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sweat-related stories

Makeup to Beat the Heat

Reviews & Products

clear prep fx primer
Sephora.com
It's summertime, and you're active. And you know what that means -- makeup melt. You covered up that blemish and added a perfect amount of blush to the apples of your cheeks, but the moment you stepped out into the sweltering heat, you felt like all your hard work was just running down your face. Now, you're just hoping that your sweaty cheeks didn't cause your mascara to run all over.

While I can't guarantee you can keep a perfectly made-up face through a big workout, there are products available to help you look fresh and put together when the heat is on.

  • Face. Start with a foundation primer. For starters, it will give your skin a nice, smooth finish so your foundation will go on flawlessly. More important right now, though, it gives your foundation a bit of "stick" -- it's designed to outlast heat and a bit of sweat with ease. I've had good luck with Peter Thomas Roth Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel, $35, but for acne-prone skin, your best bet is probably Clear Prep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment, $39, which is designed to give you that smooth finish while treating blemishes.

Avoid a Hairy Situation With the Right Headband

Reviews & Products


When I'm working out, I don't want any distractions. My shoelaces have to be tied with equal tightness, my shirt and shorts can't be creeping up, and for the love of Pete, don't even talk about hair getting in my eyes. It's entirely possible that nothing infuriates me more than a chunk of hair that Just. Won't. Stay. Back.

As you probably guessed, I'm a firm believer in using the right accessories to keep the hair out of my face, and you're probably thinking that those nice stretchy headbands -- you know, the one that all the girls are wearing -- would be a great solution. And you'd be right except for one little problem. The shape of my head is not conducive to wearing those trendy little headbands. They either pop off (and boy, do those things fly) at the most inopportune moments, or I spend my whole workout adjusting and readjusting the band. (This has been the case since I was a child -- no Madonna-esque lacy bow headbands for me, I'm sad to report.)

But I'm an optimist, and I don't give up, so when I read the Fit Bottomed Girls' post on headbands (see! I'm not alone in my headband drama!), I was super excited. I was already familiar with the Goody Stay Put Headbands (the thin, flat version actually works quite well, but I still can't use the thick flat ones or the tiny round ones -- head to your local drugstore and take a peek; you'll see exactly what I'm talking about), but I'd never heard of Bondi Bands. But now I have, and I'm really, really happy about it.

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Fit Beauties Need a Good Foundation

Reviews & Products


Not everyone is concerned about looking pretty while working out, but you know what? Nobody's going to judge you for wanting to cover acne or other imperfections before you hit the gym.

But here's the thing -- you don't want to wear just any foundation when you're working up a sweat. Some makeup can actually create more acne. Dermatologist-recommended cosmetics brand Cover FX offers products that give good coverage (in a wide variety of shades) and, at the same time, they're good for your skin -- even when you sweat.

I had a chance to try out Mineral FX Pure Mineral Foundation with SPF 15 ($37 at Sephora). While I don't really have problem skin (I mean, sure, a zit pops up here and there, but in general, it's pretty clear), I don't always have a chance to remove makeup before I hit the gym or go for a run. I was really curious to see if, for one thing, I would like the coverage of the loose powder mineral makeup (I've always been a pressed powder girl), and second, how it would stand up to a workout. So, I took it out for a test run. Literally.

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Bye Bye, Blemishes and Bacne

Reviews & Products


Acne is a problem, and not just for teenagers. And it doesn't just happen to our faces, either. Form-fitting activewear like sports bras and cotton shirts that stick to your skin when you sweat can cause breakouts all over your chest and back. And then, there are the clogged pores that show up on your arms ... before you know it, you need to wear a turtleneck to cover all your problem areas!

Peter Thomas Roth Buffing BeadsDon't worry -- you don't need to use your fancy-schmancy face wash as a new shower gel to clear up the bacne -- Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care makes a Blemish Buffing Beads Body Wash ($36 for 18.5 oz) specifically designed to battle acne all over your body. No gym bag shower kit should be without it!

Use on face and body -- it's super gentle, but effective. According to the website: "Salicylic acid clears up acne blemishes while a glycolic acid complex and oil absorbing ingredients help produce flawless, clear skin. Soft, ultra-fine jojoba beads ... help exfoliate surface dead skin cells without irritation, then ... help open clogged pores and emulsify the sebum that contributes to blackheads and whiteheads." Plus, it's smells awesome -- botanical, without being girly. But this isn't the only thing that will help you clear up your skin.

