FitSugar

Michael Phelps and the Dreaded Post-Olympic Weight Gain

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:00:00 PST

Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps, has won 14 gold medals in his swimming career, and now he's taking a little break from his rigorous training. Before the Olympics, this athlete could easily suck down 8,000 to 10,000 calories a day and burn it all off because he was exercising so much, but now, he admits he's let himself go. Apparently he's big into junk food like chips, Rice Krispie Treats, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and he's only been in the pool a few times since wowing us in Beijing. He said, "I'm out of shape right now." Currently he weighs 205 pounds, and he said he's never gone past 200 before.

Is he worried? No way. He's enjoying the well-deserved time off, and has also been promoting his new book No Limits: The Will to Succeed ($20). In January, Michael plans on beginning his training for the 2012 Olympics in London.

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Marc Jacobs Fall 2012

Marisa Tom — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:33:29 PST

One thing's for sure - nothing is off limits or out of the realm of possibility when Marc Jacobs is at the helm. Set in a Rachel Feinstein-designed storybook-inspired castle-in-ruins Winter wonderland, he presented his Fall '12 lineup with more than just a little fashion fanfare. The first word that comes to mind? Hats! And lots of them, all by mastermind milliner Stephen Jones; each one more wonderfully whimsical than the one before. These wild toppers, in addition to the parade of rich, slightly oversized outerwear, giant safety pin closures, bejeweled square-toed shoes, luxe ostrich-skin handbags, and more, served as a serious testament to Marc's vivid imagination. All flights of fancy aside, though, there were ultra-wearable pieces peeking out from under the more fantastical garb. To this point, we spied cozy layered tweeds in muted tones, shimmery metallic pencil skirts in looser silhouettes, and slick cropped pants sent out in leather, brocade, and jacquard versions. Marc Jacobs's Les Misérables-meets-Dickensian disco-meets Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter tea party collection certainly highlighted the fact that fashion, at its core, is whatever you make of it . . . and yes, wildly fun.

Trends: rich textiles like brocade and jacquard, floppy hats, oversized outerwear, fur-accented accessories.
Colors: Muted jewel tones - green, purple, ruby red, pink, slate gray, and black.
Key Piece: Slightly oversized coats in luxe fabrics and cropped pants in every texture, from leather to brocade.
Accessories: Fabulously fantastical hats in every color, square-toed shoes with crystallized buckles, long opera-length gloves with finger cutouts, and large boxy totes, some covered in fur, some made in decadent ostrich skin textures.
Who Would Wear It: The fashion-daring set, like Anna Dello Russo.

Trailer: Greta Gerwig Tries to Help Her Fellow Damsels in Distress

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:26:16 PST

Just in time for Valentine's Day comes the trailer for Damsels in Distress, which follows a group of college ladies determined to save depressed girls and set them on what they deem to be the right track. Greta Gerwig leads the pack, and Analeigh Tipton (who you may remember from Crazy, Stupid, Love) is the wide-eyed newbie that Gerwig and friends are determined to make over. This isn't your typical Mean Girls-style group though: the ladies seem genuinely interested in helping people (and also, there's tap dancing).

The preview is reminiscent of many movies we've seen before (Clueless immediately come to mind), but it's more deadpan and perhaps a bit deeper than those types of comedies. I'm not totally in love with Gerwig as the queen bee, but I am most definitely on board with Adam Brody as Tipton's off-limits love interest. I was also excited to see some familiar faces like Aubrey Plaza and The Office's Zach Woods added to the mix.

See the trailer for yourself when you

Celerie Kemble's Brilliant Advice on Choosing Colors

Elka Karl — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:00:13 PST

I was so pleased to stumble upon a great interview that Bob Vila conducted with designer Celerie Kemble. The long interview is full of great advice, and topics range from color to showhouses to kids' rooms, as well as Kemble's book Black and White (and a Bit in Between).

Since so many people get stuck on the rules of decorating with color, I thought that this advice from the interview was particularly helpful:

Know Your Base Neutrals

I think that it's important to know your base non-color so that your whites or your creams are pretty consistent throughout the space, and people forget that. They concentrate on a color, and they miss that the most cohesive element might be having all of your whites (for trim and molding) be the same. The next thing is to look at the value of each color. I don’t believe you have to limit the number of colors or that there are bad color combinations, but you do need to consider the hues, tones, and shades of the colors.

There Are No Wrong Color Combinations

I think all colors could be made to work together, but what people need to do is be sure to vary the intensity and value. If you have five strong, bold colors in one room, it's just going to feel blocky, heavy, and dark. You need some colors that have a slight amount of opacity, transparency, a lightness, a feathering.

That's not all Celerie has to say - keep reading the interview with Celerie Kemble.

