Does the Summer heat making running outdoors impossible? See the reasons why OnSugar blogger Ready to Run thinks running in the morning is the solution to your problem.

I've never been a morning person, let alone a morning runner. I've also felt that when I run in the morning, I get short of breath, my strides are uneven, and I'm more likely to get a side stitch. However, I went running in the morning a couple days this week, and although I felt pretty crap-tastic during one of my runs, I felt pretty good during my second morning run. Actually, I felt great. It was nice and cool in the a.m. (about 58 degrees), my breathing stayed pretty even, and I set a new PR [personal record] of 9 minute-per-mile! So I'm thinking that I might start running in the morning more often.

Here are some perks to morning runs:

1. It's generally cooler in the morning than it is mid-afternoon, so the morning, or running at dusk, is the best time of day to head out in the Summer, unless you enjoy being chained to your treadmill.

2. Most races take place in the morning, so you can get your body acclimated to the time of day that a race is being held.

3. If you live on a busy street, there aren't as many cars on the road at 5 a.m.

4. If you have a busy day ahead of you, you can get up early and just get your run done and out of the way, instead of waiting until later in the day, and then having to skip your workout.

5. Morning workouts actually help you wake up so that you're more alert throughout the rest of the day.

If that doesn't give you a reason to head out in the morning, I don't know what will! I'm off to run the Worcester Firefighters Memorial 6k, will post a recap within the next few days!

Check out more running tips at Ready to Run, and if you're inspired, then start your own blog using our OnSugar platform! Get started here.

Hosting a New Year's Eve party? Serve up some healthier deviled eggs, courtesy of OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties.

Deviled eggs usually live up to their name, but these little devils come adorned with a halo and wings. Replacing more than half the mayo of typical deviled eggs with garbanzo beans makes them a little less sinful and absolutely perfect for a holiday party!

Read on for the recipe.

OnSugar blogger Coach Lark Says encourages his pregnant clients to exercise while pregnant — safely, of course. He shares a few tips on how to exercise when pregnant below.

Here are some of the best reasons to exercise when you are pregnant, which I have gathered from a variety of sources.

• Better psychological wellbeing
• Reduced incidence of gestational diabetes
• Decreased incidence of preclampsia
• Reduced lower back pain
• Improved weight management
• Improved fetal development
• Easier or shorter labor
• Decreased risk of premature labor
• Greatly reduced incidence of abdominal surgery during delivery

Of course, it’s important to modify your workout to accommodate and support the pregnancy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t work out as hard. Maintaining the workout intensity you had going into your pregnancy is exactly what you want to do. It’s not time to start a new program. It is time to work the core in three planes of motion to strengthen the abdominals for pushing during labor. When I work with expecting moms at my training facility at the Bentley Reserve in downtown San Francisco, I advise them according to the following parameters.

Read his tips after the break.

Weight loss is no easy journey. See how OnSugar blogger Lynsanity: Healthy Recipes Even He Will Eat plans to stay dedicated to her healthy lifestyle while on vacation.

I am traveling this weekend — it will be the first time I have traveled for leisure since I have started this [weight loss] journey. I have flown home a few times, but it's easy to eat well when you're staying at your Mom's (especially when she is also health conscious.)

This weekend I will be on a girls trip — hello cookies and drink of the day! In an effort to avoid binging or overeating while away, I am going to be packing a few items in my checked luggage. Here is what I am thinking:

• Lara Bars
• Fiber One cereal
• Almonds
• Instant organic oatmeal for a quick snack before morning workouts

See how else Lynsanity plans to stay healthy while on vacation after the break!

Weight loss is no easy journey, and the following story told by the OnSugar blog, Lynsanity: Healthy Recipes Even He Will Eat is one that many of us may find familiar. This is her first blog post, so let's welcome her to the community!

I have always been on a diet. ALWAYS. I was quite plump at a young age and my mother put me on one. In fifth grade my favorite after school activity was Tae-Bo, and in high school Xenedrine still had phen-phen in it and was $18.99 at Longs. Up until high school, I am pretty sure I was around the same size since eight grade — I could wear the same jeans from freshman through senior year— and no matter how extreme my diet or workout routine became, my weight always juggled 5-10lbs.

Then college came — hello 10 lbs! Then work came, no one prepares you for 8hr+ days and what a toll that takes on your body! (I mean, yes, there are long classes in school, but after five hours you get up and walk half a mile to the next one!) Then I moved: the emotional strain (good and bad); the physical exhaustion of looking for a new place, making new friends, and finding your new favorite watering hole. When I moved to San Francisco last April, I lost 12lbs instantly, walking everywhere, running around, stressing about little things. And after about a month I gained it all back plus some . . . blah blah story of my life. Then I got the boyfriend — hello comfort weight! Well, finally I woke up one morning and thought . . . nope, not any more.

Read the rest of 2-4-1's story after the break!

FitSugar reader Sophiew1 has found the virtues of healthy fats. She shares a recipe for an omega 3-rich snack in her OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties.

