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Nintendo Wii Wiimotes Get Weighty

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of keeping hand weights by the TV for impromptu lifting sessions, and for all you Wii Fit devotees, the Riiflex Wiimote weights have a similar appeal. These snap-on weights affix to your Wii Remote and Nunchuck accessories to make workouts (or play) more challenging.

Available as a set of two 2-pound weights ($35) or two 4-pound weights ($40), the brightly colored dumbbells look comfy to hold and let you access the Wii's assorted buttons and triggers. Even if you don't have a Wii Fit, you can snap them on your Wiimote to make any Wii game work a little harder.

Interested? The Riiflex weights are available for pre-order, so grab yours now.

Fittingly Mad: "You Lost Weight-You Look So Good."

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0700

I have a friend from high school who was always on the heavier side. She wasn't extremely overweight, but she wasn't a skinny-minny either. For the past year, she's been working really hard, eating healthier, and getting in shape, and she's lost a lot of weight.

Last weekend we went to a mutual high school friend's engagement party, and when we got there, all I could hear was, "Oh you lost weight-you look so good." Of course, it made her feel ecstatic to have all those compliments and attention, but it really pissed me off.

Want to know why? Then read more

I know my friends meant well, but what kind of message is that? Losing weight and being thin equals looking good? So does that mean if you gain weight or you're overweight, then you don't look good? Why does there have to be so much emphasis on how we look and on being thin?

We all know keeping your weight down and exercising makes us healthy, but for most of us, that's not the main reason we diet and work our butts off. As women, we are bombarded with magazines, movies, and what we see on TV that tells us "thin equals beautiful," and we are so brainwashed that we even send that message to our fellow female friends.

Women need to support each other, and recognize the beauty that comes from within. We need to make an effort to send out a more positive message. Instead of focusing on weight and appearance, we can say things like, "You lost weight-you look really strong," or "You lost weight-you must have so much energy now." I agree that it's important to acknowledge the hard work a woman has done to get fit, but we need to encourage that kind of healthy lifestyle for the right reasons, and not just because it makes us look good.

Get Your Butt in Gear: Harbinger Weighted Fitness Balls with Straps

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:30:00 -0800

Harbinger Weighted Fitness Balls with straps are my new favorite work out toys. These fitness balls are like a combination between dumbbells and medicine balls. They come in weights of 6, 8 and 10 pounds and have a Velcro strap so that you can isolate specific muscle groups or body parts.

Why we love them: The straps make them versatile so you can easily train all parts of your body rather than just your arms, but they are still great for doing most arm work such as front raises and hammer curls. They are colorful and great for home use but relatively transportable for traveling as well. Buy them here.

Ever Try a "Crazy" Fitness Product That Actually Worked?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:47:47 -0800

When I came across the "Snuggie Sauna" as a possible weight loss tool, which claims it can help you burn 600 calories in only 15 minutes, I maintained the same stance I usually reserve for products that seem too good to be true - they probably are.

So, it's been my fitness philosophy that the best weight loss results come the old-fashioned way, eating right and working hard. Still, I've definitely had some friends who buy into a quick fix every now and then - some who claim they've seen results using the portable thigh toner, and even the ab toning belt. So, tell me, have you ever had any luck with an unconventional weight loss or fitness product that actually delivered on its promise? Or are you inclined to stick to the basics when it comes to your fitness?

Exercise, Weight Loss, and the Fat Burning Zone

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:50:01 -0800

Much has been made of late about exercise and its relation to weight loss. There was the Time cover story The Myth About Weight Loss and a recent article on the topic in the New York Times, which recommended working out in the fat burning zone.

You see the phrase on all types of cardio machines: the fat burning zone, aka the "weight loss zone," means working out at a lower intensity to burn fat as fuel. But these workouts also burn considerably fewer calories. I was confused about how we should all be spending our cardio time, so I took my questions to exercise physiologist Jason Karp, who also happens to be an avid runner.

