Minutes to a Healthier You: Make a Date With the Stairs

An easy strategy for staying fit and developing a healthy lifestyle is to always take the stairs. It’s a great way to burn calories, build endurance, and strengthen the legs. But taking the stairs might not seem reasonable if you work on the 20th floor; or, on the flip side, maybe you don’t encounter enough stairs in your daily routine. Yesterday, a friend cut our conversation short because, as she said, “I have a date with the stairs.” She went on to say that on the days she misses her yoga class, she does laps between the three flights of stairs where she works for 10 minutes. I found her attitude completely inspiring. I usually take the stairs when faced with them but I’ve never thought to take a “stair break.” Leaving your desk to do some laps on the stairs is a great way to squeeze a small workout into your day. The next time you start zoning out, hit the stairs for about 10 minutes - you’ll come back energized and will have burned about 60 calories ! Taking the stairs also prolongs your life , reduces your risk for heart disease , and is easy on the wallet (significantly cheaper than a yoga class). You can also make it more challenging by being a two timer climber .

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Minutes to a Healthier You: Make a Date With the Stairs

Celebrate Daylight Saving With an Evening Workout Outside

It’s that time of year to “Spring ahead,” and although you’ll set your clocks ahead and lose an hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14 , you’ll also be gaining an extra hour of sunshine in the evening. That means if you could never pull yourself out of bed for morning workouts in the Fall and Winter when the mornings were brightest, you can now shift your workouts to after work, when it’ll still be light enough outside to walk, hike, or run outside. So tomorrow, celebrate the first day of daylight saving time with an evening workout outside. Take a bike ride in the park, go for a run with your pooch around the neighborhood, or do some yoga on your back deck (if it’s warm enough where you live). It’ll feel so good to expose yourself to fresh air and all-natural vitamin D, and it’s a great way to celebrate Spring. An evening workout will also tire you out so that you’ll be able to fall asleep at your normal bedtime. If you stay up an hour later, it’ll disrupt your sleep patterns and make it really difficult to get up Monday morning. Tell me, are you excited about having an extra hour of daylight in the evenings, or are you bummed because you’re a morning exerciser ?

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Celebrate Daylight Saving With an Evening Workout Outside

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

Cheryl Burke Keeps It Healthy Even on the Go

With the new lineup of Dancing With the Stars announced and training under way, cast member Cheryl Burke is once again on the go. Because the two-time DWTS champion splits her time between the show and managing three dance studios, she is no stranger to travel. Cheryl, 25, recently told Shape that keeping up with healthy eating habits “can be especially grueling” when she’s away from home. Here are some of Cheryl’s tips for staying healthy when away from home. Pack snacks. Keeping healthy snacks on hand is a great way to avoid having to eat out all of the time. “I’ll munch on Triscuits and peanut butter or cut-up vegetables. And I always have a South Beach Living protein bar, fruit, or almonds in my bag.” Eat in the morning. Cheryl’s learned to never underestimate the power of breakfast. “I used to skip breakfast. But now I know it gets your metabolism going and prevents you from overeating later. My go-to meal is an egg white omelet with lowfat cheese and whole wheat toast.” See more of Cheryl’s tips when you read more. Order it your way. “I ask for restaurant dishes to be made with olive oil rather than butter or for them to hold the cheese. If they can’t accommodate me, I find something else on the menu.” Go food shopping. If traveling for an extended period, Cheryl says to get grocery shopping. “If you have a fridge in your hotel room, stock up on a few healthy staples from a local supermarket or Whole Foods. When I’m on the tour bus, I’ll make a grocery list that includes salad, nonfat vanilla yogurt, lowfat granola, and organic microwavable soups.” Go with the grain. Skip refined carbs and always go whole grain, says Cheryl. “I feel better about any food choice when it’s served with fiber-rich pasta or bread.” Check out the rest of Cheryl’s tips in the March issue of Shape , currently out on newsstands.

