6 Tips for running your first half-marathon

Gearing up for your first half-marathon? You're not alone! The half is the fastest-growing race distance in the United States, and the distance most dominated by women. (A whopping 59 percent of half-marathon finishers in 2010 were female.) 

And what's not to love? You get the satisfaction of completing an impressive distance – 13.1 miles – without the time-suck of training for a full. But when you're gearing up for your first, the jump to a race with the word "marathon" in the title can be intimidating.

Never fear: Joe English, a coach in Portland, Oregon (running-advice.com), has some tips to carry you through every phase of the 10-week training process, from the first steps of your first run to your first steps across the finish line.

During weeks one through three…
Coach's Tip: Even if you feel great, stick to your plan and resist the urge to do too much too soon. "Overdoing it can lead to fatigue or even injury," says English.

Exercises to Help You Avoid Injury

During week five…
Coach's Tip: "As you adapt to the training it will begin to feel easier – but it's also possible to lose focus when there's a long way to go before the race," says English. Stay on task by focusing on mini-goals within each workout, like hydrating regularly or finishing faster.

During weeks nine and 10…
Coach's Tip: "Take the edge off your taper by spending 30 minutes a day doing something that relaxes both your mind and body, like a walk or a yoga class," says English. Try to sleep an extra 30 minutes each night.

The day before the race…
Coach's Tip: It's normal to experience a big-time case of nerves the day before a race. Distract yourself by playing with the kids or watching a movie, and try focusing on how well you've prepared rather than what could go wrong.

On race morning…
Coach's Tip: "Arrive early to the race, as everything from parking at the start to waiting in the portables line can take longer than you expect," says English.

Don't Make These Race-Day Mistakes!

During the race…Coach's Tip: In the first half of the race, go slower than feels necessary. Pick up your pace at the halfway point. The energy you saved in the beginning will help you finish strong.

More from Runner's World

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3 compelling reasons to avoid fatty meats

By Nicci Micco, M.S., editor-at-large for EatingWell Magazine

Moving toward a "more meatless" diet is all the rage—just look to former President Bill Clinton, who's been speaking recently about the vegan diet he adopted to help his heart health. I'm all over moving toward eating less meat too. Why? First, I love vegetables, whole grains and beans (for real) and feel great when I'm packing my diet with these plant-based foods. Also, as Rachael Moeller Gorman wrote in a recent issue of EatingWell Magazine, vegetarian diets often have big benefits for the environment and your health.

That said, meat isn't evil: it's a great source of protein and other nutrients, including iron, a mineral some women fall short on. And the latest 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that "lean meat and poultry" are protein sources that fit into a healthy diet. Basically it's the fatty cuts of meat that we should be considering what I like to call "sometimes foods." (Can you tell I have a 3-year-old?)

Don't Miss:
9 "Bad" Foods You Should Be Eating
6 Foods That Sound Healthy But Aren't

Here are three compelling reasons why limiting fatty meats is a smart move:

1. Saturated fats. The fat in meats are mostly the saturated kinds that could harm your heart. Research shows that by eating lean proteins, such as chicken, fish and beans, in place of fattier meats, you'll limit saturated fats, which can elevate "bad" LDL cholesterol that leads to plaque buildup in arteries. (Of course, there are other things you can do to reduce your intake of sat fat, too, namely—replacing butter with olive and canola oils; selecting nonfat or low-fat milk and yogurt in place of whole-milk versions; and eating full-fat cheeses sparingly. For more ideas on how to eat, check out these 10 Best and Worst Proteins for Your Health and the Environment.)

2. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Cooking fatty meats at high temperatures can create toxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs form when fat drips onto hot coals, creating smoke that settles on food; these compounds have been associated with increased risk of breast cancer.

3. Dioxins. More than 90 percent of our exposure to dioxins—a family of chemicals (including some polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) with known cancer-causing properties—comes from meat, dairy, fish and shellfish. Why? Because these compounds concentrate in animal fat. (Find out about 7 more toxins you can avoid to clean up your diet.)

