Blog Posts by FitSugar

Source: 4 Ways to Start a Healthy Routine For Fall

Now that Summer's unofficially over, it's time to enjoy the still-warm weather and prep for the transitional season. If hectic back-to-school schedules have caught up with you, here are four ways to set up a healthy routine to stick with.

• Go outside: The oppressive heat of Summer is slowly dissipating, so now's the time to enjoy the outdoors before it gets too cold. Taking a normal gym routine outside helps challenge muscles and endurance, making you better at your workout.
• Make your lunch: Besides saving money, you'll save calories as well. And with a little planning, making lunch for the week doesn't have to take a lot of time. Do your prep all at once to make it easier, and get in a habit of making enough for dinner so you can revamp leftovers the next day. Keep your brown bag lunch healthy and easy to make with these lessons for a healthy lunch.
• Don't skip breakfast: With new schedules and obligations, it

Source: Where You Eat Can Help You Lose Weight

What and how much you eat is extremely important when it comes to losing weight, but did you know where you eat can also be key? Eating in the wrong places can actually make you consume more or encourage you to snack on things you normally wouldn't. When you enjoy meals and snacks, make sure it's in one of these places.

• In public: When people eat alone, they tend to let go and may end up eating three times more than they normally would. If weight loss is your goal, try to eat in front of at least one other person. Even if you're alone, go out to eat at places such as at an Internet café, on a park bench, or at a coffee shop where other people are around. When you eat in public, it makes you conscious and accountable for what you put in your mouth, so you're less likely to overeat or eat foods you normally wouldn't.
• At the kitchen table: We've all been there - standing in front of an open fridge or cupboard, inhaling

Source: Practice Makes Perfect: Sticking to a Yoga Routine at Home

Building a home yoga practice can be a beautiful gift, but making it stick can be a little overwhelming. For beginners, getting hands-on attention from a teacher is your best bet for a strong foundation, but if you're strapped for cash, there's no need to cut down on your yoga. Both seasoned students and newbies can benefit from these tips to create a sustainable home practice.

• Start slow: There's no need to dive into a 45-minute sequence from the get-go. Start with just 15 or 20 minutes when creating your home practice. You'll be more likely to stay committed to your new routine if the length of your practice doesn't seem so daunting. Start with our 20-minute total-body yoga sequence.
• Timing's everything: Every day, do your best to hit your mat at the same time. Whether you go for first thing in the morning or once you're home from work, starting a stable routine will train your mind to crave yoga time.

Source: 3 Terrifically Tasty Ways to Snack on Tomatoes

Juicy and sweet, tomatoes are full of antioxidants such as lycopene and beta-carotene. They're also still in season, making now the time to use up the last fruits in your garden, or find them pretty cheap at the grocery store or farmers market. Aside from enjoying them alone, here are some healthy snack ideas using delicious Summer tomatoes.

• Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Bites:If you're a pizza-holic, try these gluten-free quinoa bites, which are packed with fiber and protein. This savory recipe is made with cherry tomatoes and makes a delicious snack or appetizer.
• Easy Bruschetta:Made with tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, this satisfying recipe for bruschetta is a cinch to whip up. Top it on sliced pieces of toasted baguette, and you'll feel like you're taking a bite right out of Summer.
• Cheesy Vegan Stuffed Tomatoes: You'll never guess that these gorgeous-looking roasted

Source: Going Solo: Reasons It's Better to Run Alone

There are plenty of benefits to exercising with a buddy, but sometimes it's better to sweat it out alone. Here are some reasons why you'll want to lace up your sneaks and hit the trail or treadmill alone.

• A better workout: Running alone means you get to make all the decisions about when, where, how fast, and how long to run. This is great if you're training for a race and need to do speed work or cover a certain distance within a specific time frame.
• Tunes: Listening to music is one of the most effective ways to put a little pep in your step, beat boredom, and keep you going longer, but you can't exactly slip on headphones while running with a buddy - that'd be pretty rude.
• Me time: Many people use exercise as a way to reduce stress, to think, or to meditate. It's much harder to do this when your buddy is blabbing in your ear.
• No missed workouts: It's great to be able to rely on only yourself for

Source: Tips to Make Grocery Shopping Even Healthier

Buying fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains are easy ways to make grocery shopping healthier, but as with everything, there's always room for improvement, right? Here are some ways to make a trip to the market even healthier.

• Skip on Sundays: On the weekend, Saturday is often the day to relax or do something fun, and Sunday is for errands like grocery shopping. With so many people shopping on this day, you're left with one quart of rotten strawberries and a few bunches of wilted kale. Ask someone in the produce department what day they normally get a big shipment in, and switch up your shopping days to ensure the best supply of fresh fruits and veggies.
• Once is not enough: The produce you buy may be crisp and fresh when you bring it home, but when you go to make a salad five days later, it's so wilted or bruised that it ends up in the compost bin. Even when you store fruits and veggies so they last a long

Source: 4 Monday Metabolism Boosters

So you splurged a little too much over the weekend and skipped hitting your usual workouts. Don't let two days of bad choices turn into a weeklong of bad habits. Get back on track this Monday and incorporate these metabolism boosters.

• Whole grains for your timely breakfast: Skipping breakfast to make up for the extra calories consumed during a decadent Sunday brunch can actually slow your metabolism down, so be sure to eat a healthy meal first thing Monday morning. Eat it within an hour or so of waking to really get your metabolism going, and go for whole grains and citrus fruits. Sip on a cup of caffeinated coffee or green tea for an added boost.
• Get snacky: Eating often throughout the day can keep your metabolism going so don't skip that morning snack to save room for an enormous lunch. Eat five or six smaller snacks or meals (every three to four hours) in place of the typical three meals a day.
• Get spicy: Choose a lunch

FitSugarSource: The 6 Foods Every Runner Needs to Eat

A runner doesn't need to follow a strict or special diet to be in tip-top shape, but there are a few foods every runner needs to fuel her workouts, improve performance, and speed up recovery time. Keep reading to find out which foods do a runner's body good.

• Quinoa: Runners need sustained energy to fuel intense trainings or lengthy runs. Complex carbs like quinoa, oats, and whole wheat are absorbed slowly, offering the body a steady energy supply. For an added bonus, they also supply a good amount of necessary protein. Because complex carbs take longer to digest, they should be consumed a couple hours before a workout.
• Bananas: A runner can't survive on simple carbs alone, but they're a great way to get quick energy 15 minutes or so before a workout (or even during an endurance run). Choose small servings of foods that are low in fiber to prevent digestive upset. Snack on half a banana, a handful of grapes, or a few