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Instead of Feeling Guilty For Indulging, Get Back on Track

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:44 -0800

The holidays can be pretty indulgent - decadent meals, cocktail parties, and dessert after dessert to savor. Add to that stressful gift shopping, holidays spent away for home, and workouts being replaced with entertaining and suddenly you've gotten completely off track with your health.

Before you beat yourself up for having that second piece of pumpkin pie, take a deep breath and tell yourself it's OK. We've all been there - instead of punishing yourself over it, make a commitment to get back on track now. In fact, punishing yourself can have potentially harmful results - a study found that women who feel guilty over missing workouts are more likely to develop eating disorders.

To see my tips on staying healthy during the holidays, read more.

After a big meal, go for a brisk walk. Encourage your friends and family to join you too!
Don't deprive yourself during the holidays, as this may lead to overindulging later. Treat yourself to a healthy dessert on the weekends like these pumpkin bars.
Try limiting yourself to one drink a cocktail party or dinner. If you do have more than one drink, alternate between water and alcohol, and opt for sparkling wine, it has way less calories than a cocktail.
If you do fall off the health wagon, schedule time to start exercising again. The holidays are hectic and making an exercise schedule will help keep you committed and motivated.
Find a workout buddy this holiday season. Exercising and staying fit is easier if you have someone in your corner rooting you on.
If you're worried about overdoing it at a holiday dinner, have a healthy snack like an apple or a handful of nuts before you go. This will help fill you up and reduce cravings.
If you really don't have time to exercise during this hectic season find small ways to be active. Use the stairs when you go shopping and park your car as far away from the store entrance as you can so you walk further.
If you do start to obsess over falling off the health bandwagon, limit your freak out time to ten minutes and then let it go.

Speak Up: What's Your Take on the Reebok EasyTone Ads?

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:00:24 -0800

In a sea of words, a title like "Make Your Boobs Jealous!" really jumps out at you - something I can attest to after coming across these new ads for Reebok EasyTone.

If these shoes do what Reebok claims, the shoes themselves seem pretty neat - balance pods create natural instability in your step, which forces muscles to adapt and encourages toning in the butt, legs, and thighs. So far, so good, but as my buddy Très points out, the ads focus mostly on two talking breasts!

To see these controversial commercials and judge for yourself, read more.

In the commercials, the camera constantly focuses in on the butt of the actresses, and two out of three times you don't even see a face. And in the commercial where a face is shown, the actress playfully teases with the cameraman that he must like what he sees since he's zooming in so much. Some of the tag lines seem questionable too: "88% of men will be speechless, 76% of women jealous, and 0% will know the reason is on your feet." I don't know about you, but my reason for staying fit is not to make the women around me feel inadequate.

I shared the commercials with a friend and she thought I was being a bit too serious. She got a good laugh out of them and thought they were playful and funny. She especially loved the one where a woman's breasts are given life as they complain about not getting any more stares. Why? Because the butt has taken all the attention away, thanks to EasyTone sneakers! Cue tag line: "Make your boobs jealous!"

When I asked why she wasn't the least bit offended, she left me with the reasoning that "sex sells" and "women want to feel beautiful." I'm going to ask myself if I am being way too serious, but in the meantime, I'd like to know what you think of these ads. Check them out below and share your thoughts with me in the comments section.

Join the FitSugar Women That Rock (Climb) Group

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:30:41 -0800

Are you looking for a place to talk to other women who climb or who are involved in mountaineering sports? Are you thinking about giving climbing a try and want to learn more about the sport? Even if you just like hanging out at an indoor climbing gym, FitSugar has created a group just for you - Women That Rock (Climb).

Swap stories, share advice on training and technique, talk about your favorite climbing spots, and give gear advice. It's your place to share all of your thoughts and stories about climbing with other women who get it. Join Women That Rock (Climb) and be a part of the ongoing conversation.

I can't wait to see what you ladies post - some of your most inspiring stories and sound advice may just find its way onto the FitSugar homepage!

Free Video Workouts From Women's Health

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:47:19 -0700

In these tight times, anything that's free is a major plus in my book. So if you're looking for workout routines you can download that won't cost a dime, Women's Health has got you covered.

They offer downloadable video workouts that you can put on your computer or portable media player, so you can exercise at home or at the gym. Right now they're offering two workouts:

The instructions are clear, and the video demonstrations are easy to follow. Many of the exercises were new to me, so these two workouts were fun and very effective.

To see a video clip of the 20-Minute Abs routine, read more.

Trying to Lose Weight? Ask These Questions

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:26 -0800

Many of the people reading FitSugar have weight loss on the brain, but are your efforts really necessary? Are those extra pounds putting your health at risk, or are you just carrying around a little harmless fluff? WebMD outlined seven questions you should ask yourself to help decide if you really need to get serious about weight loss.

