Running in the city? Follow these tips! Credit: S. Diddy

Living in a big city can be exciting. If you call New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago or San Francisco home, you have access to some of the hottest and trendiest health clubs and group exercise classes right in your own backyard. And even if you live in an urban part of Dallas, Seattle, Kansas City, Pittsburgh or any other large metropolitan area, you still have a lot of different workout options available. But what if running or walking outdoors is your favorite activity? Urban exercisers have to deal with the hustle and bustle of city life, which can make your running-in-the-city exercise experience a touch more challenging.

Urban living may give you the freedom to function without a car and easily walk to hip shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, but when you’re trying to actually fit in a workout, navigating the city safely and efficiently can be a bit of a challenge. After all, you’re up against pollution, traffic, possible crime, uneven sidewalks and other treacherous conditions, not to mention all the traffic and intersections that stop you multiple times mid-run.

Read on for six tips for navigating the urban landscape, understanding the possible risks associated with walking and running in the city, and actually using the metro to your advantage!

Do you go walking or running in the city? Dealt with any of these issues? Tell us about it! —Jenn

Just say no to food pushers (and this donut) with these tips! Credit: Jennie Faber

Food temptations are everywhere. From champagne and fried appetizers on New Year’s Eve to nachos and buffalo wings at the big game, the social temptations are endless be it a holiday, birthday party, work gathering or just a Sunday brunch with friends. And it can be hard to say no when your boss is giving you donuts for a job well done or your great aunt is insisting that you have a second serving of her famous apple pie.

Food pushers range from well-intentioned loved ones to total diet saboteurs. Regardless of their motivation, it’s important to stick to your guns. You can always be honest and say that you’re simply trying to eat healthier, but if that response gets ignored (or doesn’t come easily), the following retorts to their food-forcing ways will keep you in control of what goes on your plate and in your mouth!

Continue reading to learn how to politely say no to food pushers at parties and gatherings! —Erin 

Think you can't find time for exercise? We have 10 ways to squeeze it in! Credit: blakespot

This post is a part of our second-annual New Year, New Rear Week to help you to be fitter, healthier and a touch (okay, a lot!) more awesome in 2012. Read all New Year, New Rear posts here!

What’s the No. 1 excuse for not working out? Lack of time. Sure, we’re all busy handling multiple priorities and rushing here and there every day. However, I promise that no matter how busy you are, someone even busier than you is working out right now. If you look closely, you’ll find that you do have the time to work out—and you deserve to use that time for yourself.

Squeezing in just a few minutes of physical exercise a day has huge benefits for your health, gives you energy and perks up your mood. In fact, a new study published by The Lancet found that if sedentary people increased their physical activity by just 15 minutes per day, they could reduce their risk of premature death by 14 percent and increase their life expectancy by three years. Also, remember that “working out” doesn’t have to happen in the gym or last for an hour! Short 10-minute bursts of exercise, accumulated over the course of the day, can add up to big fitness and health gains, too.

Still not convinced that you have the time for exercise? Continue reading to start fitting fitness into your busy life today! —Jenn

Coach Nicole at the Club Industry Show in Chicago.

Since FBG’s inception, we’ve been able to work with and connect with some amazing and talented people. One of those people? Nicole Nichols. Fitness expert and editor for SparkPeople, Nicole is the star of workout DVDs (we’ll be reviewing her new DVD soon, so be on the lookout for that!) and was recently named ACE’s first-ever Personal Trainers to Watch winner. After her recent honor, we caught up with her for her top tips to have a fit and healthy holiday this season!

Coach Nicole’s Best Healthy Holiday Tips

Tip #1: Move your feet before you eat. A little extra eating is common during the holidays, and there isn’t anything unhealthy about that. But before you bite, think about what you’ll do to make sure that food doesn’t become a permanent part of your anatomy.

Want to sample everything on the Thanksgiving table? Move your feet before you eat.

Planning to uncover your holiday spirit by baking cookies? Move your feet before you eat.

Heading back for a second slice of pie with whipped cream? Move your feet before you eat.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to sign up for a race such as a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day or a Jingle Bell/Hot Chocolate 5K in December. Enlist your friends and some family members, too, and start a new tradition of fitting in a little fitness before you feast.

Tip #2: Treat the holiday like any other day. This is by far the best tip I live by. I don’t let the holidays get the best of my healthy eating or exercise plans because I treat them like any other day of the year. So even though I host and cook for a dozen people every Thanksgiving, I still wake up early to work out, and make time for fitness the day before and the day after—not as an afterthought but as a habit. And when it comes time to enjoy a bounty of delicious foods, I fill my plate once (since that’s what I’d do during any other non-holiday meal), and choose the right portions of all my favorites.

When you treat a holiday like any other day, you set yourself up for success. You still get to enjoy the traditions and special foods, but you don’t have to feel guilty (or get a bellyache) for doing so. Plus when you make time for fitness, you’ll usually think twice before overeating later.

If working up a sweat is all you think about, you may be obsessed with exercise. Credit: lu_lu

Living a healthy lifestyle is great. And loving to work out? A double bonus! But how do you know if you’ve crossed the line and started doing too much of a good thing? When does a love of fitness turn into an unhealthy obsession? Well, there are definitely some warning signs.

Take this obsessed with exercise quiz to see if your relationship with exercise is healthy or all-consuming!