To avoid dioxins, opt for leaner cuts of meat and poultry; trim away visible fat. Good to know: meat from grass-fed animals tends to be leaner to start with (but don't get tripped up by these 5 myths about natural meats).

Do you try to limit how much (fatty) meat you eat? Why?

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Running Hills: Go From No Way to Give Me More

Source: Running Hills: Go From No Way to Give Me More

There's an enormous hill by my house that I used to pass by and shudder. That is, until I went on a run with my hill-loving neighbor. Hills are intimidating, but they really do make us better runners. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Here are some tips to make hills feel easier so you can start incorporating them into your runs. 

When You're Not Running When you're not running, cross-train with other types of intense cardio to strengthen your heart. Mountain biking, hiking, walking with the treadmill's incline pumped up — all at a vigorous pace — will do the trick. At first, it will feel like it's impossible to catch your breath, but as your body gets used to the physical demands, you'll be able to get through an intense workout without feeling like you're going to pass out.

Strong legs are also important because they propel your body weight forward when you're running up a hill. When strength training, focus on moves that target your calves, shins, quads, hamstrings, and booty like balancing side leg lift squat, reverse lunge, Superman booty lifts, calf raises, and elbow plank with donkey kick. 


More From FitSugar: Yoga For Runners


During Your Run Strengthen legs, run faster, and increase endurance by incorporating sprinting intervals on flat surfaces. Ultimately, to make hills feel easier, you have to run up hills. Start off with slightly gradual inclines, and as these feel comfortable, start tackling steeper hills. When running up a hill, reduce your speed dramatically since this will help keep breath more even. Also concentrate on timing your inhales and exhalations with your stride. Added bonus: this will also give you something to focus on besides the fatigue you may be feeling.

Another trick is to keep your eye on the prize. I like looking ahead, slightly higher than eye level; it makes breathing easier and is excellent motivation since I see the progress I'm making. I tell myself I can do it, and use my arms to pump, which also gives me a little added push up the hill. Sharing the challenge with someone else doesn't hurt either. You're more likely to power through if a running buddy or your pooch is also giving it all they've got. If you need a little outside motivation, blare your favorite power song, and whether Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, or Christina Aguilera gets you up that hill, every time you make it to the top, it'll get easier. Pretty soon, all this hill training will change your tune so a run won't feel right without some steep inclines thrown in.

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Study Says Women Over 30 Gain Weight Post-Marriage, But We’re Not Buying It

bride & groom next to food table

Does marriage lead to weight gain? That depends on how old you are when you marry, according to a new study from Ohio State University researchers. For those age 22 to 30, marriage didn't strongly correspond to either weight gain or loss. But for those 30 and older, both men and women were likely to put on a few pounds in the two years post-marriage, compared to non-married peers, and women were more likely than men to put on significant weight. The probability of weight-gain increased the older the age of the individual.

The researchers looked at data on 10,071 individuals surveyed from 1986 to 2008 to measure weight changes in people in the two years following getting married or getting divorced. Men were more likely than women to gain significant weight after a divorce; this likelihood didn't apply to those 22-30, and increased with age for those older. "For someone in their mid-20s, there is not much of a difference in the probability of gaining weight between someone who just got married and someone who never married. But later in life, there is much more of a difference," said lead researcher Dmitri Turmin.

I hate the old wisdom that women stop maintaining their figures after marriage, as if the only reason women care about being in shape is to land a man, but I'm sure the results will be slanted this way by some even though the study is much more nuanced than that. Because it only followed couples for two years post-marriage or divorce, it's not clear how these events affected weight-gain and loss for either gender long-term, only in periods of 'marital transition.' Also, lets be clear: The study isn't saying that *most* women gained significant weight—only that women were more likely to gain significant weight in the two years after marrying than men. In the majority of just-married individuals—men or women—the weight gain was small (since we're only talking 2-years after the wedding, maybe this just reflects people returning to their normal weight after shedding a few pounds for the big day).