What is your lifestyle? "Regular physical activity and healthy eating are important," say experts who spoke with WebMD, not just for those trying to budge the scale. If you're not active and eat poorly, you should start making some changes for your overall health, not just because of a weight-loss goal.
What is your family history? If high cholesterol, "high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or another weight-related ailment" runs in your family then Web MD notes that "it's crucial to be mindful of your weight."
What is your weight history? If the pounds have been creeping up on you over the past several years, you need to watch out since "experts say your BMI should not increase dramatically, even as you age. Even moderate weight gain in adulthood can increase your risk of diabetes."

To see the other four questions read more.

How is your weight distributed? WebMD warns that if your body is "the so-called 'apple' shape," it can put your health at risk. So if this sounds like you, aim to whittle away your middle. If your weight is primarily in your thighs and butt, it's not as crucial to drop the pounds.
What is your waist size? The National Institutes of Health say that a "waist circumference of over 35 inches in women signifies a health risk, particularly those people with BMIs of 25 and 34.9 (the overweight category)." If you're not sure what your BMI is, check out Fit's Calculator to find out.
What is your health profile? "If your cholesterol and blood pressure levels are high and your BMI falls into the overweight or obese category, it's important to lose weight," writes WebMD. So make an appointment with your doc to get yours checked.
How do you feel? "If you're overweight and have joint problems, shortness of breath, or other health troubles that limit your day-to-day living," and interfere with being able to work, then experts quoted in the article suggest that melting away pounds would help improve the quality of your life.

Talking New Moon With Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:15:50 -0800

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner may be dominating the promotional circuit right now, but they're not the only cast members with something to say about New Moon. I had the opportunity to chat with costars Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene, aka Emmett and Alice Cullen, during their recent stopover in SF. They chatted about their characters, the vampire craze, and what it's like to be a "Twilight celebrity." Here are highlights:

On why so many people are crazy for the Twilight Saga:
Ashley: I think this film in particular is highly relatable. There are a lot of situations that people can relate to. The love story - everyone can relate to being in love or being in lust. You add the vampire, and it adds that next level fantasy. Vampires are mysterious and sensual and dangerous and unattainable. And everyone wants what they can't have. I think on another level that this came together at the perfect time. All the elements just fit, the casting was spot on, and we're in a difficult time right now with our economy. That's why you never have a drop in ticket sales because everyone wants an escape, and this movie is very much an escape from reality.
Kellan: It's a good escape but also it deals with so many situations, on so many positive notes. Just looking at it from the vampire coven to the wolf pack. It just deals with everyday issues just on bigger levels, in a way. And you have Bella as the keystone in many situations. You can just all relate from different countries to issues within the United States. It's easily relatable.

To read a lot more about working with three different directors and why they feel so lucky, just read more.

On how their portrayals of the Cullens are similar or different from the books:
Kellan: We got the jobs because we brought something new to it. You can interpret the characters each their own, but I think it's what we did alongside. Just like Kristen said - she's playing Bella but she's putting her Kristen spin on it, just like all of us are. And I think that's what's making it unique. We're still following the cheat sheets that Stephenie created by making the books, and there's Wikipedia. We have a lot of information to go off of. But I hope it's what I did in my audition that set it apart from the other guys trying out.

Ashley: I think it's mannerisms too. People do fall in love with this book, but I think part of it is that they always want more. You can't write out every human mannerism. You can imagine it, but seeing the emotion in someone's eyes and seeing them be affected it - it was kind of easy to give something to it, because we were just being people. We kinda just got lucky.
On how much more of the Cullens we can expect in the remaining movies:
Kellan: Realistically, we stick pretty close to the books. Obviously us Cullens would love to be in the books a lot more, which would mean we'd be in the movies a lot more. Talking New Moon, the scenes that the Cullens - except for Ashley, playing Alice who gets to go to Italy and be a main lead in the movie - us Cullens, we have to stick really close to the books, and the scenes that we're in are really crucial to the story, as you know - the birthday scene, the voting scene. I don't know, it was kind of a tease. Chris Weitz is such an amazing director, and for us, for myself - I only worked about a week on that movie. And it didn't even seem like I really got a taste for what it was.

