Photo: wwfcanada, Flickr

The summer sun is a wonderful thing. But going for a run in the sweltering heat? That's not always so pleasant. If you're going to exercise when the temperature is high, remember to keep safety in mind. Try working out in the early morning or late evening, dress appropriately and drink plenty of fluids. But if you're looking to escape the heat altogether, CafeMom has some indoor workout suggestions:

At home exercise. Work out in the convenience of your own air-conditioned living room. To keep things interesting, try swapping workout DVDs with a friend or renting new ones.

Dive right in. Swimming may be the best hot weather workout there is. You can visit a local community center's indoor pool.

Video games. Try out Wii Fit. Who ever said video games weren't good for you?

Climb the stairs. If you live in an apartment building or there are multiple floors in your workplace, you've got free fitness gear at your disposal.

What's your favorite workout when it's hot outside?

Source

On a chilly winter day, hot soup often hits the spot. My problem with soup is that it rarely fills me up. Mind you, I'm a little lady and I still don't find a bowl of soup satisfying. I can't imagine how hungry a big guy would be without adding a large sandwich on the side.

I have a solution, though! For a long time, I've been adding other ingredients like cooked vegetables to canned soups to keep the calories low, the meals hot and my tummy full. It's really easy and quick and actually allows soup to become a meal in itself.

I've added my Easy to Make - Soup Dinner recipe to the online recipe book at Fitzness.com on page 32. I hope you'll give it a try!

Source

Have you been caught in the recent cold blast that's sweeping the nation? It's pretty bitter where I live, and considering I work from home, I have to make efforts to get outside and fight the doldrums. Divine Caroline has some healthful ways to beat the winter blues. Here are the top three tips:

• Exercise. When you're feeling down, you may be tempted to just plop on the couch and stare at the TV. But that's the last thing you should do. Exercise helps to energize you, release stress, and it elevates your mood.
• Eat right. Healthy eating habits can boost your mood. Include plenty of complex carbs (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) in your diet for a long-lasting energy boost; and avoid refined and processed foods, which can cause your blood sugar to spike and drop and can sap your energy.
• Step outside. I know it's cold outside, but a little daylight will do you a world of good. Bundle up and go for a short walk. Even simply opening the blinds and letting the sunlight in your living room or office can help, too.

Check out the full article on Divine Caroline for more healthful ways to beat the winter blues.

Source

Are you an outdoor exercise enthusiast? Do you reject the idea of running anywhere without trees and scenery? It must drive you crazy that the chilly temperatures and shorter days are sending you into the gym. Good news: Active.com has several suggestions to help you out.

In addition to listing the Cardio Top Five, Active has pointers on how to get a better indoor cardio workout on whatever equipment you choose to use. Remember, if you keep it interesting, you'll work harder. Check out the gallery for a few of the pointers I'll be taking to heart!

Ever get caught exercising outdoors wearing way too many layers? I do.

Source

Congratulations to Robin, our winner of the KEEN Footwear Giveaway. Robin's about to be given a fancy code which gives her the power to order and own any one thing on the KEENFootwear.com website. Oh man -- she is really lucky!

Robin said she'd love the Winterport boots to keep her feet warm and dry while she pulls her daughter through the snow on her sled. Now she's going to get her chance! I, personally, live in Florida and probably won't ever see snow near my home. But I'd love those boots too! Lucky, lucky Robin.

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest, and keep coming back to That's Fit to enter more! We always seem to have a bunch of giveaways going on, and your odds are way better here than they are in Vegas.

Source

Bad news for those of you living in Seattle, England, or any other place where a rainy forecast is the norm: Rainy weather can make it harder for you to shed weight.

Researchers in Scotland say rain can make you fat because this type of weather causes your levels of vitamin D to dip, which affects a hormone associated with hunger. Makes sense -- however, I think it definitely has something to do with cravings, as in, you're more likely to crave comfort foods when the weather has you down. Plus, when you're cooped up inside, what else is there to do besides snuggle up to a good movie with a big bowl of popcorn and mug of hot cocoa?

Either way, the point is this: Bad weather is no excuse to give up your healthy habits. After all, the gym is open in all seasons. When a craving hits, head for the treadmill or fill up on something healthy.

Source

I don't know what the weather is like where you live but in my neck of the woods, we've suddenly switched from a pleasant Indian Summer to a rainy, cold fall. If you're a runner, the rain can really put a damper on your workout.

Marie Claire experts have a tip for running in the rain -- they suggest wearing a garbage bag to keep dry. I can see how that would be handy before a race; you could wear the garbage bag to protect yourself from the rain and then strip it off when the race begins. But wouldn't an inexpensive poncho work just as well? As far as actually running with a garbage bag on? Well, I think the idea just stinks.

If you'd prefer not to look like a running sack of garbage, then be sure to dress in layers -- wear a technical fabric that wicks moisture from your skin as a base layer and a waterproof jacket as your outer layer. You may also want to wear a brimmed hat to keep some of the rain out of your face. Kristen has the scoop on waterproof running shoes.

Source

When the temperature soars, the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove. Personally, I have many days when I'm perfectly comfortable in my own home then, after cooking dinner, I feel prickly and hot and miserable. If I didn't think it was so important to feed healthful foods to my family (not to mention avoiding the high costs of eating out), I'd skip it altogether.