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5 Workout Mistakes to Avoid for Better Results

By: Caroline Hwang

When you stick to a routine, it's easy to become, well, stuck. If you're not trimming down, toning up, or feeling any fitter, it's likely due to one of the following exercise errors. Read on for how to reboot -- and get the body you want, pronto!


Mistake #1: You Rely on Cardio to Peel Off Pounds

For most women, sweaty aerobic exercise alone isn't enough. "Research shows that weight loss is minimal if it isn't accompanied by dieting," says Amy Luke, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. "We may compensate for the extra energy we're burning during physical activity by doing less the rest of the day, or more commonly, we feel famished after working out, so we eat more."

The Solution: Keep your diet in check. To drop a pound, which is 3,500 calories, in one week, aim to eat 300 fewer calories every day (300 x 7 = 2,100) while burning 300 calories from exercise five times a week (300 x 5 = 1,500)."You plan for exercise. You need to plan what you're going to eat afterward," says John Porcari, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse and a FITNESS advisory board member. Drinking lots of water helps too.

Mistake #2: You Race Through Your Reps

Two things could be going on here: Either your weights are too light, which is often the case for women, or they're too heavy, and you're letting momentum or gravity take over. Either way, your muscles aren't being sufficiently challenged, which is why they're not getting more toned.

The Solution: If you don't believe you've done just about all you can do by the end of a set, pick a heavier weight. "You want there to be a bit of strain on the second-to-last and last reps," says Barbara Bushman, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at Missouri State University in Springfield. Reach for a lighter dumbbell when you aren't moving the weight with steady control as you lift and lower.

Mistake #3: You Overcrunch Your Abs

If you're doing more than three sets of 15, you're wasting your time. "Extra crunches aren't going to cinch your waistline," says Michele Olson, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, and a FITNESS advisory board member. "You're working the rectus abdominus, which is only one of four muscles in the abdominal wall. But it's the other three deeper muscles [internal obliques, external obliques, transverse abdominis] that give you a leaner look by helping you with your posture."

The Solution: Take a temporary break from your usual crunches and try these Pilates-based moves: (1) the plank (balance on floor on forearms and toes and hold for 30 seconds), (2) double-leg stretch (lie on your back, knees bent 90 degrees with feet in air and shins parallel to the floor, shoulders off the floor with arms loosely hugging knees; extend your legs and arms out in a wide V, then return to start), (3) the side plank (lie on the floor on your right side, propped up on right elbow, feet stacked; lift your hips up, using your left hand on floor in front of you for support. Hold for 5 counts, then lower. Do 10 reps; switch sides and repeat). Do 10 reps of each move, three or four times a week.

Mistake #4: You Aim to Stay in the Fat-Burning Zone

It's no wonder you think you need to do this to lose weight: Many cardio machines tell you when you're above and below the zone. But this reason for sticking to low-intensity exercise has been completely debunked. "Because fat takes longer than carbs to be converted to energy, you burn a higher percentage of it when you're sitting or walking than when you're running. So the old thinking was that with low-intensity exercise you could torch body fat and lose weight," Porcari explains. But the theory didn't work in practice. "In one study, we had people walk or run for half an hour. On average, the walkers burned 240 calories, 44 percent of which were fat, so they burned 108 fat calories. The runners burned 450 calories, 24 percent of which were fat, so they burned 120 fat calories. Whether you look at total calories or fat calories, the runners clearly came out ahead," Porcari says.

The Solution: There's nothing wrong with low-intensity exercise, particularly if you have joint problems. "But to lose weight, you'll probably need to do it for longer than half an hour. Just for general health, the recommendation is 30 minutes five days a week," Porcari says.

