Between long runs, brisk hikes, and nonstop dancing, weekends are made to be active. But if all your weekend fun has left you stiff and sore today, here are a few remedies to make you feel better.
- High-heel relief: Spent too much time traipsing around town in your finest? Make sure your heel-wearing doesn’t lead to injury with these stretches every high-heel wearer should do.
- Yoga for runners: Long runs can be grueling, so make sure you keep your muscles and joints happy with stretches that undo the tightness that running can create. Follow along to our video of a yoga series for runners to relieve any tightness.
- Biking aftermath: If a long bike ride was on your weekend agenda, you may be nursing a sore back and tight hips. These back and hip stretches are the perfect remedy.
- Roll it out: It’s worth a trip to the gym to use the foam rollers if your muscles are sore and tight. Regular foam rolling helps loosen muscles and increase your flexibility, so a few minutes of rolling every few days now can prepare you for your next weekend adventure. Check out five types of foam rolling massages to do here.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Sep 10th, 2012. Comment. 
We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!
[Courtesy of Men's Health] To a die-hard follower of one of these diets, what they put on their plate is as personal as their political party - and just as controversial. These four food philosophies have small, dedicated, and sometimes fanatical followings. So which are legit? We asked the experts to separate the facts from the fads.
1. Veganism: Vegans nix all animal products, including meat, dairy, gelatin, and eggs.
Is it legit? Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that vegans are usually thinner and enjoy a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Why? They generally eat a more wholesome diet, including more fiber, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and avoid processed meats. But still, meat can be part of a healthy diet. Case in point: in another study in AJCN in 2012, researchers put people on a healthy diet that included up to 5.4 ounces of lean beef a day in lieu of chicken or fish. The results: their cholesterol scores dropped about 10 percent.
The Grossest Things in Your Food
2. Gluten-free: Maybe you suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune condition where the lining of the intestine is damaged and doesn’t properly absorb nutrients. Or maybe you have nonceliac gluten sensitivity. Not surprisingly, if that’s you, you should avoid gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley). But thanks to celebs like Miley Cyrus, a gluten-free diet is touted as a surefire way to slim down.
Is it legit? Yes, if you have a real problem digesting gluten diagnosed by your doc. (Symptoms can range from gastrointestinal discomfort and bloating to headaches and fatigue.) However, according to a 2012 study in Archives of Internal Medicine, many people with food sensitivities restrict gluten (and other foods) without a proper diagnosis. Then they attribute any improvement in symptoms to going gluten-free, when really it could be a number of different factors. The bottom line: sure, going gluten-free can help you lose weight if you cut back on processed carbs and eat more whole foods. But “merely switching to gluten-free processed products or desserts, which many people do, won’t help you trim down because these contain just as many calories as the regular versions,” says Chicago-area registered dietitian Breea Johnson.
Why a Caveman Diet Makes Good 21st-Century Eating
4. Raw Diets: Raw foodists claim that foods (beans, fruits, vegetables, dairy) are most nutritious when eaten raw. You’ll need one thing for sure: lots of free time to peel, chop, and blend all that produce.
Is it legit? A 2005 study in The Journal of Nutrition analyzed health markers in 200 people following a raw food diet for an average of 3.5 years. Overall, a raw diet was associated with low cholesterol and triglycerides but – the bad news – nearly 40 percent of participants were vitamin B12 deficient and nearly half had low “good” HDL cholesterol. Yes, cooking destroys some nutrients (like vitamin C), but it also enhances the concentration of others. Take tomatoes, for example: more lycopene is released when they’re cooked vs. raw. It’s a trade-off, but you’ll get plenty of vitamins and minerals whether consuming that veggie raw or cooked, says Johnson.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Aug 27th, 2012. Comment.
Resistance bands are a great tool for strength-training newbies. They help target specific muscle groups, improve coordination, and cost less than $ 15! If you’re not sure where to start with a resistance band, each of these exercises will help you get acquainted with the new toning tool.
