FitSugar

Très Très (Recycled) Chic

Sponsor — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:00:00 PST

Us socially responsible shoppers (pat on the back for us) are always on the lookout for a new product that looks as chic as it is environmentally friendly.

Luckily, New Balance recognized our commitment to both style and the environment and has created the shoe of our recycled dreams: newSKY. Constructed out of fabric made from postconsumer PET plastic bottles (average eight 20-oz. bottles per shoe). The newSKY designers created a chic, stylish shoe that you can feel good about and be comfortable in! With more than 51 billion plastic bottles ending up in landfills annually, newSKY delivers some serious environmental street cred while giving us the comfort and durability that we love about New Balance footwear.

Fit and Innovatively Fabulous

Sponsor — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:00:00 PST

New Balance recognized a fit girl’s commitment to comfort, style, and the environment by creating the athletic shoe of our recycled dreams: newSKY. Constructed out of fabric made from postconsumer PET plastic bottles (average eight 20-oz. bottles per shoe), the newSKY designers created a chic, stylish shoe that you can feel good about wearing and get pumped up for your workouts in! What’s their secret?

The designers utilized a more traditional stitching technique – allowing the recycled material to be soft, pliable, but, most importantly, very comfortable on your foot, making newSKY true to everything we already love about New Balance footwear.

Get Fit For Summer: Challenge 6, Try a Running Workout

FitSugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:31:52 PDT

We know that bikini season is right around the corner, and to help you get fit for Summer we've created a series of weekly fitness and health challenges. To add a little incentive, throughout the rest of Spring we'll be awarding a weekly prize of a $100 New Balance gift card to participating readers. To be eligible to win, create a post in the Get Fit For Summer community group as each challenge comes up.

This week's challenge: Try a running workout, either indoor or out, and blog about your experience in our Get Fit For Summer community group. If your run takes you by spectacular views, snap a shot and share the image with an explanation of the run. If running indoors is your thing, be sure to print out our downloadable treadmill workouts.

Remember, by completing this challenge you will be entered into a random drawing for a $100 gift card from New Balance. Just be sure to complete the challenge by 11:59 p.m. PDT May 22 to enter. Need to know more? See the official rules here. Have fun running!

Bikini Ready With New Balance!

PopSugarTV — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:37:51 PDT

Over the past eight weeks, our everyday girl, Rachel, has put her New Balance gear to work, shedding those pounds and building those muscles thanks to hard work, dedication, and, of course, Holly Perkins's guidance and support.

So will her final weigh-in reflect an accomplished goal? We'd say her bikini-clad entrance for her final touch-base and weigh-in is a pretty good indication that she's happy with the results!

Tune in below to see the outcome and to hear what tips Holly has for her to maintain the momentum. Great work Rachel, we're all so proud of you, keep it up!

No Pain No Gain For Everyday Girl Rachel! Time to Weigh In!

PopSugarTV — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:09:58 PDT

Now that Rachel is in the throes of her fitness plan with New Balance and celebrity trainer Holly Perkins, it's time to find out how her journey is coming along.

Thanks to her candid video diaries and truthfulness about the bumps experienced along the way, Holly will advise Rachel on whatever changes need to be made and what the important next steps are to achieve her ultimate goal.

But first, the dreaded weigh-in! How'd she do? Check out the video below to find out!

Weeks of Hard Work Pay Off For Our Everyday Girl Rachel. Check Out Her Amazing Results!

Sponsor — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:00:00 PDT

So will her final weigh-in reflect an accomplished goal? We'd say her bikini-clad entrance for her final touch-base and weigh-in is a pretty good indication that she's happy with the results!

Tune in below to see the outcome and to hear what tips Holly has for her to maintain the momentum. Great work Rachel, we're all so proud of you, keep it up!

Get Fit For Summer: Challenge 5, Show Us Your Sneakers

FitSugar — Tue, 10 May 2011 09:01:44 PDT

This week's challenge: Just looking at your sporty shoes makes you want to move, right? For inspiration, post a photo of your sneakers in the Get Fit For Summer community group, then lace them up and get your sweat on! Have more than one pair of athletic shoes? Take a shot of all your fave sneakers and tell us why you love them.

Remember, by completing this challenge you will be entered into a random drawing for a $100 gift card from New Balance. Just be sure to complete the challenge by 11:59 p.m. PDT May 15 to enter. Need to know more? See the official rules here. Now show us your sneakers!

Are Toning Shoes For You?

Heather Dale — Mon, 09 May 2011 00:48:35 PDT

It all started with MBT, then Sketchers introduced the Shape-ups, and after that, I feel like I lost count of all the toning shoes being introduced to the fitness world. When the American Council on Exercise (ACE) investigated the fitness claims associated with these types of shoes, they found that "none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation." While some people love them; others feel they are just another pair of sneaks. Have you tried out a pair of these toning shoes pictured below? What was your experience?

Clockwise from top left: MBT Fora ($170), Aetrex Bodyworks Toning Lace-up ($139), Avia IBurn ($40), New Balance WW1442 Rock & Tone ($68), Sketchers Shape Ups SRR ($70), Reebok EasyTone Flash ($100)

Get Fit For Summer: Challenge 4, Food Journal For a Day

FitSugar — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:36:46 PDT

This week's challenge: Keep a food journal for a day in our Get Fit For Summer community group. Better yet, take photos of your meals (and snacks) and make a gallery. You can download and use our printable food journal to help you keep track of all the food you eat. It's always helpful to see just how many calories you're consuming in a day to help you keep on track.

Remember, by completing this challenge you will be entered into a random drawing for a $100 gift card from New Balance. Just be sure to complete the challenge by 11:59 p.m. PDT May 8 to enter. Need to know more? See the official rules here. Now show us what you're eating!

Running Skirts Are Here to Stay

Susi May — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:42:43 PDT

The expression "runs like a girl" may have been an insult, but no longer! Especially when you consider that the running skirt, which seemed like a passing trend, is here to stay. Running gear giants like Brooks and New Balance sell skirts side by side with running shorts. And if you don't like shorts, but hate overheating when out for a run, try a running skirt. They're cute, airy, and cover your behind a little bit more than shorty shorts.

Skirts listed in clockwise order, starting at the top left: Bonita Skirt by New Balance ($42); ChocoFluers from RunningSkirts ($58); Gym Girl Ultra in Black Vinyl Print by Skirt Sports ($65); Second Wind from Athleta ($54); Epiphany Skort by Brooks ($36); Infinity Run Skirt from Pearl Izumi ($60).

All these skirts have built-in shorts, except the skirt by Pearl Izumi; it's convertible. The skirt snaps off the shorts, giving you two looks for the price of one!