Blog Posts by FitSugar

Busy days, hectic schedules, and long hours at the office have us trying to fit in as much productivity during the workday as possible. Naturally, scarfing down lunch while you work is an easy solution, but it may not be the best idea for your sanity, productivity, or health. Below, five reasons it's a good idea to eat lunch anywhere but your desk.

• Your desk isn't the cleanest place to eat. On average, your mouse carries 846 germs per square inch, while your keyboard contains 719. Ew.
• You could use the time to take a walk. Americans walk less than people in most other countries. Walking carries a host of health benefits - but you have to take at least 5,000 steps each day to enjoy them!
• You'll miss out on social time. Even if it's just sitting at a table in a different part of the office, take some time away from your computer screen and in front of co-workers. This face time will not only be a nice break from a monotonous day, it will also help you bond

Fall is only just starting, and I'm already in gaga mode over all the new produce at seeing at the farmers market. While I'm definitely digging on apples and pears, my heart belongs to pumpkins. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin curry, pumpkin pie - if it has pumpkin in it, I'm there. If you're a pumpkin-hol

Besides teaching important values like responsibility, determination, and teamwork, organized sports for children provide fitness foundations that can last a lifetime. I spent 14 years as a gymnast (10 of those competitive), and while I haven't been up on a balance beam in years, I learned plenty of fitness lessons that I've carried with me from my years of chalk dust and glitter.

• Balance: This is an obvious one; after all, flipping heels-over-head on a four-inch balance beam requires a whole lot of balance. I developed a good sense of balance at an early age and now know that a good sense of balance helps with things like muscle tone and even repairing damaged brain pathways.
• Eye contact: I was a shy child, but incredibly competitive. In competition, a huge part of a floor routine is showmanship - smiles and eye contact with the judges included. It took me several years of competing to move out of "shrinking violet" mode and into "ham it up" mode, but the

You know, there's a lot of mumbo- jumbo health advice out there that's easy to write off - don't eat carbs, but eat ALL the bacon you want! But somewhere between the crackpot ideas and sound advice, there's also stuff that sounds pretty believable. To help you wade through the murk, we've deflated three popular fitness myths so you don't have to.

• No pain, no gain. This catchphrase was born sometime in the '80s, probably around the time aerobics instructors began chanting, "Feel the burn - doesn't it feel so good?!" Uh, no. Pain isn't pretty, people! It's your body's way of saying, "Hey can we stop for a minute or pick up where we left off tomorrow?" And while a little soreness after a workout is OK, pay attention to your body. Overdoing it means you could be out for days - even weeks. If you hurt during a workout, make sure you're doing the exercise correctly, take a break, or call it a day.
• A six-pack is only 100 sit-ups away. The downside: fat doesn't turn into

San Francisco has a case of Giants fever; it's the first time in seven years that our city's baseball team is making it to the playoffs, and people are stoked! This weekend while "watching" the game, I asked if the World Series was on - hey, people seemed really excited! - and had to have baseball leagues, playoffs, and pinch hitting explained to me several times. But just because I fit the stereotype of women and sports not mixing, it doesn't mean I can't spin them a little for my own enjoyment.
A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I spent an afternoon at the batting cages. Besides being a great date, hitting a ball that was coming toward me at 35 mph was a fun workout, and it helped me appreciate the sport. But why stop at the cages?

• Fore (play!): Since I'm pretty bad at mini golf, "real" golf is not happening for me - I'll take pirate ships and windmills over a sand trap, any day. Driving ranges, on the other hand, are a whole different story: no course that takes hours to

The following post was written by Olympic athlete and mom Kerri Walsh, two-time gold medalist in pairs beach volleyball. Los Angeles has been been experiencing an early Autumn heat wave prompting Kerri to share her tips for working out in the heat.

Hydration through out the day is huge! Hydrating just during your workout is not enough. I've been using the G series from Gatorade. They have a pre-workout drink, during workout drink, and post-workout recovery drink. The motto is "prepare, perform, and recover." This is a great mantra to keep in mind, especially when the elements are so grueling on your body. If you are not prepared, you cannot work out intensely. If you do not perform, you cannot get results, and if you can't do your best to recover, you won't get the benefits of your hard work.

When it is so hot I will also curtail my warm up, because your body warms up faster. I can put that extra energy into my workout and be more effective with my time that way. Generally

I like running outside but usually on asphalt rather than dirt. This weekend, I hit the trails running with a buddy who almost exclusively runs in the woods. He took me on what he called a sweet trail (read: beginner level) with some technical elements (read: roots, rocks, and steep bits). I am happy he slowed to my pace since not tripping demanded a serious amount of concentration. I may have run more slowly than usual, but all those obstacles meant there was no chance for boredom to seep into my run.

The one bit of advice that really stuck with me, and that is applicable to hiking too, is don't step on rocks or roots; they could be unstable. You want your foot to land in the dirt between the rubble. Another memorable tip my trail running mentor shared with me is walking up steeps hills doesn't mean you wimped out. If you can walk up a steep incline at the same pace you can run it, then by all means walk - it's easier on your joints and means your legs will be less tired when

Yogurt is a crucial key to a better breakfast, whether it's straight out of the cup and plain, or all jazzed up. If you're looking to chance your morning meal, dress up FitSugar fave Geek yogurt, which has more protein than regular yogurt. If you are usually rushed in the mornings, pack your topping in a sandwich bag or tiny Tupperware the night before and mix up your meal at your desk. Here are some seasonal suggestions:

1. After a trip to the Farmers Market, stir strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and fresh figs into your cup of Greek yogurt for extra fiber and Vitamin C.
2. Cook up baked pears with maple Greek yogurt and granola for a sweet and saucy mixture that will sustain you through an intense midday workout.
3. Blend Greek yogurt into an almond berry banana yogurt smoothie. At 308 calories for a 16 oz. serving, this makes a healthy meal to jump-start your day.
4. Don't love oatmeal, but want some extra fiber? Sprinkle your Greek yogurt with 4 tablespoons (or half an