Mistake #5: You Skip the Warm Up

You may think you're saving time, but you're actually just compromising the first 5 to 10 minutes of your workout. "Your body literally needs to warm up so that blood flow increases, the nervous system wakes up, and the body starts to use energy and oxygen more efficiently," says Michael Bracko, a sports physiologist and director at the Institute for Hockey Research in Calgary. The upshot: Every step feels like less of a slog, and calorie burn kicks into high gear.

The Solution: Bracko says that the best warm-up is to do your chosen exercise at a low intensity. Runners, for example, should walk, then jog. "Keep at it until you break a sweat," Bracko says. Alternately, you can try "dynamic" stretches, which are moves that take your body through the range of motions you're about to do. For a runner, that can mean high knees, butt kicks, and forward, reverse, and side lunges. "Avoid static stretching, where you're holding poses for several counts. That actually calms the system down and can impair performance," Bracko adds.

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The Foods Celebrity Trainers Won't Eat

Source: The Foods Celebrity Trainers Won't Eat

Through interviews and Twitter, we asked the top celebrity trainers one question: is there any food item you won't eat and recommend clients to do the same? What we ended up with was a wide variety of answers, and while many of these off-limit foods seemed to make everyone's lists, there were a few answers that surprised us. Keep reading to see which foods celebrity trainers like Harley Pasternak, Jackie Warner, and Tara Stiles keep out of their kitchen, and then vote on whether or not you agree.

• Tara Stiles: Alcohol - Want to erase a few years from your face, stop with the fancy cocktails, says yogini Tara Stiles: "No one wants to hear this one, but if you want your body to operate optimally and look fantastic — and younger — avoid alcohol." Given that Tara works closely with Brooklyn Decker, this advice is clearly working! When it comes to weight loss, giving up alcohol is a must for Tim Rich, personal trainer with Crunch gym. Tim says alcohol is nothing but "empty calories" and suggests that those looking to lose a few pounds ditch drinking for 21 days; after that, limit drinks to a few per week. Tim says he only drinks "a few beers a month."

More from FitSugar: Calories in One Gram of Protein: How Major Sources Compare

• Harley Pasternak: Grapes and Bananas - Two foods noticeably missing from celeb trainer Harley Pasternak's 5-Factor are grapes and bananas. Harley, who counts Katy Perry and Lady Gaga as clients, says, "No one is going to live a shorter life if they have bananas or grapes," but he recommends that his clients choose healthier fruits. "I tell my clients to stick to fruits that either have edible skin, edible seeds, or citrus — bananas do not have edible skin, nor do they have edible seeds really, nor is it citrus. Most of the fiber and nutrients that are in a fruit are in a fruit's skin. A banana is just the densest piece of fruit that you can put in your body, and since it doesn't have much fiber, it won't keep you full." As for grapes? "Grapes have a special sugar in them called dextrose, which is the highest glycemic sugar that you can possibly put in your body."
• Jeanette Jenkins, Jackie Warner, and Valerie Waters: Processed Foods, Especially Refined Carbs- This was a big one for celebrity trainers Jeanette Jenkins, Jackie Warner, and Valerie Waters. Valerie, who has worked with Jessica Biel, sticks to the mantra, "If a food item has ingredients you don't recognize or can't pronounce, you probably shouldn't eat it." Jackie says that "everyone has to understand that bread, crackers, croutons, things like that, that's sugar. As soon as it's in your system it processes straight to sugar then straight to fat." Jeanette Jenkins, trainer to Kelly Rowland, steers clear of processed foods because they "create inflammation in the body and increase the risk of disease."
• John Damon: All Soda, Even Diet - YogaTone trainer Andrea Cirignano, Stephania Greco, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor with 24 Hour Fitness, and celebrity trainer John Damon, who works with Whitney Port and Kristin Cavallari, say that soda should be eliminated from everyone's diets — this includes diet soda, too. For John, soda just doesn't make sense: "It has no redeeming qualities." We couldn't agree with them more. Drinking soda has been linked to several health issues like dental decay, bone loss, and hypertension. It's also loaded with sugar — not a good thing for any healthy diet. Diet soda doesn't fare much better: studies link the consumption of diet soda to both weight gain and stroke risk.