I'm slowly recovering from what I call "fat-a-phobia." I've steered clear of fats only to overdo it later on carbs. I noticed my hands were dry (even my palms), my hair was dull, and my energy level was usually depleted. Healthy fats are crucial for one's well-being. Our skin, our brain — even our mood — beg for fat as nourishment. I get most of my fats from foods like avocados, hummus, and salmon, but I decided to add a homemade fruit and seed roll to up the dose.

This heart-healthy snack reminds me of a Lara Bar, but potentially even healthier and tastier? I'll let you be the judge.

Read on for the recipe!

How did you spend your long weekend? OnSugar blogger houseofanais spent it hiking in Yosemite — with two-year-old twins, no less! She shares how she prepped for her hike.

I recently was asked to test Lifefactory's ecological water bottle made out of glass and covered by a cute silicone sleeve (many people might know this brand better for their glass bottles for feeding babies). I was really excited since so many celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Reese Witherspoon have been spotted using this bottle out and about in LA. Obviously it was heavier than a plastic bottle, but not much more than a metal one. What was great about it, is the fact that glass keeps the water tasting good all day long — unlike plastic bottles. So far I have been very happy with the bottle, but the big test is going to be this weekend when the family hits Yosemite and weather might soar to 100 degrees.

Read more after the break.

Curious about what it takes to create a Pilates studio at home? Well, OnSugar Blogger girl meets fit has you covered! Check out her picks for must-have Pilates gear.

Clockwise from left to right: Nike Strappy Tank ($24), VATA Brasil High Support Capri Pants ($90), VATA Brasil High Support Capri Pants ($90), Pilates Exercise Ring ($37), Pilates Abs Workout DVD ($15), Pilayo Braid Headband ($12), Stamina AeroPilates Performer 4500 ($240), Scunci No Damage Thick Hair Elastics ($4), Manduka Black Mat PRO ($94)

Make sure to follow girl meets fit for more fun workout shopping suggestions. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts may be featured here on FitSugar!

If you're looking for a new cycling look to sport this Summer, the OnSugar blog Girl Meets Fit has you covered. Keep reading to shop her fun, hip look!

Snake from top left: Oakley Commit Sq sunglasses ($150), Nike Air Pegasus+ 27 running shoe ($70), Timex Road Trainer heart monitor ($110), "Reduce Reuse Bicycle" Sigg bottle ($28), Adidas by Stella McCartney cycle padded short ($81), Adidas cycle tee ($64), New Balance reflective jacket ($40), Smartwool cycling socks, 3-pack ($41)

Gain more fun workout shopping suggestions by following Girl Meets Fit. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

Looking for a healthy burger recipe this Memorial Day? Take a nod from the OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties and make these Mediterranean-inspired turkey burgers.

Lighter turkey burgers? Is that an oxymoron? Believe it or not, store bought turkey burgers are not always as lean as they appear. This recipe, however, leaves out all the mystery ingredients and uses only the basics to make a delicious and satisfying turkey burger.

Keep reading to see the recipe!

If you're looking for a look to wear to your next yoga class, the OnSugar blog Girl Meets Fit has you covered. Keep reading to shop her fun, hip look!

From left to right: Dragonfly hydrangea yoga mat ($18), Ivy grey pocket tank ($43), Forever 21 contrast sports bra ($11), Express fold-over cropped pants ($30), Lodis "Savage Maddie" tote ($428)

Gain more fun workout shopping suggestions by following Girl Meets Fit. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

This post is from the OnSugar blog An Outside Eye. Read her thoughts on doing a three-month elimination diet.

I just finished up three straight months of a fascist eating program courtesy of my insightful and talented acupuncturist, Caylie See. As I wrote about in the beginning, I went cold turkey off coffee and tea, sugar, alcohol, gluten, dairy, vinegar, soy, potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, among other things. I also took Chinese herbs three times a day for three months, swallowed a handful of acidophilus pills every morning, got needles stuck up in me weekly, did yoga regularly (yup), started hiking more, journaled every day, and just generally took immaculate and spectacular care of myself.

Now that I am wrapping up this program, people in my life are asking me how I feel. "You must feel amazing," they say.

The truth is, I don't feel that much more amazing than I did before — which was far from amazing. (What is the opposite of "amazing"?) My size six jeans still don't fit by a long shot; I still get a stomachache every single time I get anxious (which is always); yoga still feels like torture; I still can't walk straight up a hill without getting winded and really irritable. I still need 10 hours of sleep a night and feel like I have the flu if I don't get it. I still get nasty PMS and I still feel mildly congested and sinusy most of the time.

To find out what positive things came from the diet, read more

Here are four weight loss lessons that OnSugar blogger Coach Lark Says learned from the A&E series, Heavy.

What I like about the A&E show Heavy compared to The Biggest Loser is that it demonstrates clearly how challenging it is to achieve lasting weight loss. Under a 100-percent controlled diet and with full-time trainers for five to six hours a day on a strenuous exercise program, these people are losing one to two pounds a day.