Upright Rows
If you’ve never worked with a resistance band before, then basic upright rows are a perfect place to get started. You can focus on working out your shoulders and get a feel for the band’s pull.
- Stand on the middle of a resistance band with your feet hip-distance apart; grip the handles of the resistance band. Your closed palms will be facing your body. Make the move even more challenging by holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Stand with your shoulders over your pelvis and your knees slightly bent.
- Keeping the handles close to your body, raise them to your shoulders, bending your elbows out to the sides.
- Then with control, slowly lower them to the starting position.
- This counts as one rep. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Booty Kicks
Everyone loves a good tush-toning move! Booty kicks with a resistance band are a great way to work your glutes and get creative with the band.
- Hold onto each end of your resistance band, and place the center of the band around the sole of the right foot. Then place your elbows and knees on the ground so your back is straight.
- Hold the band firmly, draw your belly in, and extend your right leg straight out behind you. Then draw your knee forward, but don’t let it touch the ground.
- Repeat a total of 15 to 20 times; repeat with the left leg.
Keep reading for two more moves with the resistance band that work two muscle groups each!
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Aug 21st, 2012. Comment.
We are pumped to share a single of our favorite stories from Avoidance right here on FitSugar!
By Diana Kelly, Prevention
The Flat Belly Diet 4-Day Jump-Commence is a wonderful way to reduce belly bloat and start flattening your tummy quickly. It was developed to reduce drinking water retention, eradicate large solids, and relieve gasoline so you will swiftly seem and really feel lighter. You can get rid of up to 7 lbs . in four times! Make these foods swaps and seem slimmer rapidly!
Season Food Differently
Make This Intelligent Swap Incorporate zing to your meals with salt-cost-free seasoning blends these kinds of as the Unique and Italian medley Mrs. Dash®.
Keep away from These Salt, salt-primarily based seasonings, and extremely processed meals.
Why? You may be attracted to your saltshaker, but water is, as well. When you acquire in higher than common amounts of the salty things, you will briefly retain far more fluid, contributing to that sluggish emotion, a puffy look, and added drinking water weight.
Ten Flat Belly Breakfast Ideas
Steer Clear of Acidic Drinks
Make This Sensible Swap Drink simple faucet h2o or our stomach-soothing Sassy H2o as a substitute of coffee, tea, juice, and alcohol. Feel of it as tough adore for your tummy.
Avoid These Alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, sizzling cocoa, and acidic fruit juices
Why? We understand that giving up your morning cup of joe could be challenging to swallow (pun meant!), but it truly is only for four days. Coffee and the other negative fellas of bloat on the “avoid” list are all higher-acid beverages that can irritate your GI tract, triggering inflammation.
Learn what other swaps you can make for a flatter stomach following the break!
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Aug 13th, 2012. Comment.
If you want gorgeous, radiant locks or to heal fast from that pulled hammy after dropping into a split, protein is a must. Every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies is made up of protein, so getting your fill is important when it comes to building and repairing your cells. Protein is made up of amino acids, 12 of which are produced by the body. The other nine, called essential amino acids, must be obtained from our diet. Complete proteins contain all nine, and since red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy are complete proteins, those who eat meat and milk are in the clear. If you’re avoiding animal products, you’ll need to eat plant-based complete proteins and combinations of foods to make complete proteins.
While it isn’t necessary to eat complete proteins at the same meal – you can eat beans for lunch and rice for dinner – as a busy vegetarian, I find it easier to enjoy them together. This bean, barley, and veggie soup is a perfect example of a complete protein as it contains both legumes and whole grains. Keep reading for vegan meal ideas that contain complete proteins all under 400 calories.
Source: Flickr User thepinkpeppercorn
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Aug 12th, 2012. Comment.
With so many events happening, Super Saturday was another big day for Team USA. See the results of some of the most notable events from today below!
