FitSugar

One Savvy Resolution You Should Make This Year

Emily Co — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:36 PST

The best way to stick to New Year's resolutions (or any type of resolution, for that matter) is to keep it simple. You may wonder how you can streamline such a complex process - there are so many possible resolutions to commit to! The answer is easy: just pick one resolution. We've detailed a total of 12 resolutions in our Fresh Start series, so all you need to do is pick one that feels suitable and doable. Read on to find out what they are.

Fresh Start Resolution: Get Rid of the Stuff You Don't Need

Emily Co — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:22 PST

It's a new year and a new you! We're highlighting 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, from quitting your caffeine addiction to mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.
Starting a new year means clearing out the old. It's a good idea to get items you don't use out of the way because they will fill up valuable space in your home. Get ready to sell your stuff with these tips:

Electronics. If you're thinking about selling your electronics, consider Gazelle.com, buymytronics.com, and nextworth.com. These sites are great because they'll quote you a price for the item you wish to sell. You can always consider selling it back to the original retailer itself if you're wary about third-party sellers. For instance, Apple has a great recycling program.
Receipts and documents. Nip your pack rat tendencies in the bud and start sorting out documents to trash or stash. Throw away receipts for items that you aren't planning on returning, and ones that you won't need to use come tax time. If you're wary of throwing away receipts, you can make a digital copy of them with a basic scanner, a pricey specialized receipt scanner ($174), or a smartphone app ($2). See here for a full list of documents you should keep forever or temporarily.
Books and things. If you have some books or other miscellaneous items you want to get rid of, sell them on Amazon, Craigslist, or eBay. You can even trade them for something else on swap.com.
Clothes and accessories. Sell these goods at a consignment store, but make sure they are in good condition. Repair clothes before selling and make sure you wash them carefully, or even launder them. Find a thrift store at thethriftshopper.com. Other options include selling them to family and friends, online at sites like eBay, and at flea markets.

Read on for more.

7 Things You Should Do This January

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:06:07 PST

Whether or not you set New Year's resolutions, there's always room for improving the order in our financial houses and the beginning of the year is a great time to start fresh. Kick off the new year and decade on an organized note and set yourself up to be in better touch with your finances in 2012 by following my January must dos.

Fresh Start Resolution: Improve Your Public Speaking

SavvySugar — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:19:03 PST

It's a new year and a new you! We're highlighting 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, from quitting your caffeine addiction tp mastering time management. Here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Public speaking is a regular - and regularly feared - part of life, so it's important to refine your skills. This year, challenge yourself by learning to lecture like a pro. Here are four tips to help you polish your public speaking.

Assess yourself. What part of public speaking makes you nervous? Where have you slipped up in the past? One reason public speaking is so nerve-racking is because there's so much to manage - your presence, your words, your delivery, and your reaction. Determine your weakest points, from stuttering to stiff hands, in order to tailor your speech improvement.
Find opportunities to practice. It's hard to feel confident about speaking if it's something you rarely do, so look for the chance to polish your technique in everyday life. At a dinner party? Offer to give the toast. Working on a new project at the office? Present it at the weekly staff meeting. Public speaking is like anything else: the more you do it, the better you'll become, and the more comfortable you'll feel when the moment arises.

Keep reading for more public speaking tips

20 Items to Make on Your Own This Year

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:50:10 PST

Perhaps one of your culinary resolutions for 2012 was to make more things from scratch. If that is the case, we applaud you: Making store-bought items from scratch is a great way to improve basic cooking techniques and understand what goes into the foods we know and love. Not only do you get to control what goes into your food this way, but the flavors are often fresher and bolder than their store bought counterparts. Here are 20 homemade recipes that we think you should try.

Tiny Yet Mighty Tips For Beginner Yogis

Heather Dale — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:50:16 PST

Perhaps signing up for yoga classes was one of your healthy New Year's resolutions? I have found that yoga can be practiced by anyone at any age and it does a body good . . . both inside and out. And contrary to popular belief, yoga is so much more than just stretching - it's a union of the mind, body, and spirit. Here are some tips I've learned after years of practice that should help you get started.

Inhale and exhale: Breathing is an integral part of yoga. It's easy to become so focused on achieving a particular pose that we tense up and forget to breathe. Proper breathing in yoga keeps you mindful of your practice and aware of each movement. Once connected to your breath, balance improves, muscles relax, and you're less prone to injury - hello, oxygen! The best way to breathe during yoga is deep down in your diaphragm (the large muscle right below your lungs). Slowly expand the lungs, pressing down the diaphragm, and causing your abdomen to expand as your lungs fill with air.

Keep reading for more tips.

Know Your Techniques: Oven-Roasting

Susannah Chen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:47:13 PST

If one of your culinary resolutions this year has been to get more acquainted with basic skills in the kitchen, we've got the lowdown on a number of essential cooking techniques that are important to know. One of our favorite cooking methods is roasting. When done correctly, the technique truly coaxes more flavor out of foods - and employing the help of the oven is a surefire way to keep your hearth warm during the colder months as well.

Oven-roasting involves little more than dry heat, and is ideal for just about any type of whole food, from large cuts of meat and whole fish to fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Find out more - including how to roast any fruit or vegetable - when you keep reading.

How to Cook on a Budget

Susannah Chen — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:04:24 PST

After a month's worth of entertaining and gift giving, I'm feeling more cash-strapped than I should. That's why I've vowed to start the New Year right by cooking meals for a fraction of the price that I pay when I dine out - and shopping smarter, too. I know I'm not the only one trying to eat in more often, so here, I'm sharing 10 mantras to live by that will have your bank account thanking you down the road.

5 Things Not to Bring to the Gym

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:03:10 PST

If you want to make the most of your gym time, there are certain things you shouldn't take with you. To stay healthy and centered during your workout, leave these five items at home:

Reading material. It's important to stay focused while you're at the gym, not only for safety reasons, but also to maximize the benefits of your workout. If you're focusing on the latest issue of your favorite magazine, you're probably not paying attention to your body. Read outside the gym to zero in on your training.
Energy drinks. Stick to zero-calorie water to stay hydrated. The amount of caffeine in different energy drinks varies, but you should steer clear while you're working out to avoid becoming lightheaded. Prefer something with a bit of flavor? Try adding electrolyte enhanced flavor packets to your water.
A plastic water bottle. Refilling and reusing old plastic water bottles can be dangerous to your health - and the environment. Go green and invest in a stainless steel option instead.

Keep reading for two more things to leave at home.

Crucial Cooking Techniques to Know

Susannah Chen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:28:23 PST

Did you make a culinary resolution to accomplish more in the kitchen? If so, the first place to start isn't with a cookbook full of complicated recipes. Rather, learn basic cooking techniques and knife skills; all the recipes that follow are guaranteed to be much easier. To help you out, we've got a new series, Know Your Techniques, wherein we introduce you to important culinary know-how. Aside from dry-shaking, what other skills are essential? Click ahead for the answers.