Ashley: In the third film, you'll see a lot more of the Cullens because it's all of us collaborating and then getting ready to fight this war that's coming up. In the second one, my character got a much larger role because Alice is the Cullen, other than Edward, that really embraces Bella and they end up becoming best friends. In the beginning, you see her throw this huge party for Bella, and then Alice is the one who does, in fact, come back for Bella when everyone else decides to skip town. Alice is responsible for dragging Bella over to Italy, and she and I the whole time are fighting to save my brother's life. And then of course we get held up by the Volturi and stuff like that. My character got to grow a lot, which is really cool. You get to actually see the relationship develop between Bella and Alice, where in the first one you didn't. The first one was very much about the romance and showing the audience why these two people are willing to die for each other.
On working with a different director on each film:
Ashley: Each director is going to be very different. They're artists as well, and I don't think any of them are quite the same. The books, when you read them, all have very, very, different tones. So I think it's highly appropriate that we switch directors each go. The first one is very much a romance and is a very scenic, beautiful film. And Catherine's really, really great at capturing that. She's very high energy and works well in chaos and stuff like that. And it was fantastic because we didn't quite know what we were getting ourselves into, and so it was nice to have her to guide us when we were freaking out a little bit. She was just so high energy, and it was really contagious. We were sad to lose her and move on to the second film, but then we got Chris Weitz and he's the complete opposite! But great as well. He's so giving and caring and collaborative and created this atmosphere that was kind of a safe haven for us. And it was really nice because we didn't know, switching directors, if they were gonna embrace us or if they had a completely different vision than what we created in the first one. It was nice that he was right there on the same page with us. And the second one is a warmer film, even from the color scheme. The first one is very blue tones, and the second one is much richer and warmer and I think he did a great job at capturing that. And we just finished shooting with David Slade, and I think he's highly appropriate as well. He just finished shooting 30 Days of Night and Hard Candy, and they're both very dark, edgy films. And Eclipse is very much that. It's all centered around the anticipation and us getting ready to fight this huge war. We just finished filming, we haven't gotten to see much of it, but I think it's gonna be fantastic. He is, technically, the most advanced director. The angles that he shot and how he knows that tweaking something can affect a whole scene and the lenses. He was really nice to work with.
On coping with the fan effect and being a "Twilight celebrity"
Kellan: That's what blows my mind, 'cause I feel like it's really unearned in a way. The fans are making our careers. Without them, we wouldn't be working and doing the saga. There's so many times that trilogy books become a movie and the first one bombs, and then that's it. And you're always hopeful that you get to do them all. Especially since we're all in love with our characters. I love Emmett Cullen to death, he's my favorite character I've ever played. It's just so cool to have made it this far, and I think we all hope that we get to finish this series and do Breaking Dawn. This is such a blessing, it's every actor's dream to be part of something like this. It's not terribly hard either. We don't shoot halfway around the world; we don't shoot for a year of our lives. I know a lot of us have homes, we have pets, we have family. And it's really nice to shoot on the West Coast, either Portland or Vancouver, and have the chance to fly down if we need to. But it's definitely amazing to be part of something like this. And I don't think any of us knew how crazy it would be and how exhilarating it would turn out to be. Going to the premiere, really just, wow. I don't even remember it because I was really just starstruck by how many fans and signs and cameras. It felt like I was just walking through a strobe light room. It's amazing.

Ashley: I still think we can't really wrap our heads around what's going on and what's happening. We're still in the midst of filming and kept very busy from one film until the next. It's only these brief moments where you sit back and are actually able to take a breath where you go "Whoa. Wow. This is crazy." I mean, the amount of tickets they've already sold for New Moon - I'm pretty sure I can't even get a ticket if I tried to see my film in Jacksonville and it's mind boggling. We're just very lucky. I went into this film thinking "Oh my gosh, I got a job" and the it turned into the biggest break of my life. I think we all feel very blessed to be a part of this.
On how it feels to be part of Twilight fan fiction:
Kellan: It's an escape, in a way. We do live in a trivial time period right now. There's so much depression that it's kinda cool to be a part of something where people use it to be an escape. In a way that's kinda what Stephenie did -she had a dream and just elaborated on it. It became a huge success and it's really encouraging that people are doing the same and just making up this journey.

Ashley: That's why people love it so much I think. You can take it and make what you want of it. Before the demographic was teenage girls, but now it's women of every age and guys are starting to get into it, too. It's because there is that element of fantasy. If you're 8 years old you look at it one way; if you're 80 years old you look at it another. I think it's fantastic that we can draw such a huge crowd. The other thing is - it blows my mind but people are making connections over this film and over this book. there are mothers and daughters and grandmas who can all sit and talk about the same story and all fantasize about it and I think that's a really cool thing. I think it's rare.

To see all of our Twilight and New Moon coverage, check out TwilightSugar!

Women's Gyms to Be Banned in Saudi Arabia

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Feeling too lazy to go to the gym? You might jump on a treadmill or lift a few weights in solidarity with women in Saudi Arabia who face the shutdown of all women-only gyms.