Sweating - Why You're Not Doing It

Fitness

exerciseThere are a few reasons you might not sweat when you work out. One is all scientific and medical in nature -- something about cells in your sweat glands. Another: You might not be working hard enough. Or maybe it has something to do with coffee, dehydration or the air around you. "Love and Blueberries" helps you figure it all out.

And if you're sweating a lot, well, that might not be a bad thing. Here, Fitz weighs in on sweaty pits.

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Sweaty Pits - Don't Sweat Em'

Ask Fitz!, Fitness

ask fitz

Fitz K.Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. When I go walking with my friends, I notice that I often sweat and it shows through the back of my shirt and armpits. I know sweating is good, but not when I'm the only one who looks like that while walking with other ladies. It is really embarrassing. What can I do? Lorraine

A. My dear Lorraine, I understand where your stress is coming from. Sweat is rarely considered womanly, pretty or delightful. The thought process on sweat makes regular folks think it's gross. Allow me to share my thoughts and experiences on the subject.

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Gym Goers - Brush Up on Your Etiquette

Fitness

woman on treadmillSo you know which fork is for salad and which is for your main meal. Guys, you know to open doors for women. And you never let a thank you card sit unwritten. But do you know proper gym etiquette?

Even if you're a gym etiquette dummy, never fear. Dummies.com has tips for mastering gym etiquette. For example:

  • Don't rest on weight equipment between sets. The equipment is for everyone, and your little break could be holding someone else up.
  • Manage your own sweat. Bring a towel with you and wipe off equipment when you're done. It's just plain nasty to go to a machine and find someone's sweat waiting for you.
  • Use the lockers. So great, you have a gym bag. But please don't tote it around from machine to machine. Stow it in a locker ... that's what they're for.

For more tips on gym etiquette, see the full article on Dummies.com.

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Fit Beauty - Deodorant tips for avoiding whiteouts and more

Reviews & Products

Most people start shifting to darker colors as the weather gets cooler, and you know what that means -- more chance for deodorant to show up all over your clothes! And, I don't know about you, but I never notice that I've given myself a whiteout until I've already reached my destination and it's too late to do anything about it --- other than hold my purse at an odd angle to try to cover the damage.

Fitness magazine has some suggestions for avoiding the dreaded deodorant-streaked shirt that I found helpful, and maybe you will too. First of all, find a deodorant that claims to not leave white streaks (duh!). Editors had three favorites -- Secret Platinum Invisible Solid, Degree Ultra Clear, and Dove Ultimate Clear.

Second, make sure you're applying it correctly. (What? There's a wrong way to put on deodorant?) Avoiding over-application is your best bet, so carefully apply just one swipe back and forth and give your skin enough time -- about 30 seconds -- to absorb it before putting on clothes. And, if that doesn't work, clean the streak off with a baby wipe or pre-moistened facial cleaning wipe.

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This Desperate Housewife likes to get hot

Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment

Felicity HuffmanFelicity Huffman is no stranger to fitness. She's a fan of running and has participated in triathlons. But Huffman has a new fitness love -- she's getting addicted to Bikram yoga. The 45-year-old Desperate Housewives' star says "As you get older, you get stiffer. Doing yoga has shown me that flexibility is as important as strength."

Bikram yoga is nicknamed hot yoga and for good reason. When following along with Bikram's series of 26 poses, you'll be doing so in a room set to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (some classes may not set it quite so high). The idea is that your body is more flexible in heat, and the hot atmosphere warms your muscles more quickly. In addition, it's said to reduce the risk of injury, promote sweating, and release toxins from the body.

Felicity Huffman(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Felicity HuffmanFelicity HuffmanThe cast of Desperate Housewives William H. Macy and Felicity HuffmanFelicity Huffman

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Andy Murray gets hot and sweaty off the court

Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Motivation


It's becoming much more well-known that athletes rely on a variety of workouts to stay in top shape -- we're always hearing about how they incorporate strength training and Pilates. Well, the workout that's gotten tennis champ Andy Murray into his best shape ever is Bikram yoga.

Murray has really seemed to come into his own recently, making it to the US Open final by beating Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal. He lost to Roger Federer, but the performance still brought the 21-year-old to number four in the world -- not too shabby!