More from FitSugar: Gradual Changes: Two Easy Ways to Make Healthier Choices

• Jackie Warner: Yogurt - Jackie Warner says that if you're looking to lose weight, "get away from yogurt completely." For Jackie, most yogurts on the market are filled with sugar — her number one food vice and the reason "people are heavy and sick in this country." While we agree with Jackie that many of the yogurts on the market are brimming with sugar, Greek yogurt is a must in our book!
• Jarett Del Bene: Margarine - Jarrett Del Bene, best known for working with The Hills alumni Lauren Conrad and Audrina Patridge, says that margarine is number one on his off-limits list: "It's loaded with empty calories and is packed with trans fat, which is the worst fat to consume."
• David Kirsch: Gluten - Famous for helping Heidi Klum bounce back postbaby, David Kirsch stays away from gluten in processed foods: "I try to steer clear of gluten as much as possible — it's awfully bloating." Valerie Waters also steers clear of certain gluten-filled foods like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and most cereals. Says Valerie, "Those foods will not only make me fat, they make me want to sleep."

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Eight Crazy Celebrity Health Trends

We all know the get-healthy basics: follow a low-fat diet and get enough exercise. But celebs, who basically make their living by looking good, sometimes get a little weird. Do they go too far? See what you think! 

Angie Harmon 

Celebrity trainer Kathy Kaehler, who counts Angie Harmon, 39, among her clients, has technique called Sunday Set-Up. On the traditional day of rest, you cook and freeze your meals for the coming week. Of course, women's magazines have been advocating this for, oh, the past six decades or so. But Kaehler's trendy twist: You exercise and cook, exercise and cook. Just grab a chair and "do ten dips and ten squats while you wait for your brown rice…to cook," she wrote in the "Huffington Post." Speaking for ourselves, it's not really possible to get in a lot of exercise before the Lean Cuisine is done in the microwave.
BeyonceTalk about commitment. When she's getting ready to tour, the superstar, 29, works on both fitness and dance nine hours a day. And she wears stilettos for at least a few hours during that time. We hope a foot doctor is standing by.

MadonnaGiven her famous intensity for getting as fit as possible, it's no surprise that Madonna, 53, works the Gytronic machine, a complicated affair that involves pulleys and weights. Kind of like her 1980s videos.

See Also: 10 Best Celebrity Makeup Secrets
Mariah CareyIf you follow the nutritionists' advice, you're eating a lot of brightly colored natural food in the ROYGBIV group: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Carey, 41, a notable diva, has decided to stick to violent (though she calls it purple). Let's see: that includes grapes, plums, eggplant and purple cabbage. Yum.

Brooke ShieldsThe grapefruit diet, a classic Hollywood ploy, actually seems fairly sensible when compared to the more exotic "diets," like the Master Cleanse. But of course it doesn't give you nearly enough nutrients, and once it's done, you'll gain the weight back. Shields, 46, must find the eating plan very simple: Grapefruit, grapefruit, grapefruit. Without any sugar on top.

Jennifer LopezThe "American Idol" judge, 42, goes the grapefruit diet one better by relying on grapefruit oil, which she doesn't actually eat but just sniffs to kill her appetite. Millions of women across the U.S. would probably find this really useful about 4 p.m. In fact, they should sell it in office vending machines.

See Also: How To Develop Your Personal Style
CherIt's kind of impossible to imagine Cher, 65, in anything other than a glitter-laced Bob Mackie dress, but she's probably not wearing something l ike that when she works out in her living room with Wii Fit. With the video-game exercise program, you can practice yoga, golf and boxing. We like to think Cher chooses boxing.

