Short on Time? Push Yourself Twice as Hard

It’s almost 6 p.m. and you just couldn’t pull yourself away from work to get in a workout until now. The only problem is, the sun is going down and you won’t be able to fit in your normal 45-minute routine. When you’re short on time, definitely don’t skip out on your workout, and don’t give up on getting in a good sweat session. Use the time you have to push yourself twice as hard. Move a little faster, add incline to your run or bike ride, do faster sets of strength training moves, increase the size dumbbells you normally use, or do something new that will work weaker muscles. Short workouts at a high intensity can be great for burning mega calories and for endurance, so use the time you have to work it.

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Short on Time? Push Yourself Twice as Hard

Lose a Pound of Fat and Get Motivated

Losing one pound of fat isn’t that impressive to some people but knowing how to do so can make a world of difference for someone else. Losing just one pound means that you can lose two, three, and continue until you reach your goal. There are a lot of ways to go about losing pounds but nothing will take the place of healthy eating and physical activity. Yet, eating healthy and exercising can be often neglected due to busy lifestyles. It can be hard for most people to fit in fitness. Below are some tips that may help you get on the right track of losing a pound and staying motivated to meet your weight loss goal. 1. Keep food simple - Fitting in healthy eating means keeping food simple in terms of the food you choose to eat. Simple doesn’t mean ordering through a drive-thru. It means eating food that isn’t full of ingredients you can’t pronounce or have no clue to what they are. The more natural your food the better. Think of lean meats, seafood, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and good fats. 2. Make the most of your workouts - If your biggest excuse is not having time to workout then you will need to make the most of each workout that you do. Burning fat should be the goal and a great way to do this is by building muscle. Good fat burning exercises are strength training, calisthenics, and interval training. 3. Don’t weigh yourself daily - Our weight can fluctuate from day to day so if you weigh yourself everyday you may freak out wondering why you are a pound heavier than the day before. Keep in mind that there is water weight to consider as well as gaining muscle that puts on weight. This happens over time so it is probably better to do weekly weigh-ins. 4. Make small goals - Let’s say you have 20 pounds or more to lose. Setting a huge goal can make it seem unachievable. Set a realistic goal of losing one pound per week. When you see that you can lose a pound a week, it gets you motivated. It’s nicer to reach small goals and feel good along the way. The small goals add up to your much larger one. If you can lose one pound, you can lose the rest that are keeping you overweight. It is all about baby steps, seeing progress, and staying motivated. Have you reached your weight loss goal or working towards it? What are some of your tips?

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Lose a Pound of Fat and Get Motivated

Get Fit Giveaway Fitness DVD Review: Brazil Butt Lift

The ninth challenge for the Get Fit For 2010 giveaway is to write up a review of your favorite workout DVD . FitSugar reader stacieh normally doesn’t enjoy sweating it out at home, but she’s a huge fan of this DVD series. I have never been a fan of working out at home since I have two kids and a small living room, but a friend convinced me to try Brazil Butt Lift . The workout program is four weeks and I figured it wasn’t a huge commitment. Not only are the workouts fun, they target my “bum bum” and my legs and body are stronger than ever. The workouts are based on your butt shape (too big, flat, combo) and the guide tells you which workouts you need to do on which day. The longest workouts were about an hour. In addition to targeting the butt and legs, it has an all over sculpting program, ab workout, and cardio workout. I still go to the gym, but I love working out at home now too. These don’t require a lot of space either! Highly recommend this workout program. Write your own DVD review in the Get Fit For 2010 community group. By participating, you’ll also be entered into the drawing for our weekly giveaway of a $100 Nike gift card as well as our awesome grand prize . To see a clip from this DVD program read more.

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Get Fit Giveaway Fitness DVD Review: Brazil Butt Lift

Hey Miley, Stand Up Straight!

Did you catch Miley Cyrus on the red carpet during this year’s Oscars ? Her gorgeous Jenny Packham gown was overshadowed by her hunched-over posture. She was joined by repeat slouching offender Kristen Stewart , who stood slightly taller than usual on the red carpet. Besides not looking so hot, slouching can erase all of the hard work you’ve done at the gym and affect future workouts. Here, a few tips on checking and improving your posture: Did you know standing just a little bit taller can make you look 10 pounds lighter ? That’s right, it’s that simple. To instantly drop the pounds, try this posture checklist . Consider trying a Pilates class , even just once. Pilates focuses on your all-important core and encourages great posture by engaging your deep ab muscles and keeping your spine neutral. Perform a quick posture check during the day. Get into the habit of checking your posture each time you do a repetitive activity like going to the ATM, standing in line for your morning coffee, or waiting for a traffic light to turn green. Bad posture can even cause back pain. If you don’t notice an improvement simply sitting and standing a little bit straighter, try the Alexander Technique , which teaches basic body mechanics while improving posture. Not only will improved posture make you look taller and thinner, it’ll help your running and walking workouts

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Hey Miley, Stand Up Straight!

Get Fit Giveaway Fitness DVD Review: Killer Abs Workout

This week’s challenge for the Get Fit For 2010 giveaway is to write up a review of your fave fitness DVD . Here’s a workout that FitSugar reader Maryannie loves. My favorite workout is Killer Abs by Trainerpack.com . Which is btw, completely FREE! I love the fact that there is a lot of focus on the lower abs and obliques. I have found that it really shapes my stomach. My ex-trainer told me that you should always start by training your lower abs and then obliques and then upper abs. I’ve been doing this workout for about a month now in combination with yoga and Zumba and I am starting to see great results. I especially like this workout because it moves quickly between the exercises and also suggests the number of repetitions. Which btw I have exceeded! Overall rating: LOVE IT! Write your own DVD review in the Get Fit For 2010 community group. By participating, you’ll also be entered into the drawing for our weekly giveaway of a $100 Nike gift card as well as our awesome grand prize .

