Spring Danger: First Exposure to Sun

I’m definitely feeling Spring fever now that the snow around me is melting and the temperatures are reaching in the 50s. It’s inspiring me to exercise outdoors and take walks on my lunch break. If Spring is calling you outside as well, I need to act like a mom here for a sec and tell you to be careful of the sun’s rays. In the Winter months, most of us have our skin covered by coats and mittens, and our face is probably the only thing exposed. Hopefully, you’ve already been wearing a daily moisturizer that contains SPF protection, but when you step out into the Spring sunshine for the first time in less clothing, your skin isn’t used to the sun’s strong rays. That can spell danger for anyone, especially those with pale or sensitive skin. Sunburn isn’t the only thing you need to worry about, so keep reading

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Spring Danger: First Exposure to Sun

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

The Stars Work It Out For a Good Cause

While most of Hollywood was swept up in Oscar fever, a few stars traded in their tuxes and gowns for Nike gear and competed in the Roselyn Sanchez Triathlon For Life instead. Kellan Lutz and AnnaLynne McCord were just two of the stars who ran, bike, and swam their way to charity in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Actress Roselyn Sanchez organized the triathlon to raise funds for two Puerto Rican children’s groups: San Jorge Children’s Foundation and La Casa Cuna de San Juan. Other celebs that joined the fun include Eric Winter, Nick Lachey, and Vanessa Milano. The triathlon consisted of two courses: the Sprint (swim 750 meters, bike 12.4 miles, run 3.1 miles) and the Olympic (swim 1500 meters, bike 24.9 miles, run 6.2 miles). To see more pics of the triathlon and the afterparty, read more. View 13 Photos ›

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The Stars Work It Out For a Good Cause

Goddess Body Wants You to Try Hoopnotica

Check out this Hoopnotica workout video from Onsugar blog Goddessbody . When was the last time you picked up a hula hoop? It might be time to revisit this childhood game - it could help you stay fit! Watch as ACE Fitness’s Jessica Matthews picks up a hula hoop for the first time with local hooping instructor Valentina “Unity” Martin. Learn how to get started finding your first hoop and a local class, then watch as Valentina demonstrates what you can expect to learn as a beginner in addition to progressions as you become advanced. Visit YourHoop.com for custom hoops. For more fun fitness videos, start following Goddessbody or start your own OnSugar blog . Maybe we’ll post your story here on FitSugar!

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Goddess Body Wants You to Try Hoopnotica

Did You Watch the Winter Games?

As soon as the closing ceremony for the Vancouver games started, so did my Winter Olympic withdrawals. From the women’s downhill to men’s figure skating , this year’s games did not disappoint. For those of you that may have missed the final count, here’s the top six medal winners by nation. Gold Silver Bronze Total United States 9 15 13 37 Germany 10 13 7 30 Canada 14 7 5 26 Norway 9 8 6 23 Austria 4 6 6 16 Russia 3 5 7 15 Although I got a bunch of my Olympic news and results in real time from Twitter , I spent more than a few nights glued to my set. How about you . . .   Did You Watch the Winter Games? Most definitely, and I am experiencing Olympics withdrawal too. I skipped them and am happy to get back to regular prime time viewing.

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Did You Watch the Winter Games?

Does Watching the Olympics Inspire You to Do Winter Sports?

Watching the Olympics is keeping me up at night! I am so into the Winter games and especially love the skiing, snowboarding, and skating events. Seeing Lindsey Vonn speed down the mountain and Gretchen Bleiler flip around the half-pipe totally inspires me to get out and play in the snow. What about you? Does Watching the Olympics Inspire You to Do Winter Sports? Yes! No way. I’m not into Winter sports.

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Does Watching the Olympics Inspire You to Do Winter Sports?

Does Cold Weather Trigger Your Body to Store Fat?

Ugh. Is it me, or does wintertime always translate to tighter fitting clothes? Just about everyone I know complains about Winter weight gain, but is it just inevitable? Does the cold weather trigger our bodies to hold onto fat so we don’t freeze to death? For some people who live in and are exposed to cold weather in the Winter, some doctors believe our bodies hold on to fat in order to stay warm. But let’s face it - most people aren’t roughing it outside all day and night in freezing temps. So for the rest of us, it’s not the actual cold weather that makes us fatter; it’s the cold weather that causes us to modify our lifestyles , and that is what contributes to bigger numbers on the scale. In Winter, we wear more clothes to cover our bodies up, so we’re less self-conscious about watching what we eat. Plus many of us find we’re less motivated to exercise when the temperatures drop . Not only does staying inside mean we burn fewer calories, but being cooped up can also lead to depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms include specific food cravings, loss of energy, and oversleeping, which all contribute to weight gain. In the cold months, we also crave warm, creamy comfort foods like soup, bread, pasta, and other high-fat carbs. These are much higher in calories than fresh veggies and fruit, which is another reason we end up packing on a spare tire. It doesn’t help that Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day all take place during this cold season, because all those decadent foods don’t do much to help our waistlines. Don’t worry, you’re not doomed to automatically go up a dress size. Check out these tips on how to avoid Winter weight gain .

