Grocery Shopping in Pictures

OnSugar blogger Running Nina shared with us this picture of her recent trip to the grocery store. Looking pretty healthy, Running Nina! Today I went to Jewel because we desperately needed some groceries in the house. I took my big green lululemon bag and decided that once the bag was full, that would be it! Look at all those goodies! I did take out the bananas and bread from the bag so they wouldn’t get squished, but they would have fit in there! Loads of deals to be had here . . . I got all of this for a mere $40. To see the stylish lululemon bag that she fit all of her groceries in, head over to Running Nina . And why not start your own OnSugar blog , and show us what’s in your grocery bag? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

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Grocery Shopping in Pictures

Sex Before a Race May Help Your Performance

Filed under: Fitness , Fit Running Getty Images In the weeks before a marathon, I have three rules: no booze. No bars. No boys. While no one will argue with the importance of hydration or getting a good night’s sleep, a growing body of research shows that pre-competition sex can actually improve an athlete’s performance . “There’s no question that research shows that having sex before a race actually increases the probability that you’re going to perform well,” said Dr. Pamela Peeke , a spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine who competes in marathons and triathlons . “But for athletes, whether you choose to have sex is an individual decision. Every athlete has his or her own rituals and beliefs, and if you believe pre-race sex is going to drain you, it’s going to drain you.” That may be part of the reason for the controversy. Before marathon running became mainstream, many sports that required long-term training and led up to a large-scale event encouraged the participants to leave their homes for training, a la Muhammad Ali. The public perception, Peeke said, was that to be successful at one’s sport, one must abstain from sex. However, the sacrifice might not have been necessary. An informal survey of 2,000 London Marathon runners showed that those who had sex the night before their race were more likely to perform better than those who did not, and it wasn’t because they were better prepared than their abstaining counterparts. Are you still not convinced that a steamy sex session before your next competition might help and not hinder your results? Peeke dismissed athletes’ most common fears. Myth No. 1: I’ll be drained for my race. Even if you’re having mind-blowing sex, the chances that you’ll exhaust yourself before your race is unlikely, Peeke said. An average sex session burns 25 to 50 calories, the equivalent of climbing two flights of stairs. Myth No. 2: I’ll be distracted . If you’re in a committed relationship with someone, you will be distracted from your race momentarily while you’re having sex. After that, you should be able to get back to focusing on your race-day strategy, and if you’re a racer who tends to overanalyze her plan of attack, the break may be beneficial. “Chances are that afterward you’ll feel refreshed and invigorated,” Peeke said. Myth No. 3: I won’t be able to sleep. Actually, you’ll probably get to dreamland faster and sleep more deeply thanks to the chemical cocktail that is released when you orgasm. “For both men and women, when you have sex, your tension goes down and you feel more relaxed,” Peeke said. “Overall, sex is good for the body.” Do you need another reason to get it on? Vaginal stimulation increases the amount of pain-blocking neuropeptide substance P, which is effective for about a day after its release, Peeke said. “The chemicals released will decrease overall muscle tension that an athlete might be experiencing, which may allow her to engage in physical activity at a higher, more intense level,” Peeke said. If you’re a creature of habit, however, don’t fret. Most athletes agree that the best way to prepare for a competition is to train well, be comfortable in your surroundings and feel confident that you’ve had the best pre-race preparation you can — with or without sex. “For many people, whether they decide to engage in sex the night before a competition is a combination of trial and error as well as experimentation,” Peeke said. “But the bottom line is: If you want to have sex, go ahead — have at it.” Are you looking for another way to bond with your guy or girl? Check out the best way to run with your partner . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Sex Before a Race May Help Your Performance

Fit Links: Savvy Splurging, the Perfect Crunch and More

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss There are hundreds of wonderful sites on healthy living to be seen all over the blogosphere. Here at Fit Links, we’ll introduce you to some that have caught our eye. Don’t feel bad about enjoying a splurge — here are some tips from Health.com on how to keep your diet on track while enjoying a decadent meal out on the town . Crunches can be an incredibly effective exercise — as long as you do them right. Shape provides you with some easy guidelines for making sure you’re getting the best workout for your abs . Are you destined to be fat forever? That’s Fit Canada explains how an innocent binge can have a lasting impact . Your old ones have served you well, but is it time for a new pair of sneakers? Oh She Glows shares some signs that you might need to head to the running store . Inspired by “Eat Pray Love”? Adopt the lifestyle — and the rigorous yoga routine — with this advice from celeb yogini Mandy Ingber on Fit Celeb . Read any good Tweets? Give us a shout on Twitter and let us know all about it! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit Links: Savvy Splurging, the Perfect Crunch and More

Rx For Smelly Feet: Vodka

Sometimes stinky feet are a way of life for workout junkies. Instead of tossing out your running shoes or scrubbing toes until they’re nearly numb, I’ve got a little tip that will have your soles smelling squeaky clean. Steal a bottle of vodka from your liquor cabinet and douse a cotton ball with the clear liquid. Rub it over your tired dogs and let the alcohol do its trick. Get in between your little toes with a vodka-drenched Q-tip. While you may be tempted to pour yourself a cold ‘tini, please resist the urge to put an olive on your pinky toe. If you have any tricks for taming foot odor, please share them in the comments section below.