Gwyneth PaltrowAlthough she may look like an ice princess, Gwynnie, 38, is very willing to share when it comes to her digestive health. Through her newsletter, she advocated Alejandro Junger's CLEAN program, which lasts 21 days. There's a Renew cleanse or a Deep Cleanse. Your price: $250 to $425. But shipping is free!

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7 simple ways to be happier

Istockphoto

Judy Dutton, with additional reporting by Kimberly Holland

These days it can feel like the age of anxiety is winning over the pursuit of happiness. An uncertain economy is just the tip of our worry iceberg. In fact, in a recent poll of Health readers, 48% of you say you worry more today than you did a year ago.

Here's another anxious thought: Scientists say women are wired to worry—at least more so than men. In our poll, 54% of you said you worry more than your spouse, with only 12% claiming your partner worries more than you do.

That's thanks, in part, to the hormonal roller-coaster women ride month to month and through the years. "The highs and lows can make women prone to feeling everything from anxious to depressed," says Jerilyn Ross, a licensed independent clinical social worker, president and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, and author of One Less Thing to Worry About.

Health.com: 9 things to stop worrying about

And while men tend to be linear problem solvers, "Women are more in touch with their emotions, and worry is an emotion," points out Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatrist and author of Emotional Freedom: Liberate Your-self from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life.

Still, experts say that with some practice we all can learn to be a little less worried and a whole lot happier. Here's your recipe for a more joyful life. Read on and say, "So long, dark side."

1. Find your joy
One of the keys to finding happiness in tough times is "simply being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different," says James Baraz, a meditation instructor and founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California.

That may require a little less multi­tasking and worrying and more stopping to smell the roses, says Lori Hilt, an anxiety specialist at the University of Wisconsin. "When we get caught up in cycles of brooding and worrying, our minds are stuck in the past or the future," she says. "Get out of the cycle by focusing on the present, noticing the cool breeze on your skin, the taste and texture of a bite of food."

Health.com: 31 ways to boost your mood naturally

"When I'm blue, I'll mix up a fruity drink, insert one of those festive straws—umbrella open, of course—and pretend I'm at a party. It's impossible not to feel happy when your drink has a pretty paper umbrella!"
—Diana Estill, 55, Murphy, Texas

2. Lighten Up
Looking for joy means looking for reasons to smile. Happily, just the act of smiling makes you happy! Even a forced grin tells your brain, "My mouth muscles are moving up, so I must be happy," and leads to a release of happiness-inducing endorphins, psychologist Sybil Keane, PhD, says.

"Because of the threat of layoffs, my job is stressful. I cope—people think I'm nuts—by watching those funny cat videos on YouTube. It's a nightly ritual that always cheers me up!"
—Termeh Mazhari, 25, Great Neck, New York

Health.com: Why your job is making you depressed

"If something sad happens in my life, I look for the comedic spin. I find that the more humiliating the situation, the funnier it can be—or end up being. That's how I survive."
—Kathy Griffin, comedian and star of Kathy Griffin My Life on the D List and author of Official Book Club Selection

3. Get moving
Physical activity is a power­ful ally to greater well-being and joy. "Exercise, yoga, or any kind of regular movement helps get you out of your head," Baraz says. "In addition to being a healthy activity, it triggers endorphins that have a profound effect on lifting your spirits. It makes you come alive."

"I row myself into a better mood. Being out on the water, I forget about all the day-to-day things that cause worry and focus more on what I can do every day that will make a difference."
—Linda Jackson, 51, San Francisco

Health.com: How exercise boosts your mood

4. Look for a joy buddy
It's harder to be happy when you're isolated. That's why Baraz suggests that you find a partner in your pursuit of happiness, what he calls a "joy buddy." Having someone rooting for your well-being and reminding you to look for the good in your life is a very effective way to stay on track, he says. That buddy can be a friend you trade positive text messages with every day or a joy group you meet with once a month.