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Does Cold Weather Trigger Your Body to Store Fat?

Spinning Hands Cheat Sheet

When the ground is covered with snow, getting your fitness on outdoors can be quite a challenge. Spinning is one of the best ways to keep your cardio up during the cold months of Winter without braving the elements, so be sure to check out a class. Like every workout, though, there is some jargon involved, and some spin instructors throw out numbers for the hand positions without explaining exactly where you are supposed to grip the handlebars. Not all classes use these hand positions, but if you take a class trademarked as Spinning , you will likely hear these numbers coming from your spin instructor as she tells you to stand and sprint. Here is a little cheat sheet so you know where your hands go while you pedal away. Position 1: Hands placed in the center of the handles. You can place the hands one on top of the other in this position. This is a good spot when warming up, cooling down, or recovering from a sprint interval. Position 2: Hands are just inside the upward curve on the handle bars. This is where your hands will most likely be for most of the class. Position 3: Hands hold on to the top of the handles. This position should really only be used when standing for a climb. If you use it seated, you can strain your back. Do you spin? Tell me how you feel about spinning in the comments section below.

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Spinning Hands Cheat Sheet

Two Winter Running Essentials

If a little cold, snow, and ice won’t keep you from running outside, then I’m with you. Nothing beats Winter running , because it feels so good to breathe in the cool, crisp air. Plus you hardly ever have to worry about overheating, like you do in the Summer. You do need to outfit yourself with some quality gear in order to stay warm and dry. Here are two essentials I don’t head outside for a run without. For my noggin, I’m in love with the Smartwool Basic Cuffed Beanie ($24). Your head loses a lot of heat, so you need to keep it warm while running in the Winter air. Wear a hat that’s too thick or warm, and you’ll end up sweating and your head will freeze. On the other hand, if you wear a hat that’s too thin, you’ll end up with a cold head, and for me, that translates to a headache. This Smartwool Beanie, made of a double layer of merino wool, is thick enough to warm your head and ears, but the wool wicks moisture away from your scalp and forehead in case you start to sweat. If you get really hot, this hat is so flexible, you can easily ball it up and stuff it in your pocket. Not a fan of purple? It also comes in other colors: black, white, and stripes. Check out my new favorite running mittens when you read more. I used to wear lightweight fleece-lined running gloves from Outdoor Research , but on super chilly days, I’d end up balling my hands up inside to keep my fingers warm. Then I discovered that OR makes lightweight mittens. They sent me a pair of PL 400 Mitts ($35) to try, and as soon as I slipped then on, my hands instantly felt warm and cozy. They’re lined with a double layer of fleece, so they’re extra warm for bitterly cold days. These mitts are actually meant to be liners for ski or snowboarding mittens, but they work great on their own for Winter running. My hands stayed completely toasty, and toward the end of my run, my palms even started to sweat a little. So I took them off and used the hand clips to attach the mittens to each other so they wouldn’t get lost. I love the handy loops sewn to the opening of each mitten to make them easier to pull on. Another great feature is that the outer palm of each mitten and thumb has silicone grippy stuff on it, so you can easily pick up your iPod if it falls or hold on to your dog’s leash. All you Winter runners out there will love these two pieces of gear. If you’re struggling with the simple act of staying warm and dry, these two essentials have got you covered. Love running no matter the weather? Then join RunningSugar our community group dedicated to running.

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Two Winter Running Essentials

Why Stephen Colbert Is My Hero

There are so many reasons to love Stephen Colbert, but he just stole my heart again. Upon learning the US Speed Skating team had lost their sponsor - a banking firm that went belly up in the financial meltdown - Colbert rallied his fans to donate the necessary $300,000 to the team using his TV show, The Colbert Report , as a fundraising platform and to simultaneously cheerlead the less popular Winter Olympic Games. When interviewing short track skater and medal contender Katherine Reutter, NPR explains how Colbert poetically highlighted the differences between the Summer and Winter games: “Let’s trash talk the Summer Games for just a second.” Colbert ripped into Summer Olympics swimming sensation Michael Phelps. “How easy is it to swim through water?” Colbert asked. Turning to Reutter, he added. “You run on top of water with samurai swords strapped to your feet.” The US speed skating team will even wear a badge reading Colbert Nation on their “billboard thighs.” Stephen’s influence on the sports and fitness world reaches far, wide, and high - last Spring NASA named its treadmill used in space COLBERT , an acronym for Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill. And don’t be thinking that lotus position in the photo above has been photoshopped; over at Yoga Dork , Colbert tied with Matthew McConaughey for sexiest male celebriyogi of 2009. Are you pumped for the Olympics? Get to know the Ladies of Vancouver here . Source: Sports Illustrated

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Why Stephen Colbert Is My Hero

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