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Cheryl Burke Keeps It Healthy Even on the Go

Deep Water Is For Running

They say still waters run deep, but I say deep water is for running. Let me explain. I recently suffered a pulled calf muscle - an entirely new injury to me. After three days of doing the R.I.C.E. thing (as well as feeling sorry for myself), I was craving a workout, but still walking with quite a limp. I could tell that even the elliptical was still out of my range, so I tried some deep water running. I strapped on the flotation belt (my gym has a closet of all sizes), cinched it tight on my waist, and walked into the pool. Did I feel like a fool at first? Simply put, yes. Did I feel great after running intervals for 25 minutes? Yes. The great thing about deep water running is it works the same muscles running on land does minus the pounding, so it is gentle on injured joints - it didn’t bother my calf. I could really feel the work in my hamstrings, which felt great. And I could tell my core was engaged too. My arms got a nice workout as well, something I don’t usually experience when running. Deep water running is no joke when it comes to cardio. It didn’t get my heart rate up as high as if I was running on land, but according to my heart rate monitor I was only about 10 beats per minute slower than when actually running. Running in water is considered a great way to maintain cardiovascular fitness when rehabbing an injury, and in general it’s a great way to cross train. I think I might be a convert. If you’re interested in trying it out check out my tip when you read more. Here are a few things I learned in my 30-minute workout: Warm up in chest-high water. Swing your arms front and back, mimicking the action of running. Do high marches to warm up your hip joint. Combine the two actions and march yourself into the deeper water where you can no longer touch. Then start “running” at a slow pace. I found leaning forward is necessary to move. If I stayed upright, I felt like I was just treading water. But don’t lean forward from your waist. Use the chi running concept and feel your entire body leaning forward. This will work your core. Play around with your speed and the size of your stride. This will make the workout more interesting and you will work different parts of your muscles. Don’t forget to cool down. Swim a few laps or grab a kick board and slow things down for five minutes after your workout. If you’re sick of the treadmill, nursing an injury, or looking for a joint-friendly workout, give deep water running a try. Source

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Deep Water Is For Running

Fill Your Calendar with Fitness and Never Worry About Working Out Again

There are plenty of people out there that dislike exercise because they don’t feel it is fun to do. Since it isn’t viewed as something fun to do, it is difficult to make time for it. The solution for people like this is to put the fun into exercise, that way it doesn’t feel like you’re working out at all. There are plenty of ways to do this and some methods will cost money and others will not. However, if you add in a little of both (paid and free) activities, you could be exercising 5 to 6 days a week and not even feel like it. Below are some ideas to fill your calendar with fun things to do that also keep you working out on a regular basis. 1. Use a calendar: I like to use Google calendar because it’s web based and I can access it easily. Plus it can send out email reminders of upcoming appointments. Whichever calendar you choose, the goal is to fill it with as many fitness activities as you can for the entire month. 2. Make a list: Are there things you have always wanted to try but never get around to? Make a list of activities that will get you physically active. Indoor rock climbing, martial arts classes, dancing, boxing classes, zumba, etc. 3. Sign up: Decide which classes or activities you like most. Find out what you can afford and search for free and low-cost sources as well. When you find what you like, schedule some classes. Now you can start filling in your calendar with fun stuff. 4. Map out trails: If you like to run, walk, or even ride a bike, map out some trails that you can use. You can find trails in your area for biking and/or walking or running. Add them to your calendar. 5. Exercise for a cause: There are plenty of causes that you can participate in by doing 3k’s, 5k’s, etc. You can walk or run. Find some in your area that you can do and plug them into your schedule. 6. Contests: Local gyms and fitness groups often hold competitions that you can train for. Stay on the lookout and find what you like. You never know, you could be winning trophies too! Continue to be on the lookout for activities that will keep you moving. Your calendar can stay consistently full and have you doing fun things that won’t feel like exercise at all. If you never thought of yourself as an active person, this is a great way to start and to meet other active people to keep you motivated. Do you stay active? What are some of your tips?

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Fill Your Calendar with Fitness and Never Worry About Working Out Again

You Asked: Will My Hubby’s Bad Habit Make Me Sick?