Surrounding yourself with other happy people can hike your odds of being upbeat by 9%, studies show. But steer clear of complainers: Downer friends bring you, well, down, says change expert Ariane de Bonvoisin, author of The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier, and founder of First30Days.com.

"Heading to the park with my dog, Scoobie, is my favorite cure, no matter what's weighing on me. It's impossible to worry when I'm surrounded by dogs running and tumbling over one another—there's something about the innocent joy of their play that relaxes me."
—Carol Huang, 43, New York City

Health.com: How to stay up when someone you love is down

5. Practice Being Happy
Most people discover that happiness isn't related to objects or experiences, though those things can give us fleeting pleasure, says Baraz, whose book Awakening Joy will be out in January. "Studies show that happiness comes with certain states of mind and heart, such as generosity, kindness, or gratitude," he says.

Getting there may take practice, but the more you consciously focus on the feeling of joy—whether it comes from giving a compliment or laughing out loud with your kids—the more deeply that feeling will register and the happier you'll be.

"Digging in the soil makes me happy. It helps me feel as if I have control over something. And the pride I feel when I look at my garden makes me feel successful. The connection with nature brings me into the now."
—Angie Mattson, 36, Charlotte, North Carolina

Health.com: 10 things not to say to someone with depression

6. Do a song or dance (really)
If an apple a day keeps the doc away, Baraz would say a song does, too. He believes that singing is one of the surest roads to finding joy. "It's hard to stay in a funk if you're singing regularly," he says, and research bears him out: University of Manchester researchers discovered that an organ in the inner ear (that responds to singing sounds) is connected to a part of the brain that registers pleasure. So singing, alone in the car or in a crowd at church (and even if you're very, very bad at it), makes you happier. If singing isn't your thing, Baraz says, paint, dance, or write.

"When I was in the minuses in my bank account, I was beside myself with worry. So in the middle of changing my clothes, I would dance, nude. The movement helped move the worry right out of me, and the nude part worked symbolically for setting me free."
—Elisabeth Manning, 39, Marin County, California

7. Be very still
Regularly taking a little quiet time—meditating or perhaps sipping a warm cup of tea—helps you appreciate the moment and your life, Baraz says. "Being still reminds you that life isn't about racing as fast as you can to get to the end of your to-do list."

Health.com: 10 tips for dating with depression

"Whenever I start turning over all of my worries in my head—bills, car, kid, marriage, everything—I wash dishes. I may not be able to control how much my mortgage payment is, but I can wash the dishes. Once I focus on the present, everything else seems to just fall away."
—Jen Matlack, 39, Bethel,Connecticut

I do 15 minutes of meditation a day. It takes 5 minutes to clear my mind, so I have 10 minutes of relaxation. I generally focus on a word, such as 'gentle,' and repeat it silently until my mind clears.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent

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Embarrassing Yoga Moments: Don't Let Them Happen to You

Source: Embarrassing Yoga Moments: Don't Let Them Happen to You

Yoga class is supposed to be all serene and spiritual, but it's hard to feel enlightened when you break the silence by loudly breaking wind. We're all adults, so we shouldn't feel embarrassed, but it's hard to bounce back into bliss after such an awkward distraction. Plenty can happen during a yoga class to make you want to crawl under your mat and hide, and although you can't prevent everything, here are some ways to lower your risk for bodily function humiliation. 

Loud Outbursts From Your Tush Gas gets passed. It happens. But it's mortifying when it happens to you in a completely quiet room of people trying to breathe! There are a few ways you can lower your risk of tooting accidentally. First off, trying out that new Mexican place a couple hours before your yoga class is probably not the best idea. Skip eating the foods you know lead to gas like beans, meat, onions, and broccoli, and avoid trying new foods in case your digestive system rebels. Certain poses are also more likely to encourage gas to pass, such as forward bends, twists, and poses where your knees pull into your chest. I'm not telling you to avoid them completely, but move into questionable postures with caution if you know flatulence is an issue. If a barking spider finds it's way into your capris, I find it best to pretend it didn't happen, or laugh to dispel any weirdness.



