Blog Posts by FitSugar

My relationship with meat is constantly on the up and down; lately it's been pretty confusing. Meat recalls, environmental woes, and the ethics of it keep me one step away from becoming a vegetarian again - heck, I've even considered going vegan! But here's the thing: when it comes to a healthy vegan diet, I'm sort of at a loss. And let's be real, I love dairy products.

This weekend I decided to see if I could eat a diet that was free from any animal products. It was a sort of spontaneous decision, and while I didn't starve, I wouldn't call it a success either. I ate a lot of salad, whole grains, and relied heavily on fake meat products. And my weekend brunch was the hardest to deal with - no eggs, milk, or cheese!

I'd love to know if any FitSugar readers out there are vegan. What are your biggest sources of protein? And what are your go-to vegan cookbooks? But mostly, what do you put in dishes to make them feel hearty, creamy, and, well, meatier? Please share your ideas with me

Having just turned 30, Venus Williams has been playing tennis professionally for half of her life. She is one busy athlete: gearing up for the US Open, teaching tennis clinics, selling her EleVen designs on Gilt, and promoting her new book Come to Win. Yet when I spoke with Venus recently, she seemed more like her sister's namesake, serene. Easy to laugh while maintaining a thoughtful focus, Venus and I chatted about fitness, fashion, and football.

FitSugar: Describe a typical day of training for you.
Venus Williams: I get up in the morning and I go to the court for about two hours or three hours and then I go to the gym for another two hours or three hours. A lot of time I will stretch and do rehab for an hour. It's kind of a nine to five thing with a full day of working out. I do anything like ride the bike, the elliptical, swimming, or sprinting things like that. And I do arms, legs, and core.

FS: So what's your fave core exercise?
VW: (chuckles) I don't know if I

Belly bulge. Muffin top. Love handles. There are a lot of names for that extra jiggle in the middle. Instead of nicknaming belly fat, let's get rid of it! And while having a flat, toned stomach may seem like a quest for the Holy Grail, it's not. First you need to understand why you have belly fat. After that, follow these three basic tips to banish it for good.

• Eat the right foods. Having a healthy diet is an easy first step to banishing the bulge. Practice portion control, eat whole foods, and make sure your diet is a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and (good) fat. There are also foods, like whole grains, which help people lose belly fat.
• Cardio, baby! If you want to slim down your midsection, it's time to step up your cardio in a major way. High-intensity activities like spinning, interval training, and running are all good ways to get a handle on your love handles.
• Tone up. Listen closely: limiting yourself to ab exercises does not make a flat belly.

Some of us are extreme health nuts, taking care of our bodies by shopping solely at health food stores, snacking on kale chips, and cooking up quinoa. Another way we can travel on the healthy path is with exercise. Running is one of the most popular ways to stay in shape, and some people are completely obsessed. Are you? Here are 10 signs that designate you as a born-certified running fanatic.

1. For your birthday, you'd rather see a box from Nike than a box from Tiffany's.
2. You own more sports bras than regular bras.
3. When someone asks you out for a date, you assume it's to go running.
4. At least one of your toenails is black or missing.
5. When your heart is pounding, you're breathing heavy, and you're covered in sweat, you're not in the bedroom.

6. You'd rather kick up some dirt than kick back a beer.
7. Your typical conversations involve words like fartlek, negative split, and pronate.
8. You're overly familiar with the iliotibial band and just refer to it as the

When I was in college, I was big on grazing. Between study sessions, rushing from class to class, and not having time for a full-blown meal, snacks were my staple. And while I didn't gain the freshman 15 my first year, I did make a lot of questionable food choices. Most of the food sold on campus was pretty unhealthy, but it was the only option I had at the time. By my sophomore year, I wised up. Every day I took a few healthy snacks with me that would make it through the day in my backpack. If you're looking for some snack ideas to start your school year right, here are a few suggestions:

• Trail mix is a great way to satisfy the munchies. It satisfies both salty and sweet cravings and, if made the right way, provides healthy nutrition that your body needs. Make your own trail mix, or buy some from Trader Joe's. FitSugar reader nic22 loves the individual bags of almonds, cashews, and cranberries from TJ's.

• Fresh fruit and veggies are an important part of any healthy diet,

The countdown to Jackie Warner's new show has begun! Thintervention premieres on Bravo Monday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. When I interviewed Jackie, she told me this project is "her dream show." Rather than delving into her personal life a la Workout, the new show details Jackie leading seven participants on an emotional weight-loss journey. According to Jackie, "Thintervention is a very powerful show and I think it's going to be eye-opening for America."

To get you primed for the show, I wanted to share a bit of no-nonsense advice Jackie is known for. A FitSugar reader asked Jackie what to do about being stuck on a weight-loss plateau. "Here's the thing, the body plateaus every month so you have to change your program and I mean your cardio program as well. Once a month - that's the magic number and people don't know that. So you have to increase your weights or increase your reps or change your exercises . . . one of those two things has to happen. Or change your cardio

It's late. You have an early morning meeting and all you want to do is drift off to sweet slumberland. Too bad you're doing more tossing and turning than snoozing and snoring. Here are some tips you can try to help you fall asleep faster.

• Make your bedroom like a cave. Cover the windows and turn off all the lights (even night-lights). The darkness signals your body to wind down and sleep. If you can't shut out the light completely, wear an eye mask.
• Don't count sheep! Instead, visualize a relaxing scene like a sun-dappled beach or a serene meadow covered with wildflowers.
• Turn on the yawns with yoga. Whether you do some relaxing stretches on the floor or in your bed, it only takes a few minutes of Child's Pose or Legs Up the Wall to induce drowsiness.

• Take a hot bath. The warm water is oh-so soothing and will help clear your mind and relax your muscles.
• Finish eating two hours before you lie down. If your stomach is full or you're digesting a big meal, it's hard

We're back for another edition of Celebrity Trainers Who Tweet! Your inside look into what advice celeb trainers are giving their star clients. Keep reading to find out what valuable tips trainers like Jackie Warner and Jillian Michaels are sharing, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter too!

Related Content:

Mandy Ingber Talks "Yogalosophy" in More Magazine

What Celebrity Trainers Are Tweeting

Oh the Things Celebrity Trainers Tweet!

Follow FitSugar on Twitter

Become a Fan of FitSugar on Facebook

Source: FitSugar