Blog Posts by FitSugar

POPSUGAR FitnessSource: Take Charge! 5 Things You Can Do to Reduce Cellulite

You're trying on a new swimsuit, and when you turn around to see your cute tush, you notice something not so cute - cellulite. When fat cells push up against our skin and the fibrous tissue that connects our skin to our muscle pulls down, we're left with dimply, orange-peel-looking flesh. Although you can't get rid of cellulite completely - and just about all women have it - here are five things you can do to reduce its appearance.

• Melt Away Fat With Cardio: Cellulite is a type of fat, and the tried-and-true way to get rid of fat is to burn it off. Intense cardio workouts such as running, cycling, hiking up hills, or taking cardio classes are your greatest weapon. Note that it may take several months to decrease your overall percentage of body fat and notice a difference in your skin's appearance.
• Tone Up: Once you decrease the fat on your body, tone strong, lean muscle by doing strength-training moves that

Source: How to Add Strength Training to Outdoor Runs

Hitting the open road has many benefits over running on a treadmill - fresh air and sunshine, gorgeous scenery to prevent boredom, and you can also run with your four-legged fitness buddy. You also have more freedom of movement to incorporate muscle-toning moves into your runs, and here's how.

• Run baby run: While running in general will tone your legs and booty, adding sprinting intervals is even more effective. Incorporate 30- to 60-second bursts throughout your workout and you're sure to feel your lower body working. Since you're outside, you can use landmarks to motivate you such as sprint to the stop sign or until you see five red cars, or if you're on a track, sprint the straights.
• Walk this way: Sprints aren't the only type of interval you can include. When you need to catch your breath after a sprint, throw in a few sets of walking lunges to target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
• Head for the

Source: 5 Reasons You've Hit the Dreaded Weight-Loss Plateau

You were happily losing weight eating right and exercising, but with five more pounds left to go, the scale stopped budging. Find out what can cause weight loss to hit a wall and what you can do about it.

• I'm all about breakfast, lunch, and dinner: When counting and restricting your calorie intake, it makes sense to eat fewer times a day. The problem with this is it can make blood sugar levels rise and fall like a roller coaster, which slows down metabolism. Keep that metabolism going strong by eating throughout the day, every few hours. Keep those three meals, but sprinkle 150-calorie snacks in between.
• I'll just have a salad: Just as eating too many calories can cause you to hit a weight-loss wall (or even gain weight), not eating enough calories can also prevent you from slimming down. If your body senses that it's not getting enough, your metabolism will slow down and hold onto fat. So be sure not to skip

Source: Nighty Night: Soothing Summer Sleep Tips

You go to bed exhausted with the sweet scent of sunscreen after a long day in the sun, but all you can do is toss and turn. Here are some things to try before bed to ensure a well-rested Summer's night of sleep.

• Eat at your normal time: Even though it stays lighter much later, it doesn't mean you should push dinnertime to 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can cause digestive upset and heartburn, making you too uncomfortable to fall asleep. If hot weather makes you crave ice cream after dinner, be sure to enjoy it at least an hour or two before hitting the hay so the sugar doesn't pep you up.
• Kick back with a refreshing iced herbal tea: There's something about Summer weather that makes us want to reach for a cold beer or margarita, but drinking too much alcohol at night can cause fragmented sleep. Enjoy one alcoholic beverage to satisfy your craving, and if you still need to quench your thirst, go

Source: How to Deal With Allergies on a Run

You can be excused if your excitement to finally run in good weather has been dampened by a stretch of runny noses, itchy eyes, and nonstop sneezing. Allergy discomfort can be enough to prevent anyone from wanting to skip their daily workout, so keep sneezing and sniffling at a minimum with these tips for dealing with allergies while on your outdoor runs.

Check the counts: Some days are just made for the treadmill, especially if high pollen counts would mean you'd be suffering through your entire outdoor run. Make a habit of checking pollen and mold counts every day, and ditch your outdoor exercise when counts are the highest. Try Pollen.com for forecasts in your area. If you're not quite sure what triggers your allergies, then go to the doctor for an allergy skin test that will help you figure out what to watch out for.

Pick your time: Pollen counts are usually the highest in the mornings, so if you are feeling sneezy and stuffed up

POPSUGAR FitnessSource: The Top 10 High-Fiber Foods to Eat Every Week

If losing weight, staying regular, and reducing your risk of certain cancers is on your mind, then fiber should be too. Getting your fill - 25 to 30 grams a day - is proven to keep you feeling fuller longer so you eat fewer calories. Roughage is also important for keeping your digestive system happy, and more importantly, fiber has also been shown to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers. Keep reading to learn which foods are the highest sources so you can start including them in your diet.

• Avocado: Nosh on avocado snacks or add slices to your salad. Half a cup offers 6.7 grams of fiber. This fruit is also a great source of healthy fats that can help to reduce belly bloat.
• Raspberries: Full of vitamin C and healthy antioxidants, this Summer fruit is only 64 calories per cup but offers a whopping eight grams of fiber. Add fresh berries to your cereal, put frozen berries into your morning smoothies, or whip up a

Source: Recovery Rules: Should You Ice or Heat Your Injury?

There's a fine line when it comes to heating and icing an injury. While some injuries are acute (a sudden sprain or strain) and others chronic (often long-term as the result of overuse), there are specific ways to go about heating and icing for maximum recovery. If you aren't so sure when to grab the frozen peas or plug in the heating pad, use this guide during your rehab to keep you strong and performing at your best.

If you are stiff, sore, or have a chronic injury - bring on the heat! A heating pad or hot compress is ideal to relieve the aches and pains of overused muscles because it increases the elasticity of joint tissues and stimulates blood flow. About 20 minutes of heat also helps to loosen tissues and relax injured areas, meaning it's very beneficial before workouts that often irritate reoccurring injuries. One rule of thumb: do not heat a new injury! When an injury first occurs,

Source: Allergy Symptoms vs. Cold Symptoms

As we transition from cold and flu season to allergy season, it can be challenging to determine why your nose is running - is it a cold or is it allergies? Sorting through symptoms to determine what is causing your runny nose, a virus or pollen, will help you better manage your symptoms. Here is the list comparing the symptoms of the common cold with those that accompany seasonal allergies that should help you figure out what is going on with your nose.

Itchy nose: Although allergies and colds both produce a runny nose and congestion, allergies create the uncomfortable and persistent itchy nose. The itch generally occurs in the back of the nose and is difficult to "scratch." Folks suffering from nasal pruritus (the fanciest way in the world to say "itchy nose") often scrunch up their faces, like a bunny, to try to alleviate the discomfort.

The sneeze: Sneezing frequently, and sometimes quietly, is common with allergies. Allergy sneezes are