And after the quiz, tell us in the comments how you did. Do you think about exercise too much? Not enough? Just the right amount? Share! —Jenn

Credit: lululemon athletica

Everyone has an idea in their head when it comes to looking their fittest and healthiest. For some, it’s fitting perfectly into a certain outfit, or walking on the beach in a bikini with total confidence. For others, it may mean seeing a defined midsection reflected in the mirror, or having strong, toned shoulders or legs. We all have our own goals for how we want to look and feel. And, although your specific goals may be different from those of others, almost everyone wants to look and feel toned and fit. Right? But what does “toned” really mean? And is it different from “bulking” up? We set out to define just that—and to dispel some myths about toning, strengthening and so-called bulking up.

Read on for the five most common myths on toning and bulking up! —Jenn

Heart health is all about taking care of yourself! Credit: seanmcgrath

We all know that for optimum heart health we need to eat a healthy diet, exercise and not smoke. But did you know that the little things you do every day can have a big impact on the most important muscle in your body? We put together a list of the eight habits that may be hurting your heart health. You might be surprised how these “little” things add up! Are you guilty of any of these seemingly innocent mistakes?

8 Mistakes That Hurt Your Heart Health and How to Overcome Them

1. You fly off the handle. Do you suffer from regular bouts of rage or intense anger at home, at work or in traffic? If so, your angry temperament may be hurting more than the people around you. While moderate anger can be a good way to release tension, explosive anger or chronic bouts of rage can increase your risk of heart disease.

A 2000 study published in the journal Circulation found that among almost 13,000 middle-aged African-American and white men and women with normal blood pressure, those who were the angriest had almost twice the risk of coronary artery disease and three times the risk of heart attack when compared to those with the lowest levels of anger. Researchers note that while anger can harm your heart, anxiety and other negative emotions probably also play a role. Anger and anxiety have been shown to increase blood pressure, disrupt the electrical impulses of the heart and possibly speed up the process of atherosclerosis, a fatty build up in the arteries.

Tips to help: Pause and take a deep breath when you feel anger coming on. A simple breathing activity can help, but taking steps to reduce stress—even if you’re not feeling angry at the time—are also important.

Keep reading for seven more habits that hurt your heart health and how you can reverse them! —Jenn

Are some fitness items like dumbbells worth splurging on? We weigh in! Credit: tableatny

Getting fit can be a pricey endeavor. From having the proper footwear to the right sweat-wicking apparel to the gadgets, gizmos and equipment that promise to help get you to your fittest and healthiest, you can spend a small fortune on working out. But—and this is a big but—you don’t have to! Whether you’re trying to find the gear you need to hit the gym or are looking to outfit a whole workout room at home, here’s what you need to know about splurging and saving on fitness items.

Splurge: 5 Fitness Items Worth Spending More On

For many, money is tight. But when it comes to these items (assuming you’re in the market for them), skimping for a cheaper model might cost you more in the long run.

1. Shoes. If you’ve ever bought a pair of cheap sneakers and tried to run in them, you know a good pair of workout shoes is worth every cent. The proper footwear isn’t just a matter of comfort—it’s a matter of safety! Wearing shoes that don’t correctly support the activity you’re doing can lead to muscular imbalance, decreased performance and even injury or overuse. If you’re just starting out with your fitness routine and aren’t sure what type of kicks to buy, try on a variety of cross trainers (these are designed for multiple activities like walking, boot camp, lifting weights and being on the elliptical). Stick to the name brands and splurge a little on the pair that feels the best on your foot! Get more sneaker-buying tips here.

2. Sports Bras. I know, ladies, sports bras are almost as expensive as your regular bras! But, they’re actually almost more deserving of the price tag because the difference between a cheap sports bra and a quality one is huge. Most department stores now have a sports section for bras, so try on a variety of options and find one that fully supports you and is comfortable (jumping up and down in the dressing room is encouraged!). It’s worth it to pay a little more for a sports bra with adjustable straps, so that it can size down as you do, too! Find the best fitting sports bra with this shopping guide.

Keep reading for other fitness items that are worth splurging on—and five that aren’t! —Jenn

Credit: Betsssssy

We all know how great a good night’s rest feels. You wake up feeling refreshed, energized and ready to tackle your day. Unfortunately, this rested feeling is the exception and not the norm for many who live busy lives in the modern world, and it’s hurting more than our energy levels—it’s also harming our hearts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one-quarter of the U.S. population report occasionally not getting enough sleep, while nearly 10 percent experience chronic insomnia.

Although it may feel like it, sleep isn’t a passive activity, or a luxury for that matter. It’s a must for your overall health and well-being, and according to many studies, it’s essential for a healthy heart. According to the CDC and numerous studies, not getting enough sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. Together, these four health conditions prove a powerful case that sleep isn’t just beneficial, it’s vital.

Read on for how a good night’s sleep can boost heart health and how you can get better sleep tonight! —Jenn

Watching too much TV can cut away from your workout time!

Many people claim that they don’t have time to work out or cook healthy meals, yet they do find the time to park themselves in front of the TV night after night. In fact, the average American watches 31.5 hours of TV per week, according to a 2010 Nielsen report. That’s almost as many hours as most of us spend working! That’s a lot of hours that could be spent shopping for and preparing nutritious meals, hitting the gym or even taking up a new hobby.

If you think your loyalty to your favorite TV shows could be interfering with your life—or your pursuit of health and fitness—then read on for 10 signs that you’re watching too much TV! —Erin