Saudi women already face extreme limitations on their freedoms under Wahhabi Islam: they are not allowed to drive, vote, or run for public office; they must be covered in the presence of unfamiliar men; and they're required to have a male guardian.

And now, because the government has agreed to license fitness clubs for men only - categorizing women's gyms as unlicensed and illegal - they have nowhere to exercise without the scrutinizing eyes of men.

In protest, Saudi women recently launched a campaign called "Let Her Get Fat" which protested the decision to close down all-female fitness clubs that are not under the supervision of a government hospital or clinic.

Even entrepreneurs are frustrated. Interested in hearing why? Then read more.

Businessman Bader Al-Shibani, wanting to open a women's fitness club in Jeddah along with the men's club he runs, was told by the government they didn't have the authority to let him do that. "I ran into a stone wall at every turn," he said. "In the end, I just abandoned the project."

So what's the big deal about women working out? For one thing, in a kingdom that intensely regulates the female body, the idea that a woman would focus on strengthening her body - for her own gratification - must rankle patriarchs on a symbolic level. Leading Saudi clerics see an even more imminent threat. If women exercise, they argue, they'll be tempted to leave their homes and neglect their husbands and children.

Source

You Asked: What Gives With Women's Bikes?

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

Dear Fit,
I'm in the market for a new bike, but while shopping I've noticed that there are bikes made for guys and then that company will make the same bike but designed for women. The colors are usually very feminine, which I hate. I'm wondering is it OK to go for the guy's model, or is there really a huge benefit to riding a women's specific bike?
-Tomboy Tara

This is a great question since so many of our readers are into cycling. To find out what I think read more.

Regardless of gender, you need to choose a bike that's right for your body type. Most women specific bikes are made to suit the average size woman who typically has a shorter torso than the average man, as well as shorter arms and legs. The benefit of choosing a bike designed for women is that these physical differences are taken into consideration in the construction of the geometry of the "cockpit" - the top tube, length of the handlebar stem, and the position of the seat. Here are some basic differences in women specific bikes: the frame is smaller, the distance between the seat and the handlebars is shorter, the distance from the seat to the peddles is also shorter, the brake levers are closer to account for a woman's smaller hands, and the bike is lighter weight so it's easier to carry. Sometimes the front bar is lower as well to protect your lady business in case you fall forward.

The bottom line is that women specific bikes aren't just made in girly colors, they're actually made to fit a female's body better than male specific bikes. Since fit is the most important thing, try to look beyond the color of the bicycle. If you tend to be on the shorter side, bikes designed for women will offer you more benefits in regards to fit and ease of riding. If you're taller, then the larger frame male bikes may be your best bet.

Fit's Tip: My advice is to test drive all brands and models, both male and female specific bikes. Some companies also make bikes in different sized frames such as extra small, so give those a spin too. If a rugged appearance is important to you, be sure to check out bikes made by Cannondale (like the one shown), Trek, and Giant since their women specific models don't necessarily look girlish.

Source

DrSugar Answers: Spotting During Exercise

DrSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your health questions.

Dear Dr. Sugar,
I would really appreciate some information about women spotting after higher intensity exercise. What is the cause of the spotting? Are there any dangers? If I keep doing the exercises that trigger the spotting, will the spotting go away? I enjoy challenging myself but I do not want to damage my body. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
- Nervous About Down There

To see what DrSugar has to say on this topic, read more.

I understand your concern and can tell you that vaginal bleeding between periods or "spotting" is fairly common and can have many different causes. From your description, it sounds like the trigger of your spotting is high-intensity exercise. When it comes to intense exercise, it is actually more common to have lighter periods or less frequent periods than it is to have spotting. However, spotting during very heavy exercise has been reported by some women. Either symptom, spotting or loss of periods, could be a sign that you are stressing your body too much. The bleeding itself is probably not dangerous, assuming it is only a small amount, but you could be causing damage to other parts of your body from exercising too much or too hard. I would recommend listening to what your body is telling you and try to cut back a little to see if the spotting goes away.

I would also keep in mind that there are many other issues that could be contributing to your spotting. It would be a good idea to make absolutely sure that you are not pregnant. Certain problems related to pregnancy can cause spotting. Also note that some women experience spotting during ovulation, so if you only notice the bleeding mid-cycle, this could be the cause. If the spotting does not improve with a lighter exercise regimen, I would recommend seeing a doctor for a full evaluation. For more online information check out the FitSugar health guide on vaginal bleeding between periods.

Have a question for DrSugar? Send it by private messaging me 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.

Sugar Shout Out: Best Bared & Covered Pregnant Bellies on TV

PopSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:55:00 -0800