Tennis
Serena Williams finally got her individual Olympic gold – she beat Russia’s Maria Sharapova easily, 6-1, 6-0, playing on the same court where she won Wimbledon earlier this Summer. While Serena has two gold medals from winning women’s doubles with sister Venus at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics, this is the first time she’s won an individual gold at the Olympics and only the second time a tennis player has won a Golden Slam. Venus was knocked out of the women’s singles event earlier last week, but the Williams sisters advanced to Sunday’s finals by beating Russia in the semifinals today. Venus and Serena will play the Czech Republic’s Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka for the gold medal. The Czechs beat Americans Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond on Friday.
The US also fared well in men’s tennis. Twin brothers Mike and Bob Bryan, beat France in today’s men’s doubles finals, winning their first Olympic golds; the brothers won bronze in 2008.
Get more results from swimming, track and field, and beach volleyball (some events haven’t aired yet in the US) after the break.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Aug 4th, 2012. Comment.
Spending three times a week strength training is a great way to tone your bikini-baring muscles while preventing injury, but not if you’re doing the moves all wrong. Here are four ways you can check in with your form to ensure you’re effectively doing the moves you already know.
- Get a refresher: If you learned how to do overhead presses with forward lunges years back when you met with a personal trainer, it pays to make another appointment for a refresher. She can watch you do all your moves and, if necessary, offer pointers on how to tweak your form. And since she’s so involved in the strength training scene, for an added bonus, she can also show you new, more effective variations to tone you faster in less time.
- Follow the leader: If paying for a personal trainer isn’t in the cards, take a few strength training classes from reputable instructors. They often demonstrate proper form, and are also usually excited to show you a thing or two after class.
- Mirror, mirror on the wall: How you perceive what your body is doing and what it’s actually doing can be quite different, so for an easy form check, do your routine in front of a mirror. You may be surprised to see you’re hunching over while doing deadlifts, or scrunching your face when doing triceps kickbacks. The mirror offers quick feedback so you can correct your form instantly.
- And . . . action!: Some moves are impossible or too dangerous to watch completely in front of a mirror (turning your head to see how you do push-ups can cause a neck injury), and with cameras on just about every smartphone these days, it’s easy to videotape your moves. It’s really helpful to watch yourself in action and see every part of your movement. You might realize that you’re not lowering your torso as much as you should while doing push-ups, or that your knees go way past your feet when doing squats. You might also be superimpressed with how ripped your arms look when doing bicep curls, which can give you a confidence boost to stick with your routine.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Jul 31st, 2012. Comment.
Add some to your fruit or salsa—it can be a healthful addition.
fat decline guidelines
U.S. Information – Wellness
Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Jul 27th, 2012. Comment.
Trainer Bob Harper discusses many healthy habits in his latest book The Skinny Rules, and one of them is: don’t fear fish. This nutritious lean protein makes for a perfect dish if you’re looking to lose or maintain your weight. Best of all, it’s easy to prepare. Watch this video to learn Bob’s simple technique for cooking fish that keeps the calories down, but the flavor profile high.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Jul 21st, 2012. Comment.
Never given Meatless Monday a try? Aside from mixing up your dinner menu with exciting and healthy vegetarian meals, going vegetarian even one day a week can not only save you a little dough, but offers health benefits as well. If you’re on the fence about it, here are some reasons that may convince you to skip the meat every Monday.
For dropping pounds: Recipes that involve meat can run you tons of calories, which means delving out smaller portions in order to avoid overdoing it. If you don’t eat much for dinner, you’ll be itching for more food soon after the meal is over, which translates to more daily calories consumed. Many vegetarian meals are all about the veggies, and since they’re low in cals and high in fiber, they fill you up without racking up the calories. You’ll love this recipe for vegetarian stir-fry with quinoa, full of fresh veggies.
They’re fiberlicious: Aside from the fiber in veggies, vegetarian meals often focus on whole grains. Quiona, brown rice, oats, barley, and millet are great sources of fiber and since they’re so filling, a small serving is all you need to feel satisfied. Give this carrot raisin spelt berry salad a try.
Keep reading for two more reasons to go meatless this Monday.
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Filed under Fast and Easy Weight Loss Tips by on Jul 15th, 2012. Comment.