By: Stepfanie Romine, SparkPeople Blogger
5/18/2013  6:00:00 AM   :  7 comments   :  9,274 views

A round-up of the most interesting and thought-provoking stories of the week.

Advice on Practicing Yoga in Middle Age, Part 1
Dr. Loren Fishman, a back-pain and rehabilitative medicine specialist who studied yoga under B.K.S. Iyengar, answers readers questions about how to safely practice and alleviate pain in the first of three segments. A must-read for anyone who practices yoga, anyone who wants to, or anyone with back or nerve pain. NYT.com

6 Things You Don't Know About Your Muscles
Our muscles do more than most of us realize. Tip #1: Think of them like “scaffolding for your entire body.” Don't miss the rest... Shape.com

Best Road Races for Beginners
If you’re a new runner interested in road races, you’ll want to check out this list of events known for their crowd support, good swag, and non-competitive vibe. Self.com

Frank advice from Star Jones
A decade after weight-loss surgery and three years after open-heart surgery at age 44, the former View star shares her thoughts on healthy living. Philly.com
 
What 100 Calories Look Like: Frozen Treats
Craving something cool and creamy? Look before you lick. FitSugar.com

By: Stepfanie Romine, SparkPeople Blogger
5/17/2013  6:00:00 PM   :  16 comments   :  2,922 views

Meet Erin. She's 30 and lives in Florida. Happily engaged and recently promoted at work, she loves her life. She wakes up feeling great, rarely stops moving throughout her waking hours, and goes to sleep each night with a smile on her face. Life isn't perfect, but every day feels better than the last, she says.
 
Erin is so committed to this life that it's hard for her to remember what it was like before, when she weighed almost twice what she does now. When she had little energy to stay awake after work and all she wanted to do on her days off was sleep. When she was in excruciating pain from even the smallest physical efforts and walking around the block seemed like torture. When she looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the woman she'd become and didn't know how to change her life.
 
She wanted to marry the love of her life, raise babies together, and do all the fun things she could only watch from afar. When she moved to Florida from New Jersey, she was excited about the year-round sun, access to the beach, and all the theme parks and outdoor festivals. But most of the time, she stayed inside or came home early because she was tired and in pain. Life was passing her by, and she felt helpless. Looking back now on the day she decided to change everything, it feels like a dream—a nightmare—but she's grateful for it. Looking back, the worst day of her life was also among the best, because it was the first day of the rest of her life.
 
The harness was stuck. No matter what she did, Erin couldn't fasten the safety belt around her middle. She held her breath, sucked in her stomach, and tried wiggling in her seat. Her fiancé, JT, then tried, but to no avail. People were laughing and pointing, and the line was backing up. The roller-coaster operator came over to see what was wrong.
 
It was the day after Erin's longtime boyfriend had proposed to her, and they were at a Florida theme park to celebrate. The joy that hadn't left her face since he got down on one knee was replaced by fear and panic. Finally, it clasped.
 
Her humiliation turned to relief and then terror as the ride began. Was the harness secure? Would it hold her weight, or would she plummet to her death on what should have been a day of celebration? The ride lasted a mere three minutes, but every moment felt like an eternity. She held her breath, gripped her fiancé's hand, and prayed for it to be over. It soon was, and her giddiness returned, until they picked up the photos taken on the ride. Her stomach dropped as she looked at the woman in the photo. She knew she had gained weight, but really? That was what she looked like?
 
I look like a pillow stuffed into a wastebasket, she thought. Right then and there, she knew something had to change. She and JT wanted to start a family, but Erin asked herself, How can I take care of kids if I can't take care of myself?
 

At Sea World, the site of the fateful roller-coaster ride
After years of trying maple-syrup cleanses, all-meat fad diets, and every diet pill in the pharmacy, she was ready to lose the weight for good. No more quick fixes or searches for an instant cure.
 
This is it, she told herself. It has to be the right way. Nothing ever worked before because I didn't do it the right way.
 
"How to live a healthy life," she typed into her browser; she was not going to look into diets. SparkPeople.com popped up in her search results and she joined immediately. She got started on her new life and never looked back.

By: Melinda Hershey, SparkPeople Blogger
5/17/2013  12:00:00 PM   :  27 comments   :  6,599 views

Inspired by this piece of motivation? Share it on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr! Check out hundreds of inspirational quotes and images on SparkPeople's Healthy Inspiration page.

By: Melinda Hershey, SparkPeople Blogger
5/17/2013  8:00:00 AM   :  47 comments   :  3,382 views

Hey, everyone! 

As you may have noticed, SparkPeople.com and SparkRecipes.com were down for a bit last night, and we apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, there was a fire near our server facility, which shut everything down temporarily. We're happy to say that we are officially back up and running now, and nobody was hurt in the fire.

If you were unable to log in yesterday to get your daily SparkPoints, you can click here to get credit for the day you missed. We know how important consistency is to you all, and we'd hate to mess up your streak because of a technical difficulty on our end!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask--we'll answer them the best we can!

SparkCheers!

The SparkPeople Team

By: Nicole Nichols, SparkPeople Blogger
5/17/2013  6:00:00 AM   :  85 comments   :  21,326 views

Do you love spring as much as I do? It's so energizing to wake up when the sun is shining, enjoy the outdoors without wearing a coat, and see the green grass and tiny flower buds flanking the streets. Every sunny day, I lament that I'm in the office instead of outdoors, which is why I get outside as much as possible after work and each weekend. When the scenery is beautiful and the temperature perfect, almost any activity—including exercise—seems more fun and enjoyable. Here are 7 worthwhile pastimes that can help you get fit, burn calories and enjoy the outdoors this spring!