How to Jump-Start Your 2012 Workout Action Plan

f you're the type of person who likes to set New Year's resolutions each year, then you've probably already come up with some fitness-related goals to add to the list. With the holidays soon coming to a close, it can be difficult to carve out some time to plan for the next 12 months, which is why I've come up with some easy tips to help you get...

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The Burning Question: Is Doing a Detox a Good Idea?

NO: It's risky — and you don't need it. Glenn Braunstein, MD, professor and chairman, department of medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Our bodies have built-in detoxifiers. The liver, the kidneys, and the colon are naturally designed to remove toxins and eliminate them through our waste, so there's no need for additional help. A...

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3 Must-Have Items For New Year Fitness Goals

For a lot of us, the New Year equals a fresh start, and getting healthy and fit seems to be on everyone's mind. Regardless of what your fitness goals might be, it's never too early to start the journey. Here are a few items to get now, which will help ensure that 2012 is your fittest year ever! Planner or calendar: There's something about scheduling...

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Quick Fixes For When You Have Overindulged

While we'd all love to be more conscious of portion sizes to help reduce holiday weight gain, all it takes is a cheese ball here, and a pigs in a blanket there, and those innocent bite-sized holiday treats can produce an explosion of heartburn and bloating in your belly. If you went a little overboard at the hors d'oeuvres table (or the main course),...

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Celebrate Winter Solstice With Sun Salutation A

Although it feels like we were just talking about bikini workouts and sunscreen, December 22 is the first day of Winter — the Winter Solstice. You can celebrate by getting outside for a Winter run, cooking up a hearty pot of soup, or do like the yogis do: perform 108 Sun Salutations, a practice called Mala. The number 108 is considered sacred in...

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Get the Bod: Katie Holmes

Last year, Katie Holmes worked out on her birthday. The actress is a huge fan of spinning, and to celebrate her b-day, we're bringing you tips from her her spin instructor, Audrey Adler. Learn three moves Audrey using a stationary...

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Is Going on a Juice Fast a Good Idea?

Going on a juice cleanse, or drinking nothing but pressed juices extracted from fruits and vegetables, has been all the rage lately. The idea sounds like a good one — combat the effects of a wild night out or a life of indulgent eating with a few days or weeks of "detox" to rid your body of lurking toxins. Backed by celebrities and celebrity...

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Get Fit Challenge 5: A Reader's Treadmill Workout

I really enjoy walking or running outdoors, but it's been way too cold here in VA for outdoor workouts so I've been a gym rat for the past few months. Here's one of my recent treadmill workouts. I like it because it switches from walking to running and also changes inclines, keeps your mind busy, and goes by faster than if you were doing the same...

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From the Community: Beat Boredom With This 40-Minute Treadmill Workout

Caught in a rut on the treadmill? FitSugar reader FitFabCities has created a 40-minute treadmill workout that is certain to get you excited about the gym again! I'm not afraid to say it: I love the treadmill. I know, I know, my fellow runners out there probably gasp in horror at the thought of spending even 30 minutes "running but going nowhere,"...

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Why You Aren't Toning Up With Strength Training

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar! If you aren't seeing the results you want and you know you're putting in the effort, it might be because you're not getting the most from your strength training workouts. Tempo is an oft overlooked, but pivotal aspect to toning and strengthening muscles. Tempo is the pace...

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What's Your Favorite Way to Strength Train?

Any comprehensive workout routine includes a few days of strength training, for good reasons. Having more muscles helps you burn more calories, not to mention the fact that a good set of muscles help your body look its defined best. When it comes to choosing how you tend to your muscles, the possibilities are endless. For me, having a trainer was...

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4 Don'ts For Your Next Breakfast

When it comes to meals, breakfast is the champ. Instead of grabbing a muffin at the coffee shop to fuel your day, give the mealtime the attention it deserves. Here are four don'ts for the most important meal of the day. Don't skip it: Eating breakfast helps jump-start your metabolism after it slows down during your sleep. Not only that, but eating...

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3 Good Reasons to Work Out in the Morning

Now that you've reaped that extra hour of sleep over the weekend, you may be annoyed at the fact that the end of daylight savings means that your days seem so much shorter. But instead of wasting that extra hour of morning sunlight still in bed, here are three good reasons for switching your workout to take advantage of the early morning daylight....

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500 Calories a Day? The 3 Worst Fad Diets of 2011

From The Tapeworm Diet to The Baby Food Diet to the Cookie Diet, we've witnessed some truly bizarre weight-loss fads over the years.Thankfully, according to the Calorie Control Council's list of the top 5 diet trends for 2011, this year, the focus will shift away from extreme or restrictive diets and onto sustainable lifestyle changes that incorporate...