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Get Fit Giveaway Fitness DVD Review: Killer Abs Workout

Fit Tip: Drop and Give Me 10

When it comes to working out, I used to believe that it was all or nothing. I either had to fully commit to an hour at the gym or skip it altogether. Sometimes I’m busy, and to break it down to you, I don’t always have an hour chunk in my day to work out. My guess is that it’s probably the same for many others out there. Since they’re running late for their yoga class, they skip it altogether. Since it’s too cold to go for a run, they watch TV instead. Instead of bowing out completely, use whatever extra minutes you might have to fit in exercise throughout your day. On days when I can’t make it to the gym, I do a few sets of sit-ups or lunges in my bedroom or go for a 10-minute bike ride in my neighborhood. A friend of mine has been known to do a five-minute yoga sequence in her office. Whatever you choose, it’s important for our physical and mental health to get moving - even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. What sort of miniworkouts will you do?

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Fit Tip: Drop and Give Me 10

Do You Use Websites and Apps to Get Fit?

Owning an iPhone is pretty cool - in large part because there really is an “app for that,” especially in the health and fitness category. There are apps that count calories , motivate you to do push-ups , map your runs , and provide yoga sequences . I dare you to think of anything fitness related and not find an app for it. Personally, using the fitness apps on the iPhone is sort of like having a scaled down personal trainer. I can develop personalized workouts and meal plans while also tracking my progress, but I don’t have to shell out a bunch of money to do so. (That is, if you factor out the initial cost of the phone . . .) Besides iPhone apps, websites are becoming another great way to monitor and track fitness goals. Sites like the DailyBurn , FitDay , and SparkPeople help you track weight loss, manage your diet, and also provide a community of support amongst their users. Technology has really changed the way people approach and reach their fitness goals. Do You Use Websites and Apps to Get Fit? Yes. I love having these tools at my disposal. No. I do it the old-fashioned way.

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Do You Use Websites and Apps to Get Fit?

Time Saver: "Prehab" in Between Sets

Check out this time-saving workout tip from Coach Lark . It’s important to let the body rest between tough workouts. However, I always try to work light rehab or “prehab” (conditioning an area of the body that is prone to injury) in between heavier sets of strength training. Whatever your issue, point of dysfunction, or pain, very light sets between your heavier sets can serve as prehab. For instance, ff you have tight muscles, stretch is an appropriate recovery. (It feels great to stretch the muscles you just worked out. It also helps them relax so that you get more out of subsequent sets.) If you have poor balance, do balance drills between sets. Whatever your weakness is, attack it between major sets in order to recover. The idea is to pack as much density as possible into your workout. So, instead of just standing around while you recover between workouts, try these options, and get more out of your gym time. You will not only burn more calories and get in better shape; you will also remain healthy so you can keep pounding out the tough sets. Whatever your ultimate fitness goals (to lose weight, to get stronger, to have a six-pack), the health and balance of your musculoskeletal system is crucial and a top priority. Have a killer week getting it done and as always feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. For more tip from the front lines of fitness, start following Coach Lark Says or start your own OnSugar blog . Maybe we’ll post your story here on FitSugar!

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Time Saver: "Prehab" in Between Sets

Weekend Workout: Tone Up Those Hamstrings

We spend a lot of time toning our quads and booties , but our hamstrings shouldn’t be overlooked. Skiers, runners, bikers, and swimmers can all benefit from doing exercises that target the backs of the thighs because strong hamstrings increase speed and endurance. Not to mention, toned hammies also look good in skirts and bathing suits - something to think about for the upcoming seasons. Here’s a three-exercise workout dedicated to that area. Repeat all three moves for a total of three rounds. Romanian Deadlifts Elbow Plank With Donkey Kick Bridge Single Leg Lifts Short workouts are perfect for days when you don’t have time to fit in a long routine. Check out these other Weekend Workouts to learn how to tone other areas of your body.

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Weekend Workout: Tone Up Those Hamstrings

Get Fit For 2010: The Park Is My Gym

This week’s challenge for the Get Fit For 2010 giveaway is to share a workout that you love. If exercising in a busy and stuffy gym isn’t your thing, FitSugar reader caffeinecaptain agrees and has a great (much cheaper) alternative. This is my first blog post in the Get Fit for 2010 challenge! I work out at a gym, but lately I’ve been getting a little bored with the elliptical and treadmill. I was thinking about the dryland training I used to participate in for ski racing, so I found a local park with a track and a small workout playground (a playground with pull up bars and such), and started looking for exercises that I could do outdoors. I downloaded some plyometric routines, and then some of the circuit routines here on FitSugar. I placed them in a binder that is weather durable and headed to the park! It’s a bit of a commute, but I’ve been going two times a week and for a couple of hours and doing a mix of running, strength training, bounding, and yoga. I find it diverse and really peaceful because even when there are others there, it doesn’t have the stuffy feeling of the gym. It’s not too late to share your workouts if you haven’t done so already, so join our Get Fit For 2010 community group and write a blog post about your favorite workout . By participating, you’ll not only be keeping up with your healthy lifestyle, but you’ll also be entered into the drawing for our weekly giveaway of a $100 Nike gift card as well as an awesome grand prize .

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Get Fit For 2010: The Park Is My Gym

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