Gear Review: Lululemon No Limit Top

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:07:07 PST

I don't usually get very fancy with my yoga clothes. A fitted tank with a built-in sports bra is my usual go-to top. It keeps my girls covered and in place, and the fitted body stays put when I go upside down. But some days ~~you ate too many cookies~~ you just don't feel like wearing something tight. You could sport a loose shirt but it doesn't offer the most flattering look, and as soon as you start moving, it can end up exposing your belly even more than a tight tank. Enter the Lululemon No Limit Tank ($64). Sexy is the first word I thought when I saw it, but when I tried it in a yoga class, functional was the second.

Keep reading to hear more details about this unique Lululemon tank.

Weight Loss Rules You're Allowed to Break

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:58:49 PST

If you love to eat, losing weight can seem so structured, you immediately get frustrated and grab the first decadent food you can find. Even though there are some very specific guidelines that can help you reach your goal faster, there's no one-size-fits-all weight-loss plan for everyone. Here are five rules you can bend and still drop pounds from the scale.

No Cheesecake, Wine, or French Fries
While dessert, alcohol, and fried foods tend to be high in calories, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you have to live without the foods you adore. Actually, denying yourself the bites you crave can backfire, causing you to feel deprived, resulting in bingeing. You can't eat these foods all the time, but it's perfectly healthy to enjoy a few spoonfuls of ice cream or a small glass of chardonnay every once in a while. Just limit your portion sizes and only indulge about once a week.

Salad, Every Day
Salads aren't for everyone, and the dissatisfied feeling you get afterward could cause you to head to the nearest pizza joint. Plus salad toppings can really add up. When a bowl of greens is covered in candied walnuts, cheese, dried cranberries, avocado, and creamy dressing, a seemingly healthy salad can run higher in calories than a burger. If you're not into a bowl of raw veggies, choose other low-calorie meals that incorporate veggies such as sandwiches, broth-based soups, grilled veggies, and whole-grain salads. You have to enjoy the foods you're eating in order to stick with a healthy meal plan.

Keep reading to find out three more diet rules you can break and still lose weight.

Struggling to Pay Off Student Loans? Here's How to Delay Them

Emily Co — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:15:28 PST

More people are facing bankruptcy because of student loan obligations, according to a survey by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. In fact, the student loan debt has passed $1 trillion, which is more than the nation's credit card debt.

There are several things you can do to put off paying your loans, but it's advisable to pay them on schedule. Still, there may be times where you simply can't make ends meet and pay off your loans. Here are some of your options (which many of you may already be implementing!):

Deferment: You have to meet certain qualifications for deferring, and those include being in school, having economic hardship, being unemployed, and more. Deferment is only temporary and only available for a limited period. When you defer, interest doesn't accrue on subsidized loans, but interest will still keep accumulating on your unsubsidized student loans.
Forbearance: If you don't qualify for deferment, you might be granted a forbearance. Your lender will let you pause your payments or reduce them for a period of time, but interest will continue to accrue.

Remember, there may be repayment plans that may work for you instead of deferment and forbearance, so be sure to assess all your options before making a decision.

Star Wars LE Xbox 360 Bundle Finally Gets Release Date

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:56:20 PST

The Star Wars limited-edition Xbox 360 Kinect bundle we've all been waiting for finally (finally!) got a release date and price: April 3 for $449. Hurry on over to Amazon where you can skip the midnight release lines and preorder the bundle now.

Not only will this 320GB hard drive Xbox 360 bundle come packaged with Kinect Star Wars (and standard-issue ), but the console itself will be dressed in R2-D2 garb (complete with on/off and open/close sounds), a stormtrooper white Kinect sensor, a C-3PO gold Xbox controller, and a wired headset. Check out more images of the package in the gallery!

Watch the Trailer For Best Foreign Film Oscar Nominee Bullhead

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:30:41 PST

If you're gearing up for the Oscars like we are, then you'll definitely want to check out the trailer for best foreign language film nominee Bullhead. The Belgian movie follows cattle farmer Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts), who's constantly hopped up on a cocktail of steroids. When he gets involved with a mafioso meat trader, Jacky takes on a sketchy deal that has enormous consequences on his life and forces him to face past trauma.

The trailer favors brutal and stark images over dialogue, but it's also hypnotizing in a way. If you are looking to check out as many Oscar nominees as possible before the big night, this film is having limited release starting Feb. 17. To watch this poignant trailer, just keep reading.

Christian Louboutin Dishes About Designing For Showgirls and His Trapeze Talent!

Allison McNamara — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:13:10 PST

Christian Louboutin is celebrating 20 years of designing his gorgeous red soles this year, and he created a limited-edition capsule collection chock-full of his signature style to celebrate. We caught up with Mr. Louboutin at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills, where he told us how he first got into the business, his perpetual obsession with showgirls, and how he's a pro on the trapeze. Watch our full interview with Christian Louboutin in today's FabFlash. On Allison: Topshop top, Stella & Dot necklace, Urban Outfitters blazer.