More from FitSugar: Make These Hard-to-Digest Foods Easy on the Tummy



B.O. You don't want to be the stinky person everyone avoids placing their mat next to. When you sweat profusely, bacteria mixes with your perspiration, causing that offensive odor. Deodorant helps, but you also want to make sure your clothes are clean. Wearing seemingly "clean" clothes you only wore once will backfire because as soon as you start sweating, the funky odors release. If you're having a hard time eliminating unpleasant smells from your workout clothes, here are some tips for washing your clothes. Or invest in some new tops and bottoms made from material specifically designed not to reek.

The same goes for your mat. If you use a rug or yoga towels, for the love of Shiva, do not just roll it up all sweaty and leave it like that until the next class. Hang your rug over your bedroom door to air out and prevent mildew, and wash your towel with your yoga outfit. Your nose and everyone else's will thank you. 

Indecent Exposures I'll never forget an ashtanga class I took with my hubby and the girl across from us had a classic nip slip. And I'll spare you the details of the older gentleman who wore shorts that were a little too short for his own good (shudder). To prevent revealing too much skin, make sure your outfit fits well. Loose material or clothes that don't keep you covered (booty shorts and low-cut tops) will shift when contorting your body, and you're bound to let your neighbor get a peek at your private business. Before heading to class, do some poses at home to make sure your parts stay hidden.

Along the same lines, if you choose not to wear underwear or sport teeny thongs, make sure your yoga pants aren't see-through. Inspect your crotch for holes as well. To avoid showing off my butt crack and other parts down there, I splurge on quality yoga pants made of thicker material (thank you Lululemon for keeping my privates protected!). 


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Passing Gas Through Your Lady Business It's not something we talk about, but this too happens. Some might experience air up there when getting busy, but it may also find its way into your vinyasa class. Air often gets drawn inside during inversions when your legs are wide, like in a straddle. The good news is you know the air is in there, so you can do your best to move slowly, shift your hips, or do whatever you need in order to release the air slowly as to avoid the unmistakable symphony of squeaks. I will say that you want to be certain you've released every last bit to avoid surprising honks from your hoo-ha.

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How Long Will You Live? It Depends on How Fast You Walk

Photo: Dan Saelinger

By Erin Biba

Forget the "life line" on your palm and complicated medical algorithms. It turns out that forecasting how long you'll live might be as simple as timing how fast you walk.

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University of Pittsburgh researchers recently crunched data from nearly 35,000 subjects 65 years or older and discovered that each increase in gait speed of 0.1 meters/second correlated with a 12 percent decrease in the risk of death. Among women 75 to 84, for example, 92 percent of the fastest walkers (traveling at 1.4 meters/second or faster) lived another ten years, while only 35 percent of the slowest walkers (shuffling at 0.4 meters/second or slower) survived until then.

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"The reason speed reflects vitality is that so many organs and systems are involved in how we move—the heart, the lungs, the muscles, the joints, the bones, the brain," says study author Stephanie Studenski, MD. She speculates that gait speed may one day be a low-tech way for physicians to assess their patients: A slow pace could indicate a deeper problem and inspire patients to improve modifiable health factors, like blood pressure, diet, and fitness.

RELATED: Power Walk to a New You

The DIY Test

Studenski suggests measuring your gait once a year. Women over 65 can check their results against the graph below; women under 65 should compare their pace with past years (talk to your doctor if you see a sudden change).

RELATED: 5 Exercises to Work Your Whole Body in Only 15 Minutes

1. Measure a distance of four meters on the floor and mark it with tape.

2. Time yourself as you walk at your natural pace between the start and finish lines, continuing a few steps after you've stopped the clock.

3. Divide your time in seconds by four meters.

RELATED: Dr. Oz's 6 Ways to Extend Your Life in 1 Minute or Less

More from O, The Oprah Magazine:

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