3 Ways to Get More Out of Your Runs

Running is just about the best form of exercise (if your knees and back can take it) for so many reasons. It’s cheap, you can do it anywhere, it burns major calories, and tones your thighs and booty beautifully. There are also many ways you can change up the way you run in order to get a more effective workout. Try these techniques the next time you lace up your sneaks. Mix up your terrain : Doing so offers varying degrees of shock absorption for your joints and feet, so changing up your exercise terrain strengthens the muscles around your hips, knees, and ankles in different ways. Instead of sticking to the treadmill all the time, try to alternate your workouts between pavement, grass, dirt trails, sand, track, and your beloved treadmill. Don’t fear hills : Whether you’re on a treadmill or the open road, add incline to your workouts. Uphills will burn more calories, strengthen your leg muscles even more, and build your endurance. Then when you run on flat surfaces, you’ll be faster and able to run longer distances. Vary your steps : Many runners suffer from repetitive stress injuries because they run the same way all the time. You can help prevent pain by varying your steps throughout your run. Try shortening or lengthening your stride, running with high knees, running in a zigzag pattern, skipping, or running sideways. You may get some funny looks if you’re outside, but you can smile knowing you’re avoiding injury.

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3 Ways to Get More Out of Your Runs

5 Treadmill Gripes - and 5 Solutions

I’ll admit that I’m kind of annoyed that the extremely hot and humid weather has forced me to move my runs inside. I prefer jogging in the fresh air, and there are many reasons I hate the treadmill. I’m sure you can relate, so here are five easy ways to make your treadmill time more fun and enjoyable. Gripe Solution It’s way too boring. Staying in one place can have its downfalls, so make it fun by listening to a book on tape, learning a language , watching a movie or TV show, perusing a magazine , or listening to a great running mix . It’s too loud. You can’t stop the noise, but you can prevent yourself from hearing it (especially that annoying guy trying to pick you up) by wearing a set of good noise-blocking headphones. To see the rest read more.

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5 Treadmill Gripes - and 5 Solutions

Would Stomping on Mel Gibson Motivate You to Work Out?

While perusing the Internet today, I came across this image on Animal . I was going to write a picture is worth a thousand words, but this photo is truly all about the text. Please read and let me know what you think. While I feel running quietly on the treadmill is better form, I am wondering if . . . Source: Elise Glaser Would Stomping on Mel Gibson Motivate You to Work Out? Yes! Nope Mel who?

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Would Stomping on Mel Gibson Motivate You to Work Out?

Real Housewife Caroline Manzo Drops 20 Pounds

Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo is proving that you can still enjoy Italian food and lose weight in the process. The reality star showed up to the premiere of Grown Ups in a pair of skinny jeans, showing off her new figure and 20-pound weight loss. Caroline told People that her secret to losing weight has been eating less and keeping things lighter as the day goes on. “I eat what I want. I just eat the bad things earlier on in the day . . . If I want pasta, I have it for lunch instead of for dinner. That’s all. If I want a piece of cheesecake, I have half instead of a whole.” Besides practicing portion control, Caroline has been spending time on the treadmill - at least least three times a week for 45 minutes. Caroline, 49, started to make these lifestyle changes in March because she was concerned with potential health issues. When I was married, I was 92 lbs. I’m tiny. I’m only 5′1″. And once I hit 40, I always say the wheels fell off. Now, I’ll be 49 in August, so it’s the time. Now I really have to start thinking about [my weight] because the metabolism is slowing down. And health issues could start kicking in now. So I just want to be aware of my body and start taking really good care of it.”

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Real Housewife Caroline Manzo Drops 20 Pounds

A Healthy Bite: Christina Ricci

“I do a lot of walking on my treadmill because I injured myself once jogging. Now I just walk on an incline . . . I really try to do something physically active every day.”   - Christina Ricci on how she stays in such great shape. Christina also told Us Weekly she tried to get her boyfriend - photographer Curtis Buchanan - to buy her the Brazil Butt Lift DVD workout series after watching the infomercial. No word from Curtis if he’s complying. Like what Christina has to say? Check out what other Healthy Bites celebs are saying these days.

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A Healthy Bite: Christina Ricci

Pump Up the Incline Like Jennifer Aniston

Always in shape Jennifer Aniston doesn’t stay slim by thinking about fitness - she works for it. A source told Us Weekly , “She’s obsessed with staying fit and young.” The 41-year-old has been shooting her latest movie Just Go With It , and in order to feel confident wearing a bikini on the set , she hits the Four Seasons gym everyday for at least an hour, and sometimes more. A guest at the hotel said, “I saw her on the treadmill, and it was angled all the way up.” Jen knows how to maximize her time on the treadmill. Cranking the incline helps you burn more calories than if you keep the machine set to a zero grade. After a 30-minute workout at a 10-minute-per-mile pace, you’ll burn 270 calories with no incline, 363 with a five percent incline, 420 with a 10 percent incline, and 482 with a 15 percent incline (crazy steep, I know). Not only will you burn an extra 100 calories or more, but the steep slope also helps tone your tush, thighs, and calves, problem areas for many women. It’ll also build strength and endurance , so when you run outside on flatter surfaces, you’ll move faster and with more ease. The next time you’re hitting the treadmill, add a little uphill action to your walking or running workout. Not a fan of the gym? Then opt for hills outside or go hiking.