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Rx For Smelly Feet: Vodka

It’s All About the Stairs – Butt Kicking Stair Workouts

It’s all about the stairs today and I’m not talking about stair stepper machines, I mean regular ol’ stairs. Chances are you have stairs in your home but if not, I’m sure you can find a location that has them whether it is a gym or other area. Climbing up and down stairs can be an awesome way to workout. If you have ever climbed several flights of stairs and became winded, then you can imagine how intense an actual workout up and down flights of stairs would feel like. It’s important to improve your conditioning with each workout. Don’t expect to climb 20 flights of stairs with no problem. Ease your way into it by walking first and as you feel comfortable, add more of a challenge like walking one flight, running another, etc. Benefits of Stair Exercises Great aerobic and anaerobic workout Free to use Shorter workouts because they are difficult Strengthens the lower body Improves blance & coordination Check out the types of exercises you can do going up and down stairs: Walking Running Hopping Lunges Skipping steps For more advanced workouts you can wear a weighted vest or carry someone on your back they way it is demonstrated in the video below. You can jump rope in between sets. Rubber exercise bands around the ankles and climbing steps side-to-side can be a great resistance exercise. Of course, if you plan on utilizing stairs, be careful because it is easy to take a tumble if you miss a step. Also, remember to warm-up before diving into your workout. Check out the video below of stair exercises. It provides good sample exercises as well as being motivational: Resources: Stair Exercises Training Clinic (Video) Using Stair Exercises to Improve Strength, Power, Flexibility & Conditioning

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It’s All About the Stairs – Butt Kicking Stair Workouts

Funny Fit Clips: Animal Inspiration

Filed under: Fitness , Yoga Aerobics instructors and jazzercise devotees back in the ’80s had no idea how much joy their perfectly feathered hair, matching leotards and corny commentary would bring to us in the future! At That’s Fit, we’re rounding up a few of our favorite funny fitness videos . Some are the real deal, while others are purposely playful, but no matter what, they’re sure to bring a smile to your face. If you have a favorite, please share it with us! Pets are good for your health in a number of ways: They get you outside and walking , and they can lower your stress level (except when they chew on your running shoes, naturally). Every time we see our pooch bow down into a fluid, graceful downward dog, we feel inspired to grab our yoga mats and crank out some asanas of our own. With all the great videos out there featuring animals and yoga, we may never skip a yoga class again! Downward Dog: the Real Deal Your four-legged friend might benefit your health, but you can also help his by involving him in your yoga practice. This clip shows you how to teach your dog, well, downward dog. You know, in case he doesn’t already know it. No Distractions You know how yoga instructors are always telling you to be present and ignore distractions? This one really practices what he preaches — at least until the end of the clip. (Also, does this happen to anyone else when they do yoga at home? Our pets just love to join in!) Stretch Kitteh Likes to Stretch You can’t have an animals and yoga video roundup without Stretch Kitteh! We dare you to watch this video without spreading out your toes and stretching your back. And also without saying, “Awww!” Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Funny Fit Clips: Animal Inspiration

Challenging Myself to Get Healthy — for Real

Filed under: Motivation , Tipping the Scales Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Success! Well, sort of. Last week I had a pretty good few days of healthy eating . I even exercised a few times. I did my usual Tuesday morning weigh-in and found that I’d lost 3.8 pounds! And then things started to slip away again. I started to forget to log my food . I started making poor food choices. And this week’s weigh-in found me gaining 3.2 pounds. Further proof that every day is a new day. Every minute is a new minute. (Tell me if this sounds familiar.) In a moment of weakness, I make a bad eating decision, maybe a doughnut at that early morning meeting. Then I kick myself for it a few hours later. Then lunch rolls around, and I think to myself, “Well, I’ve already messed up today — might as well go all out.” I then proceed to inhale anything and everything I can find, all because that one doughnut ruined my day. Sounds stupid, right? Well, I’ve done it. And I bet you have, too. So it’s time to get serious. I’m tired of bouncing around on this. At the beginning of the year I made that decision. The decision to stop. Sometime around May or June, I lost track of that decision. So now I’ve got to get back on track. Some people like to lose weight in a group . I’m not a big fan of that. I used to go to Weight Watchers meetings. Don’t get me wrong; I like Weight Watchers. I think it’s a solid program that works. For some people. But as much as they’ve tried to gear it toward men recently, it just didn’t work in my stupid male brain. I think my last meeting may have been when one of the ladies in the class was excited because her bra fit better. She went into great detail. Yeah. I can’t relate to that. I’ve done other diets, too. Atkins . South Beach . My favorite was the Weigh Down Workshop . I liked it because she said, “Eat when you’re hungry. Stop eating when you’re full.” Duh. Why haven’t I thought of that? Do you know how hard it is to tell when you’re full? Or even when you’re hungry, for that matter? I really struggled with that. Still do. I still think it makes a lot of sense, but it’s a concept I haven’t mastered yet. Plus, that lady was kind of scary. A Denise Austin/Rachael Ray kind of scary — way too cheerful for her own good. I’ve started up my SparkPeople.com page again and am logging my food. I have to be meticulous about this one. Because if I know that I have to write down that I ate a whole box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I’m less likely to eat it. What I’m really excited about is working out. My wife and kids are starting to come to the gym with me after school. So, now I’ve got built-in workout buddies and accountability. I love it! Another thing I just found today is a challenge by another blogger I read. He has challenged his readers to go a month without soft drinks. This is huge for me. While I choose only diet sodas, I drink a lot of them. I love the large $1 Diet Coke at McDonald’s. But I know it’s not good for me, so reading his challenge got me thinking that I should try that, too. Let me know if you want to try the challenge with me. Now I realize and recognize my mentality. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy. So it’s quite possible that I can overdo it with the goals and make it that much easier for me to fail. But this isn’t too much, right? Just exercising, eating right, journaling and no more soft drinks. It’s not like I’m trying to change my life or anything. Oh, wait. After decades of dieting only to gain it back, two That’s Fit readers have decided to finally rethink their relationship with food and exercise over the next year to move toward a lifetime of fulfilling, healthy living. Come by every week as Ashley and Lee share their successes and challenges as they tip the scale. Find out how Ashley tried to stay healthy during a time of sorrow. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Challenging Myself to Get Healthy — for Real