Then, after a month, they go home to see if they can keep losing weight. They get a trainer at home and the council of a nutritionist. Frequently, they gain weight back during the period when they have to integrate the program back into their daily lives.

It’s a struggle, but all the episodes I’ve seen, ended with weight loss of 90-150 pounds after six months.

The take home message:

1. Find ways to bring accountability into your diet. Know how many calories you are consuming roughly and add them up each day. A food journal for a month or two can be very educational.
2. Know that a 300 lb. person exercising intensely for five to six hours a day can subsist healthily on 1,200-2,000 calories a day. When you eat this lightly, you only feel like you are starving. Your body will actually love it.
3. Work out hard to stoke your metabolism. By building strong muscles you get tons of energy, look great, and burn more calories — allowing you to consume more without weight gain.
4. No one’s body is perfect. We are all a bunch of beautiful weirdos. So get comfortable with your body and show it some love! It’s the only body you’ve got, after all. Might as well accept it.

Want to see more? Start following Coach Lark Says or start your own OnSugar blog. We'd love to post your inspiring stories and helpful advice here on FitSugar too!

This post is from the OnSugar blog The 13th Mile — A Half Marathon Blog.

A few weeks ago, I wrote on the ease of continuing to run outside, despite extreme weather conditions — like post-snowstorm. However, I do believe that at a certain point — like when the roads are coated with semi-invisible ice, or your city is in the midst of a blizzard — taking the workout indoors is one’s only option.

The problem with indoor workouts is that there are too many distractions. It’s easy to fall victim to the household chores or that favorite TV show. But these activities can simply be woven into the overall fitness routine while multitasking!

1. Weighted TV watching —  As many trainers and fitness experts agree, lifting weights several times a week is one of the best ways to torch calories for 24 hours post-workout while boosting metabolism. For those of us with no time left over for TV, lunges, crunches, and tricep-dips might just be the only time to catch up on the most recent episode of our favorite TV shows. Might as well get the most out of the time!

See even more ideas when you read more

This Moroccan soup recipe is from the OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties.

This weekend I wanted to cook something that I hadn't made before, and Moosewood's recipe for Harira definitely fit the bill. Harira is a North African stew that's served for dinner during Ramadan to break the daytime fast. The mix of spices in this recipe make for an aromatic and vibrant bowl of stew. Some grocery stores sell spices in bulk so that you can buy only as much as you'll need for your recipe.

See the recipe when you read more

Here are three Winter calorie burners from the OnSugar blog The13thMile: A Half-Marathon Blog.

Ice Skating – From a deserted lake in the woods, to the crowds of Central Park, ice skating is available all over the country. Even if you live in sunny Florida, there are indoor ice rinks. Ice skating activates different muscles, including the inner thighs and glutes – two areas that can be difficult to tone. There is also the balance component to skating – lean your weight on one leg, then the other, feeling how centered your balance can be. I’m certainly not a figure skater (I’m a known klutz), but as an ex-ballerina and a yogini-in-training, I’ve found skating can center the body while still blasting fat.

See the other Winter calorie burners when you read more

Found a new low cal way to satisfy the sweet tooth at the OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties.
This girl's got a sweet tooth, not going to lie. Since losing weight and becoming fit, I've found sensible solutions for getting my sweet fix without sacrificing my healthy lifestyle. Pay attention people, this recipe will change your life! I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Try mixing 1 packet of fat free/sugar free Jello instant pudding into 2 cups of plain, fat free Greek style yogurt (like Fage or Oikos). The texture becomes more like a mousse than a pudding. I've made 3 recipes to get you started, but the options are endless!
Recipe #1:
FF Greek yogurt + FF/SF butterscotch flavored Jello + sliced apples for dipping
Recipe #2:
FF Greek yogurt + FF/SF cheesecake flavored Jello + blueberries + lemon juice (divine!!!)
Recipe #3:
FF Greek yogurt + FF/SF white chocolate flavored Jello + macadamia nuts + yogurt chips

Get more fun food tips from Sophie's Sweeties. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

The OnSugar blog Fearless Fitness shares great advice for dealing with muffin top syndrome.

The infamously unsightly muffin top. It's embarrassing, and quite an eye sore. Believe me, I know; I have once let my body get to this state. All I wanted to do was cover my body in big sacks of clothing. I felt unattractive and altogether, unhealthy.
Do you suffer from muffin top syndrome? If so, there are infinite ways to remedy it. Ultimately, you will feel more confident in your clothes and more in love with your healthy body. You know you are beautiful, and you know your body is a temple; so, the best way to treat your body is to take care of it with all of your might! Perhaps you don't have time, and that's fine. There are ways to integrate a healthy lifestyle into your daily activities; it would not even feel as if you are setting aside special time to pamper yourself with health! Just follow these steps, and you will be able to see a transformation in your body:

Here's a healthy recipe for banana bread from the OnSugar blog Sophie's Sweeties.

When life gives you bananas, make banana bread! When a recipe calls for oil, use applesauce and yogurt! These swaps make the bread moist and delicious while keeping it low-fat. It doesn't get any better than that!

See Sophie's easy recipe when you read more