Shape Magazine comes to the rescue with great ideas for healthy meals with no cooking required. With so many fresh fruits and vegetables available at this time of year, there's no shortage of no-cook ingredients available to you. Some of the ideas include chilled soups and stuffed fruits or vegetables.

Source

I didn't go outside once today, and I'm really disappointed about that. How dare I let a beautiful, sunny, summer day go by without at least getting a few minutes of sunshine on my face? It's not something that happens very often, but obligations kept me inside and out of the summertime sun.

Where I live, summer weather is a short-lived and precious thing, so normally we spend every second we can out in it. But in today's modern and comfortable world, it can be way too easy to just stay in, where there are no bugs and no need for sunscreen.

Not only is vitamin D important, but so are the mood lifting benefits of getting outside and enjoying what nature has to offer. If you find yourself hanging around indoors a little too often this summer, take a look at Real Simple's 7 ways to spend more time outside.

Source

Protect yourself in the outdoors, says The American Cancer Society (ACS) -- read all about it here -- and protect your picnic food too, say the cancer experts who are sending me an electronic monthly newsletter all about healthy living.

Warm weather poses a big threat of food-borne illness, according to the ACS. So: Keep bacteria away at your next outdoor feast with these five easy steps.

• Wash your hands before cooking and again after cooking, especially after touching raw meat. If you aren't near a faucet, grab a wet napkin or hand sanitizer -- they'll reduce the number of germs on your hands.

• Keep hot food hot. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken should be kept at 140 degrees F or warmer.

• Keep cold foods cold. Even if you've got your food packed in a cooler, tuck it in a shady area. Keep at 41 degrees F or cooler.

• Wash melons before cutting them. This way, less bacteria will slip into the flesh from the rind when you slice them.

• Bring extra plates to cut down on cross-contamination. Use some to handle raw foods and others to handle cooked foods.

Source

I know that winter is coming to a close -- perhaps more rapidly in some areas than others -- but I know that for me, the weather extremes that occur at the end of winter tend to cause absolute havoc with my hair. I don't know if it's the return of the sun, the sudden, massive snowstorms, the wind or perhaps a combination of all of the above and more, but the months of February though April tend to bring fly-aways, split-ends and, of course, hat head on the colder days.

So what can all of us who suffer through the horrors of winter hair do to ease our suffering? Apparently there are a number of pretty simple ways to tame static, prevent flakes caused by dryness and maintain shine despite the crazy weather. Check out the tips listed here for ideas on how to keep you hair looking luscious, even in the waning days of winter.

Source

Today, the temperature in my hometown dropped to a breathtakingly shocking -31 ° c (that's -23 in farenheit -- but really, who's counting once it drops that low ... ) Motivation to work out is not usually a problem for me, but when it's that cold out, I can't handle the thought of leaving my house for any reason.

I went, but only because I had some pent-up energy and was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't. But the voice in my head was telling me to stay inside -- at all costs. Truth be told, it wasn't that bad (I did manage to score the parking spot next to the gym door ... ) but I'm eternally grateful that my mad dashes to the cold car are over. However, with no end in sight to the cold snap, I'm worried about my fitness routine this week.

Am I alone in this? Is it as hard for you to get up the energy to leave your warm home, even if you're just heading to a heated gym?

During the summer months plenty of lecturing goes on about looking after your skin by wearing an SPF lotion and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. The result, for most of us, is that we look pretty darn good all summer. Later on when the plummeting temperatures and harsh winds of winter settle in, many of us aren't so well prepared and spend months suffering with chapped lips and dry skin. I know that by February my legs start to take on the appearance of a scaly fish, and are also often itchy and sore.

There is no reason, however, why your skin can't look as good in the winter as it does in the summer -- as long as you're prepared to look after it, that is. This piece recommends concentrating on what you put in your body, as what you eat will be reflected by how you look on the outside. According to the article, a diet full of fish, beans, nuts, whole grains, leafy green veggies and flax seed oil (which is full of Omega-3 fatty acids), will help ensure your face -- and the rest of your body -- continues to look fresh during weeks of nasty weather.

Naturally though, there are a number of ways to take care of you skin that have nothing to do with what you're eating. Some of the tips on winter skincare listed here include:

Source

Got a special something that cheers you up, puts a bounce in your step, keeps you on a motivated roll? I do. There's the loud music I pump through my MP3 player when I run and the candles I burn while I write -- Pumpkin Pie and Cinnamon Stick are the my scents of the season. And I love, absolutely love cool weather. It was 68 degrees this morning in Florida. The high today will fall somewhere in the 80s. I know that's still pretty warm but compared to the stifling heat we've had lately, this is a cool Fall day. It makes me happy, energetic, enthusiastic about life.

Today I ran in the cool air. It's my perfect scenario -- running in crisp temperatures -- and it made me realize there must be something that inspires each of us to reach for the stars. Whether embarking on a new diet plan, a fabulous exercise program, or a renewed commitment to all things health-related, there's got to be something that helps you soar.

Think about it. What makes you want to be the best you can be? Sunsets? A fresh bouquet of flowers? Looking at old photos? If you can't quite decide, take a peek at these 100 ideas. See what grabs you, and then let that something power you forward as your hop on the treadmill today, grab that juicy apple, resolve to stop smoking.

We all have our ups and downs -- there's no getting around that -- but a little inspiration may be all it takes to climb out of the valley and journey to the peak. That's how it works for me.

Source