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Pump Up the Incline Like Jennifer Aniston

Fit of Fiction: Can Standing Help Me Lose Weight?

Filed under: Fitness , Fit or Fiction Is sitting really so bad for my health? And if I spent more time standing would it help me lose weight ? — Amanda, N.J. I have a beautiful pine desk with lots of workspace and a top-of-the-line chair in my office. Everything I need for work is within arm’s reach or just a short chair-roll away. And yet, for the past few weeks, I have been working on a cramped counter top near my kitchen with no chair. The arrangement requires me to stand most of the day and take several trips an hour to my desk to get the resources and materials I need. Why would I do this? Because I am convinced that sitting is killing me. It’s making it harder to maintain a healthy weight and keep my muscles toned and it’s upping my risk of diabetes , heart disease and certain cancers . It could be doing the same to you. Scientists are becoming increasingly alarmed about what sitting for extended periods of time does to the body, even if you are a dedicated exerciser like I am. A recent editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine by Swedish scientists suggested that we factor the amount of time spent sitting — and not just the amount of time we spend in formal exercise — into daily physical activity considerations. Prolonged sitting promotes a lack of whole-body muscle movement, which the researchers said is the true definition of sedentary behavior. Think about how much time you spend parked on your butt: commuting to work, at your desk, eating meals, going to the movies or the theater, watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Internet. Chances are, you even drive to the gym to spend an hour or so working up a sweat and doing something good for your heart and muscles. Sitting may seem harmless because it’s so comfortable. But in terms of calorie burn , it’s a disaster. Sitting at your desk burns about 80 calories an hour whereas standing burns about 115 calories an hour. A 35 calorie per hour difference may seem paltry until you do the math. For arguments sake, let’s say you spend about five hours a day in your chair (though a U.S. survey in 2003 to 2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting). Over the course of the day, that’s a missed opportunity to expend about 175 calories (the equivalent of one pancake 6-inches in diameter, no syrup or butter). Multiply that out for an entire year and it equals nearly 64,000 calories you didn’t burn or a corresponding 18 pounds you either gained or didn’t lose. (For more on calories burned and consumed, click on our calorie estimator tool .) In 2005, researchers at the Mayo clinic found an even greater difference. The heavier subjects they studied tended to sit more than leaner ones who were more fidgety and spent an average of two additional hours a day on their feet. The difference translated into 350 calories a day, enough for the heavy people to prevent a gain of, or take off, 35 pounds a year! But it goes deeper than that. Although scientists admit the relationship between sitting and health needs further study, it appears that muscle movement and muscle contractions play a role in controlling important blood fats . After four hours of sitting, the genes and enzymes regulating the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down. Instead, fat in the blood stream appears to be captured and stored by fat cells all throughout the body but especially around organs such as the kidneys — in terms of disease risk, this is a very dangerous place for fat to settle. Many scientists who study the issue are recommending that you stand as much as possible or at least get up and move frequently. Some people are taking it one step further, literally. A growing number of converts are spending their work hours strolling along on treadmill desks or treadputers . The object is not to work up a sweat while you crunch numbers or write a report, nor is it to abandon your daily sweat session, but rather to increase your calorie burn and muscle usage gently over the course of the day. The usual recommendation is to amble along at about .7 mph or about one step per second. After you get used to this, most say you barely notice you’re moving and the calorie burn now bumps up to about 125 per hour. Once again, using an average of five hours a day, this could help manage over 65 pounds a year — with a barely noticeable effort. If you already have a treadmill in your apartment or office that’s been collecting dust, consider spending the $39 to convert it into a walking desk. You may not want to start out hardcore, strolling along every minute of your day, but even if you only jump on it to watch TV or talk on the phone, think of the possibilities for your waistline and overall health. Also worth a mention: A few weeks ago I wrote about how screen eating may be a contributing factor to the dangers of sitting. You may recall I pointed out the tendency for people to eat more and make worse choices when they mindlessly shovel food into their pie holes like when they are sitting and staring into a screen of some sort. So it’s likely that you’re not only burning fewer calories when you sit, you are also taking in more, too. Since we’ve done such a good job wringing every last bit of movement out of our environment we need all the help we can get in terms of weight loss and overall health. Taking a stand might the answer. Certainly, I am not suggesting you give up on a formal exercise program (please don’t!), but I am curious to know if anyone else is attempting to stand more and if so, have they seen a difference? I would love for someone who is using a treadmill desk to post a comment here or tweet me @lizzyfit to describe their experience. I’ve recommended this strategy to clients with good results and it’s something I’m seriously considering doing myself if I can find an extra cubic centimeter to spare in my NYC apartment. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit of Fiction: Can Standing Help Me Lose Weight?