Fit Buzz: How Do You Switch Up Your Seasonal Exercise Routine?

Filed under: Fitness Getty Here at Fit Buzz, we ask our users, fans and followers a different diet and fitness question each week. Stay tuned for weekly updates! How do you transition from summer to fall exercise? Enn V. Depends. It’s generally too hot to do the walking outside, so I’ve been inside or at the outdoor pool. Fall is a good time to walk outside if it’s not too stormy. I haven’t found a way to do weights outside though, unless you count picking up small children. Anna P. In the spring and summer I usually do a lot of running outside… which carries over into the fall weather permitting. When the weather gets too bad, I change it up by trying a new exercise class or two and I spend more time in the pool and in the weight room. Kevin D. In Minnesota I run outside 4 times a week all year long no matter the weather. No excuse. Jackie H. Head inside with my HOOP! Tracy L. Living in the deep south means its too hot to exercise outside, with fall around the corner, I’ll be able to get outside and walk! Linda W. We stay outside all through the winter, even walk in snow storms, LOL! Karen B. There is relatively no transition in So. California. Fall is beautiful and Winter is the Best But Summer…is way too hot! 108 today and staying inside to take care of my paperwork Tina B. More strength..less cardio Something that’s necessary all year round: water. Find out if this natural resource promotes weight loss. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit Buzz: How Do You Switch Up Your Seasonal Exercise Routine?

A Reader’s Playlist Tested on a Trial Run

Find musical inspiration for your next run from the OnSugar blog Fitter Happier Music is really important to me when I’m working out.  It makes me feel like running and it gives me that push when I’m feeling tired. I recently read a really good post by runningnina on FitSugar about musical motivation and it’s so true for me. I’m not even sure I could run without music. For me, a great running tune has to be upbeat and fast; I also like a few angry hard-hitting rock or rap songs in there.  I was playing around with my playlist on iTunes the other day and managed to delete my whole running playlist from my iPod! Did you know that you can’t restore a playlist if it’s not saved anywhere other than your iPod? No, neither did I. I took my mistimed click as an opportunity to create a new one, which is OK as my old playlist was getting a bit tired. Sometimes you don’t know how good a song will be to run to until you play it, so I (literally) gave it a trial run on Sunday.  The list goes like this: “La La La” - LMFAO (I actually love all of this album for running, you just can’t take it seriously) “Yes” - LMFAO “Somebody Else’s Guy” - Jocelyn Brown “American Boy” - Estelle ft Kanye “EZ Pass” - Har Mar Superstar “Stronger” - Kanye To see who else makes an appearance on this fun playlist, head to over Fitter Happier . While you’re at it, why not start your own running blog on OnSugar?

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A Reader’s Playlist Tested on a Trial Run

Ruffled Tennis Shorts by Fila: Cool or Not?

I can definitely appreciate feminine touches in sportswear. Heck, I’ve even been known to run in a skirt . When it comes to fashionable sports, tennis, featuring short skirts and fun dresses, wins hands down. Courtly fashions have evolved over the years; the simple white separates have been replaced by the likes of Maria Sharapova’s red dress dappled with 600 Swarovski crystals and Venus Williams’s Moulin Rouge-inspired outfit she designed for the French Open. Fila is doing its part to keep the cancan theme alive with its ruffled Fall line of tennis gear, which features these flirty, candy-colored shorts. I am all for ruffles, but these shorts do remind me a bit of tights I wore as I child. Then again, if I could bring my childhood vigor back to the court maybe I would be able to ace some serves. The shorts and the Baseline Women’s Tennis Collection, which they are a part of, are not yet available - look for them in early September. Until then, please tell me what you think . . . Ruffled Tennis Shorts by Fila: Cool or Not? Cool! Not cool. Undecided

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Ruffled Tennis Shorts by Fila: Cool or Not?

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