When I asked him if we should all be scaling our workouts back and aiming for the fat burning zone, Karp explained that it's not the type of fuel your body is burning, but the overall calories that count. "It doesn't matter if you're using fat or carbohydrates. In order to lose fat from your waistline you don't have to be using fat as fuel during workout," he said. He offered up the example of sprinters; they don't train in the fat burning zone, but they're mighty trim in the torso. Losing weight comes down to math - you want to be in a calorie deficit to shed pounds and body fat. Higher intensity exercise puts you at a higher burn rate. To burn the most calories in a cardio workout, skip past the fat burning zone and work out with more intensity. To really burn up calories, Karp recommends intervals. To learn why, read more.

Essentially, interval workouts give you the most bang for your sweat buck. Karp explains that with "intense exercise you're pushing your body more out of homeostasis," that is, the equilibrium of energy the body prefers to maintain. During the few hours after an interval workout, the body must go through a recovery period, and a lot needs to happen to return to the body to pre-exercise levels. "You've got to drop the heart rate, synthesize glycogen for the muscles, remove lactate from muscle and take it to the liver," says Karp. All these actions require energy, which raises the metabolic rate for many hours after exercising. Thirty minutes of exercise at a low intensity doesn't place nearly as much stress on the body as intervals, so you burn fewer calories both during and after the workout.

Before you hit the track and start running intervals, Karp recommends building a strong cardiovascular fitness base and working with a trainer for guidance. Even if you're not ready for sprints, play with your speed during your next cardio session. Slow and steady might win the race, but intervals will burn more calories.

Source: Flickr User pistoldrawn

What Size Dumbbells to Use When

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:15 -0800

Dumbbells are an active girl's best friend because they're fairly inexpensive, compact, easy to use, and allow you to tone every part of your body. Using them can be a little confusing since they come in so many sizes, and many people may not realize that one size doesn't fit all exercises. For example, since biceps tend to be stronger than their neighbor muscles, the triceps, you'd want to use a heavier weight when doing bicep curls.

If strength training with dumbbells leaves you in the dark about what size weights to use for which exercise, here's a little cheat sheet. Since lifting too much can lead to a pulled muscle, here are the dumbbell weights you should start off with. Once your body becomes stronger, you can choose to gradually increase the amount.

To see the chart read on

Weigh In: Flirtatious Guy at the Gym

FitSugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:00:02 -0800

This FitSugar reader needs some advice about an overly friendly guy at her gym.

Dear Fit,
I joined a gym last Winter because my New Year's resolution was to lose 40 pounds. I'm halfway to my goal, and am really proud of myself. I definitely notice a big change when I try on clothes or look in the mirror, and it seems there's a guy at my gym who has noticed too. I've been heading to the gym after work three times a week for the past 10 months, and recently this guy I've seen ever since I joined has been approaching me. He compliments me, saying things like, "looking good today," or "your arms look really ripped in that tank top." Don't get me wrong - the attention is actually really nice since I never had anything like that when I was heavier, but it's a little creepy. I'm not attracted to this guy at all, and it kind of pisses me off that as soon as I lose weight, I'm worth the friendly smiles and sweet words. Really, I'm at the gym for one purpose only, so how can I get this guy off my back without seeming like a total bitch?
-Annoyed Annie

If you have any experience with this or any suggestions, please share them below.

Fittingly Mad: Dudes Who Drop Weights

FitSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

We've heard that it doesn't pay to be macho when lifting weights. So why do so many people - sorry to say, it's primarily men - insist on slamming down their weights? More often than not, my gym workouts are rattled by the clanging of weight plates or the sound of someone dropping a giant barbell onto the floor. There are signs posted that specifically say "don't drop weights," since it's both rude and disruptive. Sometimes it hurts my ears so much I think I'd be better off wearing earplugs.

