlights on what Tracy suggests her clients do in the gym then

These Weights Don't Go in Your Hands

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:30:08 PDT

Being in the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I have to confess that I haven't been keeping up with my kegels. Early in my pregnancy, new moms urged me to keep my pelvic floor strong, but distracted by the impending appearance of my new little one, exercising this area has not been a top priority. That is until now.

Helping a fellow instructor out at a postnatal yoga class over the weekend, I heard tales of new motherhood that both shocked and intrigued me. I felt like I was in junior high having a secret meeting in the bathroom with my girlfriends about tampons, complete with blushing. One woman admitted that she's had a real problem with incontinence ever since giving birth. After reading all the reviews on Amazon, she ordered some vaginal weights. She explained the weights go inside you to more effectively work your pelvic floor. From a strength training standpoint, that makes complete sense. I mean, if you want to tone your arms, lifting dumbbells is more worthwhile than lifting air. But seriously - vaginal weights?

Learn if they are safe when you

read more. According to a few scientific studies, some evidence shows that using vaginal weights (also called vaginal cones) helped with urine leakage better than no treatment at all. Advocates are in favor of these weights because once they're in place, it's easier for a woman to learn to isolate and train her pelvic floor muscles. They even come in different sizes (just like dumbbells). How fun! Once your muscles become strong enough with small weights, you can graduate to heavier weights, although I'm sure you're not about to brag to your friends about it like you do in the weight room. Using these weights is safe, as long as you follow the instructions. Only keep them inserted for 15 minutes at a time, and properly wash them when you're done. It's not recommended to go out and order yourself a set without talking to your doctor beforehand. They first need to assess that you have what's called stress incontinence, which is due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal weights may not help with other types of incontinence. Wow. Leaking breast milk I'm prepared for, but leaking urine? That's not something I'm ready to sign up for postpartum. And since I'm not too keen on sticking anything where I just gave birth, I'm all about doing good old-fashioned kegels on my own. If you're curious about these weights, check out the different kinds below, and then talk to you gyno about them. If you've used vaginal weights before and feel like sharing, we'd love to hear about your experiences.

View 4 Photos ›

Vanessa Williams Shares Her Favorite Workout

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:00:08 PDT

Vanessa Williams has got it goin' on: besides raising two children, the 47-year-old star is currently working on two projects - Ugly Betty and the Broadway show Sondheim and Sondheim, set to open in the Spring. Between all of this, she shares in the April issue of Prevention Magazine, she still manages to hop on the treadmill three times a week, lift weights, and throw in a crossword puzzle! Check out some of the interview highlights here:

Her cheat foods: "New York pizza. But what's really deadly is when I cook and bake: cakes, pies, lasagna, roast chicken, tacos . . . and my kids' requests: buttermilk waffles, blueberry pancakes, French toast."
Her number one diet tip: "Cutting down portions. If you're full, stop. Push the plate away - you don't have to finish it all."

To find out what Vanessa's favorite workouts are,

Her favorite workout: "I was doing Pilates before people even knew how to spell Pilates. I started with [Pilates guru] Mari Winsor after my first child, 22 years ago. She used to come backstage and do a mat floor workout with me when I was doing Kiss of the Spider Woman on Broadway. Core strength balances your entire body. It pulls your shoulders back, tucks in your pelvis, makes you walk straighter, and gives you great posture."
Her favorite outdoor workout: "I walk outside. It makes you feel alive. I live in a wooded, hilly area, so it's great to be able to go outside on a gorgeous day and see the neighborhood. Bring a couple of dogs with you and it turns into an adventure."
Her favorite way to work out with friends: "Salsa! I started in '97 as training for a movie I did called Dance with Me. I go out and salsa with friends, especially in the summertime. Now, that's incredible cardio! Not only are you dancing nonstop, but the music keeps you going - you could be dancing for hours and dripping with sweat and not even feel like you're winded or working."

DrSugar Answers: Running and Uterine Prolapse?

DrSugar — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:35 PST

DrSugar is in the house, and she's answering your health-related questions.

Hi DrSugar,
I have a fitness-meets-medical question. Does running cause uterine prolapse? Generally, it occurs after child birth, however, I recently heard that skipping or running (or any such activity) while menstruating may lead to uterine prolapse and I've been worried ever since! Can you please clarify this issue for me as I hate missing my running sessions.
- One Worried Runner

What a great question to ask, since many of FitSugar’s readers are runners! To learn what a uterine prolapse is and if running increases your chances of experiencing it, just

read more. To begin, we should define uterine prolapse, as many people may not even know what this is. Uterine prolapse means that one’s uterus has descended from its normal position in the pelvis down into one’s vagina. Normally, your uterus is held in place by the muscles and ligaments that make up the floor of the pelvis. Uterine prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments stretch and weaken, which in turn provides inadequate support for the uterus to stay in place. There are varying degrees of prolapse as the uterus can descend into the lower vagina or even through the opening of the vagina. Symptoms of uterine prolapse include: a feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvis, tissue protruding from the vagina, urinary difficulties (including urine leakage, recurrent bladder infections, increased urgency or frequency), pain during intercourse, and constipation. Symptoms may be worsened by prolonged standing or walking. This is due to the added pressure of gravity placed on the pelvic muscles. There are several factors that contribute to the weakening of pelvic muscles, which can lead to uterine prolapse. These include loss of muscle tone as the result of aging or injury during childbirth, especially if the woman has had many babies or large babies (more than nine pounds). Obesity, chronic coughing and straining, strenuous physical activity, and chronic constipation all place added tension on the pelvic muscles, which may contribute to the development of uterine prolapse. Genetics may also play a role, as women of Northern European descent have a higher incidence of prolapse. UpToDate reports that the majority of patients with clinically significant prolapse will have at least two or more risk factors for the disorder. Long-distance runners do have a higher propensity toward uterine prolapse. The running likely does not cause weakened muscles and tissues, but it can worsen an already weakened pelvic floor due to the constant impact. Menstruation can also worsen preexisting prolapse symptoms. In my research, I did not find any evidence that exercise (during menstruation specifically) can cause uterine prolapse. Uterine prolapse may not be something you can prevent, but there are steps you can take to decrease your risk. Practicing Kegel exercises (where one repeatedly squeezes and relaxes the pelvic floor muscles, like when you’re stopping a stream of urine) can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly is very important as well. Finally, one should control coughing (quit smoking!) or any other activity that requires a lot of straining, such as heavy lifting. If you currently do not have any risk factors or symptoms, continuing your exercise regimen (even during your menstrual cycle) should be just fine. But, if you have any of the risk factors or symptoms as listed above or still have some concerns, it may be prudent to discuss this issue further with your primary care doctor. Have a question for DrSugar? You can send to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.