Blog Posts by FitSugar

Source: Work Stress Begone With These 5 Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation is key to stress management; it can change the way you react to problems that arise. While pounding the pavement might be your favorite form of stress management, taking a run during the middle of a workday isn't always a possibility. Here are five techniques to help you get through a potentially stressful day.

• Before heading into the office: Whether you're gearing up for a presentation or starting a new project, a five-minute meditation session will help bring better focus to your day. Start by sitting in a comfortable position and close your eyes. You can do guided meditation via CD, app, or video, or simply guide yourself in silence. Keep the focus on your breath and when your mind wanders, bring it back to a singular affirmative thought.
• At your desk: You don't need to sit with your legs crossed under your desk to do breathing techniques in the office; taking a few deep breaths at your desk can

POPSUGAR FitnessSource: 7 Healthy Reasons to Have Sex - Tonight!

Skipping the gym for a romp in between the sheets isn't something you should do every day, but it's still a healthy distraction - it does burn calories after all! With Valentine's Day just around the corner, check out what other health benefits come from having sex.

• Improve Sleep : The hormone oxytocin increases when you have sex, and the heightened level helps you sleep better. Getting enough sleep is an important part of your overall health, so if you're having trouble sleeping, sex is the perfect activity before hitting the hay.
• Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease: Research has shown that men who have sex two or more times a week cut their risk of developing heart disease (and stroke) in half.
• Relieve Stress: Do yourself a favor and get busy to reduce your blood pressure. The feel-good endorphins released during sex will help you forget about your bad day too.
• Boost Immunity: People who have sex once

POPSUGAR FitnessSource: 10 Unhealthy Foods to Give Up For Lent, and the Calories You'll Save

After next week's gluttonous Mardi Gras celebrations, Lent, the Catholic season of penance, will start. Many Catholics give up a vice during this 40-day period, and even if you don't do it for religious reasons you may find that giving something up for Lent is a good way to start a healthy habit or lose weight.
To see just how effective avoiding an unhealthy food for 40 days can be, we've rounded up 10 popular foods that many people choose to give up for Lent, along with the total calories you'll save if you avoid them. Read on for the 10 foods and the calorie counts, based on typical eating habits.

• Soda: Soda is the source of hundreds of unneeded calories, so now's the time to make the switch to water. Forgoing a soda a day for 40 days will save you 124-189 calories a day.

  Total amount: 40 sodas
  Total calories saved: 4,960-7,560 calories

• French Fries: They're salty,

Source: 6 Tips For Contact Lens Wearers


Since contacts are so popular and our eyes are so precious, it's important to take good care of both. Here are some things to keep in mind if you sport contact lenses.

• Always wash your hands before inserting or removing your lenses. Touching your eye with germy fingers is a great way to get a cold or nasty eye infection such as pink eye.
• If you suffer from allergies, wearing contacts can make your symptoms worse since allergens like pollen and dander can stick to the lenses. Wear glasses if your symptoms are really bad, and if you can't part from your contacts (I don't blame you), be sure to clean them thoroughly or replace disposable lenses more often.
• Keep eye drops in your purse or desk at all times, especially if you work at a computer. Not only are dry lenses uncomfortable and difficult to see out of, but they could potentially scratch your eye. Use those drops as often as you need. If you have watery or itchy eyes caused by allergies,

Source: 3 Healthy Habits For Your Heart

With more and more younger women having heart attacks, it's more important than ever to develop new rules to live by for optimal heart health. These three simple habits are easy to incorporate into any lifestyle and will help keep the heart healthy and free from disease.

• Learn to love fish: One study found that younger women who didn't eat fish and other sources of omega-3s had the highest risk of developing heart conditions. Even eating fish once or twice a week is enough to reap all its healthy benefits. If you love to cook, try one of our healthy fish recipes. For anyone who doesn't like cooking seafood at home, make a point to order fish whenever out for dinner. For the vegetarians out there, don't fret: there are plenty of animal-free omega-3 sources out there like chia seeds, flaxseed oil, and edamame.
• Start meditating: If it's not enough that meditation can improve your brain function and stress levels, multiple studies

FitSugarSource: Gluten-Free Foods That Can Pack On the Pounds

Think going gluten-free can help you lose weight? It can, as long as you don't indulge too much of a good thing. While some may think a life of g-free foods equals instant weight loss, think again. Even healthy g-free foods are calorie-dense.

• Rice: The staple for gluten-free eaters. Rice noodles, rice flour, plain white rice, all of these foods can keep the gluten-sensitive from feeling like they are missing out. Although the grain doesn't contain gluten, it's still a carb, and eating more than the serving size can pack on weight the same way as pasta and bread.
• Chocolate: Since many desserts like cakes and cookies contain gluten, chocolate is often a dream for the gluten-free. It's still important to watch your intake, though, as chocolate treats can contain high levels of sugar. If you enjoy this indulgence and want to make it healthier, opt for heart-healthy dark chocolate. Or go straight to the source with cacao nibs -

FitSugarSource: Workout Woes: Bad Habits You Should Break Now

We all make mistakes when it comes to keeping fit, but just how much are these choices affecting progress? Some everyday habits may seem minuscule, but see which of these might be holding you back.

• Cutting workouts short: When you leave a class before the stretch, you aren't getting the full benefit your body deserves after all of the exertion you put forth. It's important to cool down and give muscles time to relax and stretch while they're warmed up to help avoid soreness or injury.
• Too many social obligations: It's far too easy to replace a workout with a spontaneous social engagement. Happy hour is one of those tempting times and can be a highly caloric one at that. Not only are you missing out on your intended workout, but you're also now adding more to your plate and glass. If you absolutely have to bail at the last minute, try to do something good for yourself like taking a walk with a friend or even getting a

Source: How to Save Money on Fitness Gear

The perfect pair of workout pants, an exercise ball, a set of weights: investing in your fitness routine can add up. But it doesn't have to be expensive; here's how to save a few dollars on exercise equipment.

Know when to save and when to splurge: You don't have to throw down a ton of money for each part of your outfit, but you do want to make sure that you're not buying clothes that fall apart after just a few workouts. Certain foundation articles can be well worth the money, like a supportive sports bra or wear-anywhere workout capris, while you can save on other pieces, like workout tanks. Find out which workout clothes you can save on here.

Search for used equipment: Ever buy a piece of fitness equipment only to have it languish in a corner of your garage, gathering dust? You're not alone. If there's a big-ticket piece of equipment on your fitness wish list, check out sites like Craigslist or eBay, where you can buy it used and save some