By the time the actual day of Christmas rolled around I was so over baking that I didn't want to make dessert for my own dinner. Instead of dealing with mounds of flour or cookie cutters, I just wanted to relax and watch the yule log on TV. Weeks earlier I was given a box of all-natural oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix from Kodiak Cakes, which seemed perfect given my laziness on Christmas morning.
Like most packaged dessert mixes, the big draw of Kodiak cookie mix is its ease. All you do is beat together an egg, 1/2 cup of butter, and the mix. Roll out some dough balls, bake in the oven for about ten minutes and you're done. Easy peasy. What I didn't expect was how good the cookies would taste.
First there was Earth Shoes featuring a negative heel. Then came MBTs that worked your backside with a rocker board inserted in the arch of the shoe. These two were followed by many variations of FitFlops including mukluks, Skecher's ShapeUps, and EasyTone fitness shoes by Reebok. Well it looks like Avia has entered the toning shoe game with the AviMotion.
The shoe retails for $99 and has a negative heel to "promote muscle activation" as well as a rocker in the arch to "enhance your gait." The AviMotion also has a cantilever heel that "accelerates the heel area’s ability to rebound to its natural state in time for the next heel strike."
It looks like Avia might have taken a page from Reebok's playbook by featuring a scantily clad backside of a woman on its website. Personally, I thought the toning shoe fad was on the way out for the New Year, but it looks like I was wrong. What do you think, are toning shoes here to stay?
Being healthy can be a game of numbers: calorie intake, weight loss and gain, and minutes spent on the treadmill. To get the best results from our healthy habits, we need to know how much time we should be spending on them.
When it comes to things like oral hygiene, working out, and washing your hands, do you know how much is enough? Take my quiz to find out. . .
The last week of December is when most national health clubs offer their best deals — with so many of you saying that your New Year's resolution is to get back to the gym, take my advice and join a gym before 2009 ends. Health clubs are offering their sweetest deals now because they want to lure the large number of individuals, like yourselves, who have resolved to get fit in 2010.
After checking out what your favorite gyms of 2009 are doing to entice new members, the tactic seems pretty consistent across the board. Life Time Fitness (your fave), Equinox (my fave), Gold's, and 24 Hour Fitness are waiving enrollment fees if you sign up before January. Some gyms are adding on even more incentives. Life Time Fitness is offering an additional $150 credit that can be used towards in-club services like personal training sessions, and 24 Hour Fitness has an option for a month-to-month contract. A monthly membership option is great if you're afraid of committing yourself to a lengthy contract that could cost you later.
If the gym you have your eye on isn't offering a great deal for the New Year, don't be afraid to negotiate. Gyms were hit hard during the recession and are doing what it takes to make up for that now, meaning they want your membership. Go ahead and ask for a better deal, or show them what competitors are offering. The worse they can do is turn you down.
Finally, don't sign-up with a gym simply because it has the best deal. Becoming a member of a health club is a big commitment that involves other factors beyond cost like location and class offerings. Make sure you check out our tips on choosing a gym before enrolling anywhere. Here's to getting fit in the New Year!
Have you kept up with healthy news from the last year? No worries, we've got you covered. Here's a little review of the health headlines you need to know from 2009, including how diet soda treats your kidneys and how exercise affects weight loss. Source: Jupiter Images
I feel lucky because when it's "that time of the month," my symptoms are fairly mild. Aside from a little cramping and a bloated belly, Aunt Flo doesn't interfere with my life too much. I try to stick to my regular exercise routine because it actually relieves my discomfort and always lifts my mood. The only thing I have to do is wear a more supportive sports bra — bouncing around and soreness is not a good combo. That's just me though. I know some women are so uncomfortable when they have their period, that slipping on spandex and sneakers is the last thing on their mind. What about you?
Best of 2009: 10 Most Buzzed About Musical Performances From Beyonce's presidential serenade to Miley's controversial pole dance, we count down the top 10 most memorable performances of the year in our PopSugar Rush Best of 2009 special, the 10 Most Buzzed About Musical Performances! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for all the latest celebrity gossip!
Being healthy can be a game of numbers: calorie intake, weight loss and gain, and minutes spent on the treadmill. To get the best results from our healthy habits, we need to know how much time we should be spending on them.
The last week of December is when most national health clubs offer their best deals — with so many of you saying that your New Year's resolution is to get back to the gym, take my advice and join a gym before 2009 ends. Health clubs are offering their sweetest deals now because they want to lure the large number of individuals, like yourselves, who have resolved to get fit in 2010.
I feel lucky because when it's "that time of the month," my symptoms are fairly mild. Aside from a little cramping and a bloated belly, Aunt Flo doesn't interfere with my life too much. I try to stick to my regular exercise routine because it actually relieves my discomfort and always lifts my mood. The only thing I have to do is wear a more supportive sports bra — bouncing around and soreness is not a good combo. That's just me though. I know some women are so uncomfortable when they have their period, that slipping on spandex and sneakers is the last thing on their mind. What about you?
Rocha.John Rocha