5 Extremely Helpful Tips From My Trainer [Forum]

I entered a weight loss challenge last year and ended up winning second place! I opted to enroll in a training program to boost my results. Here are five tips my trainer gave me that were paramount to my success: 1. Immediately after waking up in the morning, do a minimum of 15-20 minutes of cardio. This jump-starts your metabolism for the day. It is not nearly as effective if you wait until you’ve showered and drank your morning cup of coffee. 2. If you want to boost fat loss while on the treadmill, walk for 1 minute, then jog for 1 minute, then sprint for 1 minute and repeat that three-minute cycle at least five times. 3. Exercise before you’ve eaten and wait 30 minutes after you exercise to eat. An exception would be a protein shake, which is beneficial during or immediately following a strenuous workout. 4. Eat one cheat meal per week. This actually helps you maintain healthier eating habits during the rest of the week since you know if you’re craving something, you CAN indulge during that meal. Plus, it keeps your body from settling into a routine and ultimately plateauing. 5. When you do indulge, don’t bring it in the house. Make it a single serving treat and be done. I was craving Brownies, so I made a whole pan and ended up eating most of it. Better to pay a little extra and go out for dessert than to have the temptation lingering in the house. You’ll end up paying on the scale anyway. Hope those help! Don’t ever give up. Even if you’re the last one to cross the finish line, you WILL get there! Hugs!!

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5 Extremely Helpful Tips From My Trainer [Forum]

Fit Buzz: How Do You Sneak in Exercise?

Filed under: Fitness Welcome to Fit Buzz, our new column that follows the diet and fitness buzz. Each week we’ll ask our users, fans and followers a question and gather the answers from around the Internet. Stay tuned for weekly updates! How do you sneak in exercise throughout the day? Here’s what our readers are saying: Dana B. I get a workout in before everyone gets up…then one after work before the kids and the beloved get home …. Carolyn G. I work out mainly on the treadmill after dinner while I watch some of favorite tv shows. However during the day, I never go to the restroom on the same level where I work. I always take the stairs to two floors above my office. So I find reasons to take stairs and walk to the store and post office instead of driving whenever possible. Also, now that it’s warm, I try to walk while I wait for my kids’ games to start. Jacquelyn H. I park at the lowest level of the garage and take the stairs. I work out every morning after I drop the kids off at school. I also park in the farthest parking space when I go shopping. Rebekah W. I walk each small piece of laundry to the drawer it belongs in as i fold clothes, walking all over my house back and forth, back and forth instead of making piles and saving them for one trip. Patricia R. Chooses running up and down the stairs…that works. Joyce M. Vacuum, go up and down the stairs, strech when reaching for things, take the dog for a walk, iron (not a big burner but I am standing and moving), when I put away dishes I do one item at a time, more walking. I do water aerobics — I get in the pool early and water jog, that burns off extra when I make it in to the club. Kim H. I ALWAYS park FAR AWAY from the door when shopping, even if it’s raining, and it drives the people with me crazy. But I don’t care, they need the exercise too Valeria A. Laughing and kissing are secret calorie burners..And easy to do=) Carlotta J. I know this sounds silly but if I know that I skipped a workout and I am just vegging on the couch watching TV.. I take every commercial break during my program and do some form of workout… i.e. targeting core areas. Again it seems silly but every bit helps. Keep it Fit! Danielle H. That’s why I love home workouts. You never have to worry about variables, no worries about getting to the gym, no car, no babysitter, no worries! Just put it in the DVD player and PUSH PLAY BABY!!!! Want to fit a little yoga into your day? Try our yoga pose of the week . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Jennifer Love Hewitt Loses Weight Via an Infomercial

Every now and then I get sucked into infomercials that advertise wacky products like the Snuggie , Ab Rocket , or Shake Weights . And though I’ve never ordered anything (yet!), I’ve often wondered if this stuff really works. Actress Jenifer Love Hewitt thinks so. Sounding a bit like an infomercial herself, the star told Us Magazine that she’s been getting results from a $200 fitness machine she bought after seeing an infomercial: “I just got this machine called the Ab Circle Pro - I ordered it off TV, and I love it!” (If you don’t know what the Ab Circle Pro is, it’s billed as a treadmill for your abs and it’s supposed to work your stomach, butt, hips, and thighs.) It’s true that Jennifer is looking slim these days, but she’s also doing a lot more than working out on the Ab Circle Pro. At least three to four times a week, Jennifer works on her upper and lower body. To find out what exercises Jennifer does, read more. Us Magazine says: For her upper body, she says she does “three sets of 20 push-ups, [dumbbell] flys, bench presses, shoulder presses and bicep curls” three to four times per week. She also does the same amount of lunges and squats before focusing on her core and doing 30-second body planks and a few sets of 20 crunches. Jennifer also stays in shape by interval training. When doing the above strength-training moves with her trainer, she also adds 10 minutes on the treadmill or jumping rope into the routine. On days she can’t make it to a one-on-one session, she does 30 minutes of cardio on her own. Have you ever had success with a fitness product you ordered from TV?

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Jennifer Love Hewitt Loses Weight Via an Infomercial

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