What really gets me is that these offenders are not only making a ruckus, they're also probably not getting the most out of their lifting. Though you should push your muscles to the point of fatigue when lifting, it's important to stop if you start to lose form. If you don't have the strength to lower the weights down gently, that's not a good sign - though I suspect that some folks do it just for dramatic effect.

The gym is a shared space, so I've considered saying something to the patrons who slam down weights. But I always chicken out. Do you think I'm overreacting or does this get under your skin, too? Have you ever said anything to anyone about it?

Source

Why Exercise Won't Help You Lose Weight . . . Sort Of

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:36 -0800

There have been a lot of reports in the last year confirming that contrary to popular belief, not all exercise leads to significant weight loss. If you want to shed pounds, it mostly comes down to diet. It’s no surprise that changing your diet can help you lose weight, but for decades, many people believed that exercise was the best pathway to a slimmer, fitter you.

Today the New York Times added to the news that exercise doesn’t significantly aid in weight loss by reporting the results of an exercise and obesity study. The study followed a group of 58 obese individual who underwent three months of supervised aerobic activity but didn’t change their diets at all. And while the group lost an average of seven pounds, many participants barely lost three.

I admit that when all of these studies started coming up I was a little shocked, but it turns out that high intensity workouts mainly burn carbs, not just fat.

To hear what type of exercise may maximize fat loss, read more.

The article explains: "'The message of our work is really simple,' although not agreeable to hear, said Edward Melanson, PhD, the lead author of the study. 'It all comes down to energy balance,' or, as you might have guessed, calories in and calories out. People 'are only burning 200 or 300 calories' in a typical 30-minute exercise session, Melanson points out. 'You replace that with one bottle of Gatorade.'"

Fat loss can be maximized, but it’s a matter of how you approach your workout. To do this, work out at a lower intensity in your fat-burning zone, which is 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. For most people this zone falls between 105-134 beats per minute. Melanson’s study also found that once weight is lost from reduced calorie intake, exercise might prevent it from coming back by resetting metabolic pathways that stop the body from wanting to store fat.

The research is interesting, but should not dissuade any of us from our fitness goals. The benefits of exercise reach far beyond weight loss - it helps the brain function better, reduces stress, creates a toned body, and is important for healthy heart function.

What's the Deal With Wearable Weights?

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:13 -0700

The magic pill to weight loss is a mirage in my opinion, but companies continue to design products to help you burn more calories and drop pounds. As if the seven shady weight loss products I recently posted about weren't enough, I just discovered Body Togs Wearable Weights.

At first I thought they were for strength training exercises instead of dumbbells or resistance bands. Since you didn't have to hold them, they seemed like a cool idea. But taking a closer look, these aren't meant for the gym - they're meant to be worn all day long to help boost the amount of calories you burn and tone your muscles while doing day-to-day activities. Tiny weights are evenly distributed around each sleeve, adding about one to three pounds to each limb, depending on the size you choose. You're supposed to wear these arm and calve sleeves under your clothes. I guess if it's hot that day, you just wear them to match your favorite dress. Aside from looking completely idiotic, they're very pricey ($55 to $59 a pair), and also a health risk. To find out why read more.

Performing strength training exercises that are specifically designed to target certain muscles are excellent for your body. When you use correct form, and the appropriate amount of weight, there is little risk of injury. On the other hand, carrying around extra weight on your arms and legs while going about your day may burn extra calories, but it will also increase your risk for a torn muscle or injury to your joint. Just like walking with dumbbells or ankle weight is a big no-no, you don't want to do regular activities while carrying weights because it puts too much stress on your body.

If you want to burn extra calories during your day, fit in an extra 30 minutes of cardio. If toning your muscles is your goal, it's more effective to use dumbbells, resistance bands, or weight machines and do actual exercises that are meant for strengthening your muscles. Setting aside time to exercise will not only produce better results, but it's a great way to relieve stress and give you the much-deserved break we all need during the day.