He attends Hot Bikram Yoga in Fulham, West London, where he's joined by Olympic athletes as well as professional soccer and tennis players. It makes sense that the athletic elite would be drawn to Bikram -- the founder of Hot Bikram Yoga explains that it's a 'holistic workout,' stretching participants mentally and physically, all while giving them a cardiovascular workout. Besides all that, it can help prevent and even treat injuries -- good news for those pro athletes! Have you ever tried Bikram?

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Gwyneth's slimdown secret: No diets

Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment


Another celebrity who doesn't diet but still sports a super slim physique: Gwyneth Paltrow. She dishes about her ban on all things diet-related on today's Oprah show. Tune in for the whole scoop -- or check out this video for a 40-second snippet.

In a nutshell, here's what the 35-year-old actress says about eating what she wants, when she wants it.

  • Paltrow finds it impossible to stick to a diet. It's the idea that you can't have something that makes her want it even more. Ah, deprivation -- a diet derailer for sure.
  • Instead of counting calories, this star prefers to work up a sweat. "It's worth it to me to do that extra exercise so I can eat what I want and not think about it," she says.
  • To demonstrate her love for food -- and her willingness to eat it -- Paltrow and chef Mario Batali cooked, ate, and drank their way across Spain for their upcoming show, Spain ... On the Road Again. The PBS culinary series debuts September 20 and will go on to follow a tour of 13 cities.

    Gwyneth Paltrow: Slim without diets(click thumbnails to view gallery)

    Gwyneth PaltrowGwyneth PaltrowGwyneth PaltrowGwyneth PaltrowGwyneth Paltrow

While Paltrow may not follow a strict diet, she's obviously eating right -- I'd guess junk foods are not a staple on her daily menu. Combined with her solid exercise routine, she's found a good balance. You can too.

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5 ways to detox, naturally

Motivation, Alternative & Green Health

Not only are we constantly barraged by noise and air pollution, we're regularly filling our bodies with garbage: chemicals, additives, even poisons. So it's never been so important to cleanse both our minds and our bodies of the toxins we can't seem to escape in our day-to-day life.

But detoxing doesn't have to mean forking out a small fortune at an uppity spa. Divine Caroline offers a number of ways you can give your body a break, naturally:

  • Drink lots of water. It flushes the system.
  • Sweat, either in a sauna or steam room, or through exercise.
  • Meditate or pray regularly, and take deep, cleansing breaths when you do.
  • Eliminate electronics from your bedroom.
  • Cleanse your body with natural herbs like dandelion and ginger root.

There are plenty more tips where these came from -- head over to Divine Caroline for more detox data.

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Push yourself for 5 to feel alive

Fitness

FitSugar has a simple and effective tip to share: Really push yourself for five minutes of your workout.

My favorite exercise is a cardio DVD that I follow in my living room. Without realizing I was doing it, I often follow FitSugar's tip. I use the weights for a while longer than the instructor, I pump up the intensity, or add some of my own moves to make the workout just a bit more challenging.

Whatever your workout of choice is, try adding five minutes of high intensity activity. Push yourself and let your body get a little winded. Unless you have asthma or another condition that contraindicates you for this type of high-intensity exercise, the change in pace will be good for your workout.

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Ask Fitz! Your Fitness Questions Answered -- Sweat too much?

Womens Health, Ask Fitz!, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, When I go walking with my friends I notice that I often sweat and it shows through the back of my shirt and armpits. I know sweating is good but not when you are the only one that looks like that when walking with other ladies. It is really embarrassing. What can I do? Laney

A. Hi Laney. I'm so sorry you're feeling icky, sticky, and embarrassed walking with your friends. It's rarely fun to feel like the odd one out. I'm thrilled you came to me though, because I can assure you that you are not! I train dozens of people each week, and almost across the board ... every client apologizes to me for sweating profusely.

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Sweat more to reduce exercise-induced asthma symptoms

Fitness

Recent research shows -- believe it or not -- that sweat and airway secretion are linked. For people who have exercise-induced asthma, dryness in their airways can trigger asthma symptoms. Increased airway secretions can minimize or prevent symptoms during exercise.

Study participants were given medications to induce asthma symptoms and/or sweating. Obviously, the average Joe can't pop a pill to increase sweat production. And honestly, who would want to? So while researchers still work out the practical applications of this knowledge, follow these tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology:
  • Try swimming -- the warm, humid atmosphere reduces the risk of symptoms.
  • If you want to play team sports, opt for those -- like baseball -- that have short bursts of intense activity rather than continuous movement.
  • In cold weather, wear a scarf or mask over your mouth and nose to warm the inhaled air.

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