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Is the HCG Diet Safe?

Have you been convinced by the constant barrage of HCG diet testimonials? The diet has recently become the talk of the Internet, even though it was developed over 60 years ago. The HCG diet claims this: HCG (or human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone found in pregnant women, is supposedly responsible for releasing stored fat to feed the baby in...

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The Right Way to Strength Train

You probably know that strength training is important, but do you know if you are strength training enough? Or how many days you should rest in order to give your muscles ample time to rest and repair? Before grabbing your dumbbells, read up on tips for starting a strength training routine safely.  Fatigue Is Your FriendTo build strength,...

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Tone the Jelly: 5 Moves Toward Terrific Thighs

The chilly, Winter weather often makes us gravitate toward warm, creamy comfort foods, and baggy, fuzzy sweaters are an easy way to hide the extra poundage in your midsection. Unfortunately, skinny jeans are all the rage making toned thighs the star attraction of wintry fashion. So step it up and incorporate these moves – from easy to difficult –...

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How Celebrity Trainers and Nutritionists Stay Healthy on Black Friday

For the patient and well prepared among us, Black Friday can mean significant-discount shopping. For the rest of us, it can mean braving the crowds, dealing with hunger pangs, and ignoring achy feet only to get back to the house empty-handed. No matter which Black Friday camp you belong to, chances are that if you are shopping today, you'll need...

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Don't Just Stand There! 7 Stretches For Waiting in Line

1.Back Arch Sore back from standing too long? Encourage a little torso mobility with this stretch. Stand with your feet hips-distance apart. Place your hands on your lower back with your fingertips pointing up. Engage your core and gently lean back, keeping your hips over your feet. Gaze up toward the ceiling. Hold here for 30 seconds or...

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Yoga Class Fears (and How to Overcome Them)

As one of yoga's biggest fans, I'm always trying to persuade newbies to try a class. Whether you suffer from pain, stress, or you just want to get in shape for ski season, I'm convinced yoga is the answer. The problem is, some people are afraid to try yoga. Here are some popular yoga class fears and how to get over them. "I'm worried I'll pass...

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5 Tips For Strength-Training Newbies

Aside from toned and sculpted muscles, strength training can also make you a better runner, cyclist, or swimmer. Increasing your muscle mass also increases your metabolism since muscles burn calories at a higher rate than fat. These are all great reasons to include strength training in your routine. If you're new to the scene, here are some helpful...

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6 Things I Always Do Before Heading Out For a Run

After noshing on a little preworkout snack I always do six things before heading outside for a run. Check the weather: It may look like blue skies, but that can change any second, especially in Vermont. Before getting all layered up, I take a peek at my local forecast map to stay on the lookout for any precipitation or storms headed my way so...

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4 Things I Wish I'd Known at the Start of My Weight Loss Journey

No stranger to the Freshman 15 in college, in fact, I experienced something closer to the Freshman 30. It wasn't until I saw a photo of myself heading into my sophomore year that I realized I was carrying quite a few extra pounds and that it was time to do something about it. It took me a very long time to lose the weight (we're talking not until...

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How to Burn More Calories on Your Next Run

 Running is an awesome way to lose weight because it burns mega calories and tones your lower body. If you want to burn even more calories the next time you are on a run, try these three tips. Raise the incline: Running on a flat surface for 30 minutes burns 270 calories*, but if you raise the incline up five percent, you'll burn 363 calories....

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Will Yoga Help Me Lose Weight?

Trying to slim down and wondering if yoga is the answer? In order to lose weight, you need to burn calories, and like anything physical, doing yoga can help you achieve that goal, but it depends on what style of yoga you do. You want to choose vigorous vinyasa, power, or ashtanga classes rather than slower-paced styles such as kripalu or iyengar....

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What's the Best Piece of Fitness Advice You've Ever Received?

When starting any new fitness routine, you often look to the experts for tips and advice. But the sheer amount of advice out there can be daunting for any fitness newbie. Beginning runners, for example, often find taking up the pastime difficult because the sheer amount of advice out there gets confusing, according to a New York Times article....

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Quick Tip: Buddy Up For a Private Lesson

Private lessons aren't something you sign up for on the fly. While they are effective, they can be an investment — thousands of dollars spent in the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Many gyms or studios, however, have an option where you can sign up for personal classes with one or two other people. Whether you're jonesing to take a few sessions...

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