Dear Fit, I caught my hubby drinking straight out of the milk container the other day and I was shocked. I asked, “Do you do that a lot?” And he confessed that he does it with the milk and the OJ. I told him that was a great way to pass germs and get me sick. He promised to never do it again, but I know he’s just fibbing. Is this something I need to worry about? -Grossed Out by Germs I hate to admit it, but your question made me chuckle out loud because I too have caught my darling husband standing in front of the open refrigerator, guzzling down milk because he was too lazy to get a glass. While drinking from the same glass as someone is a surefire way to pass germs, are the rules different when it comes to the cold temps in the fridge? To find out, keep reading.

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You Asked: Will My Hubby’s Bad Habit Make Me Sick?

Get Fit For 2010 Giveaway: Challenge 5, Share a Recipe

We’ve all been journaling about our food and fitness , but now it’s time to take to the kitchen. This week’s challenge : post a recipe in the Get Fit For 2010 community group using the recipe template . Cooking your own meals is a great way to watch not only your calories but portion sizes as well. And since we are all in this together, swapping recipes is a great way to refresh your home cooked meals. Here’s the 411 on how to create a recipe in the Get Fit group. When you post your recipe in the community group, you will be automatically entered for a chance to win our weekly prize - a $100 Nike gift card. Meeting this challenge also enters you to win our fabulous grand prize: a $1,000 gift card from Nike ; a year of personalized nutrition plans by nutritionist Alexa Fishback , plus a copy of her book ; a year membership to 24 Hour Fitness for you and a friend; and two Bodybuggs . At the end of three months, we will pick a grand prize winner at random from all of the entries in all of the weekly challenges. The more you participate, the more chances you have to win the grand prize! A little extra motivation to help you meet your healthy goals for 2010. If you’re not already a member of the PopSugar Community, register here now. Click here for the official rules . You have until 11:59 p.m. PST on Sunday, Feb. 14, to complete this fifth challenge. Let’s get cooking!

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Get Fit For 2010 Giveaway: Challenge 5, Share a Recipe

Learn to Love: The Sauna

Regardless of what gym I’ve belonged to, it feels like I am the only person that ever uses the sauna. Since I’ve been working out, there’s only been one other time that I haven’t been in there alone. I’m not sure if I’m hitting the gym at odd times or if folks are just not feeling the sauna as much as I do. It could be that they are afraid of their bits and pieces showing, a la Charlotte from Sex in the City . If you are one of those who has an aversion to the sauna, give it a try the next time you’re there. Because I’ve been bumping up my strength training sessions lately, I’ve been loving the sauna even more. The heat helps relax the muscles I’ve just worked and also helps alleviate some of the stiffness in my joints. I’ve even done a sauna before yoga because it helps my body get warm, loose, and flexible. It also feels marvelous after a hard swimming session. Besides helping my body relax, saunas are a great way to open up the pores and sweat. Sounds gross, but sweating is the body’s way of eliminating toxins and other impurities - taking regular saunas may even cut back on the number of colds and flu viruses you have. If you do try the sauna and find that yours is more crowded than mine, remember to practice sauna etiquette: rinse off before entering to reduce odor and the spread of germs, have quiet conversations, and always sit on a towel. Most importantly, stay hydrated! Since the heat can be quite dehydrating, I always drink water before and after the sauna. Do you love the sauna? Source: Flickr User MiikaS

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Learn to Love: The Sauna

Try It: Run an Extra Mile This Week

If you were up for my 30 push-up challenge , here’s another one to take on. It’s for all you runners out there who hit the treadmill or road regularly (running at least 10 miles a week). This Monday, vow to add an extra mile to your total mileage for the week. Here’s how: Figure out the pace you normally run at. Let’s say you run at a pretty moderate pace of 10 minutes per mile (6 mph). If you run five times a week, in order to add an extra mile to your total, just run an extra two minutes for each workout. If you run less often, say twice a week, run an extra five minutes per workout. When you think about it, adding a few extra minutes here and there won’t feel like much per run, but it can really start to add up. If you have a goal to run a half or full marathon, this is a great way to gradually increase your mileage over the course of several weeks or months. Just make sure you follow the 10 percent rule , only increasing your mileage gradually by no more than 10 percent each week. This will help prevent overuse injury and allow your body time to adjust to the new demands you’re placing on it. If you have any other tips or goals to share about running, post them in the RunningSugar community group.

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Try It: Run an Extra Mile This Week

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