Blog Posts by FitSugar

Lower back pain is a common complaint, and if you suffer from it, the pain can make simple everyday activities like walking, taking the stairs, tying your shoes, and even sleeping unbearable. Although many people have chronic conditions or injuries that cause their discomfort, lifestyle choices may also be the culprit. Check out the list below and see if you can make some changes to prevent the pain.

1. You sit most of the day. If you sit at a desk or in a car most hours of your day, you're putting 40 percent more pressure on your spine than if you were standing. You're also most likely not taking many breaks to stretch and move around, and as the old saying goes, if you don't use it you'll lose it. Back muscles weaken when they're not used, and the vertebrae lose lubrication, which translates to pain. If you can't break free from your desk job entirely, break free several times a day to walk around and stretch out your muscles.
2. Your mattress is how old? Mattresses don't

Yoga may be known for increasing flexibility, but many of the poses are also killer moves for toning your tush and thighs. If your backside could use a little tightening, try this yoga sequence. Complete it straight through with the right leg first and then repeat on the left side.

• Three-Legged Dog - After doing a few Sun Salutations to warm up, come into Downward Facing Dog pose. Lift your right leg into the air, coming into Three-Legged Dog. Hold here for five breaths, keeping your shoulders parallel with the floor.
• Warrior 1 - Step your right foot between your hands and lift your torso up coming into Warrior 1. Try to lower your hips so your front thigh is parallel with the floor. After five breaths . . .
• Warrior 2 - Open your hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2. Draw your abs in and lengthen your spine. Keep the shoulders relaxed and hold for five deep breaths.
• Crescent Moon - Lower your left arm to your left leg and arch back coming into

With the latest study claiming fast food is as addictive as drugs, breaking your Mickey D's habit cold turkey may be a bit daunting. Luckily, there are some healthy, or healthier, options at your fave fast food joints that can help you stay on track, even when you (accidentally) find yourself in the drive-through line. Here are eight of our picks:

1. McDonald's - The Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken, sans the dressing, has 220 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 890 milligrams of sodium.

2. Burger King - BK's Spicy Chick'n Crisp Sandwich has 290 calories, 12 grams of fat, and 670 milligrams of sodium.

3. Taco Bell - One Crunchy, Fresco Style Taco has 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 370 milligrams of sodium.

4. Panda Express - Without rice, the Mushroom Chicken has 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 600 milligrams of sodium.

5. Arby's - The Market Fresh, Chopped Farmhouse Grilled Chicken Salad, no dressing, has 260 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 770 milligrams of sodium.

6. In-N-Out

Having trouble sleeping lately? If you're exercising regularly, not stressed, and your bedroom is cozy and comfortable, then it may be what you're eating that's preventing you from a restful night of zzz's. If falling asleep and staying asleep is an issue for you, ditch these five foods from your diet.

• Alcohol - Having a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, a fruity cocktail, or a hot toddy can calm your nerves and relax you after dinner, but it won't help you snooze. Alcohol can interfere with sleep and hunger patterns, and drinking too much can also make you have to go to the bathroom.
• Chocolate - It's obvious that having a coffee in the evening will keep you up, but hot cocoa contains caffeine as well - not much, but enough to affect those who are sensitive. If you have trouble falling asleep, ditch all chocolate before bed including small amounts drizzled on ice cream or chocolate chunks in cookies. Aside from caffeine, chocolate also contains tyrosine, an amino acid

I recently went grocery shopping with a friend and noticed she bought a few boxes of those 100-calorie snack packs. She explained that buying boxes of individually wrapped snacks like almonds, pretzels, and crackers helped her control portion sizes. I'm all about that, but was not all about how much garbage waste these individually wrapped snacks mean to our landfills. If you have a similar concern, here's an idea: make your own 100-calorie snack packs. Grab some eco-friendly Ziploc baggies, reusable canvas baggies like these made by snackTAXI, or BPA-free plastic snack containers like these from Preserve. Then measure out 100 calories of your favorite snacks including dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, cereal, popcorn, crackers, or even sweet treats like chocolate covered peanuts. Make a few snack packs for the week so you can grab them whenever you feel like munching. It's a great way to prevent you from overindulging, which can lead to weigh gain.

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The other day, I accidentally skipped my morning cup of coffee but didn't realize until I got a late-morning, dull headache. I remembered the sensation from my caffeine-addicted college days and it set off a red flag in my mind. Researchers agree that a small amount of caffeine (around 300 mg per day) can promote health; moderate caffeine consumption can help sore muscles and improve alertness. On the other hand, excessive caffeine intake has been associated with miscarriages and can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and even irregular heart rhythms. Since I've recently come clean about my Diet Coke habit, I'm thinking of trying to cut caffeine out completely - at least for a little while. If a lack of morning coffee is causing headaches, I'm curious what else it may be causing. Find out some pros and cons of kissing a daily dose goodbye when you .

• Con: There will be side effects. As with any drug, it takes your body some time to get used to the lack of caffeine. Immediate effects of

Here's another reason to eat whole grains: it will help put an end to the dreaded belly bloat. Eating too many refined grains like white rice, enriched pasta, or white bread slows down your digestive tract, which causes that bloated feeling. I don't know about you, but I hate getting dressed when my belly is full of air.

For the next few weeks, swap out any refined grains in your diet with whole grains, and see if you notice a difference. Whole grains are full of fiber, which helps keep us "regular" and our digestive tract moving along at a normal pace. By doing this, you should find that you'll have much more energy during the day since your body won't be working overtime to digest food.

I know that eating whole wheat pasta may not sound delicious, but there are a lot of easy and tasty swaps you can make instead. Choose whole wheat bread over white, and eat a whole grain cereal like Kashi or muesli. I also love the taste of quinoa, which is a hearty grain filled with fiber.

Women tend to gain weight in a few special spots - our thighs, tush, face, breasts, and of course, our tummies. If a flabby belly is your problem area, here are some possible reasons why.

1. You're Doing Crunches, Not Cardio - While ab exercises will tone your core muscles, they won't do anything about the layer of fat covering them up. Cardio is a must because it's the only way you can burn calories, which will decrease your overall percentage of body fat, and slim down your tummy.
2. Your Cardio Isn't Intense Enough - While cardio will burn calories and help you maintain your body weight, if you really want to melt away unwanted pounds, you need to do at least 12 minutes (after warming up) of continuous, heart-pumping, high-intensity cardio at least four days a week in order to see results. Remember, interval training targets your waistline.
3. You're Skipping Breakfast - It would make sense that eating less would help you lose weight, but you should never skip meals, especially the