FitSugar

5 Fitness Classes Where You're Likely to Spot a Celeb

Michele Foley — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:58:27 PDT

Celebs definitely flock to the basics when it comes to fitness; yoga, Pilates, and running are all popular ways for Hollywood to stay in shape. Celebs are also stepping out from behind their personal trainers to try out some of the hottest fitness classes in town. From spinning on poles to balancing on bars, check out which classes celebs are flocking to, and what famous faces you might see if you take these classes yourself!

Amy Adams Works Out the S Factor Way - Have You?

Michele Foley — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:30:09 PST

In the latest issue of Marie Claire, Amy Adams tells the mag that she is not as innocent as people think. She even cuts loose by conducting the interview while pole dancing. No, the actress is not at a strip lounge; she's taking a class with Sheila Kelley, founder of the S Factor.

If you're not familiar with the S Factor, it's essentially a pole dancing workout that has quite a few celebrity fans - Martha Stewart has even tried it! Fans of the workout say it's a great way to tone muscles, firm the body, increase flexibility, promote weight loss, and elevate energy levels. Amy, 35, thinks it's also good for unlocking "your inner erotic creature." Mostly though, she's using it as a way to drop the baby weight, "I'll do anything to get off of that treadmill."

Have you tried this favorite celeb workout?

Work It, Martha!

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:30:25 PST

I'm loving this clip of Martha Stewart going completely outside of her box by doing a pole dancing workout with S Factor founder, Sheila Kelley. Check out this clip as the domestic diva gets down and gyrates her hips in full workout gear. Despite not being able to slide upside down on the pole, Martha did finish with an impressive leg lift.

If you've ever wanted to try a pole dancing workout but were too afraid, you've got no excuse now. If Martha can do it, so can you. In her own words: "She's got me on the pole. Woo-hoo!"

Is one of your fitness goals for 2010 to step out of your fitness comfort zone? Are you ready to work with a pole?

Guess Who?

FitSugar — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:50:28 PST

Can you figure out who has taken S Factor pole dancing classes?

Stick to Healthy Eating, Even at Your Bridal Shower

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Now that you're engaged you're going to be attending a lot of parties in your honor: Engagement parties, showers, bachelorette parties, etc. Nothing can kill healthy eating like a wedding shower complete with a plate full of potato salad and cake.

To make sure you don't overindulge this wedding season, here are a few tips to keep you from stressing over eating at parties:

Don't show up on an empty stomach. Have a little something healthy at home, this way you won't feel the need to stuff your face upon your first sighting of the buffet table.
Have a say. Chances are the person planning the party may ask what kinds of foods you'd like to have there. Ask for healthy options as well as typical party fare.
Make sure you eat. I know this one seems obvious, but everyone wants to talk to the bride and sometimes it's hard to get a bite in. Chances are your body is already running on low fuel as it is and the last thing you want is to get sick because you're not getting enough nutrients. Can't break away from Auntie Emily telling you about her bunions? Ask a good friend or mom to fill a plate for you with lots of healthy (and yummy) stuff.
Drinking can be your worst enemy. I'm not saying don't drink, but drink in moderation at these parties. A drunk bride can be a little unsightly, not to mention the added calories you'll be getting from that 4th vodka tonic.
Party games anyone? Parties do not have to only consist of drinking and eating. Ask the planner to plan activities that get everyone moving and burning off a little of that ganache. Pin the veil on the bride anyone?
Don't be too hard on yourself. This one is important! These parties are meant to be fun. If you splurge and have a few extra pieces of cake, it's OK...besides you didn't want to be rude, now did you? Just promise yourself you'll hit the gym for an extra 5 minutes the next day.

Source

Learn How to Strip Like Lindsay (and More)!

PopSugar — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:19:33 PDT

Lindsay showed off her continued distaste for undergarments in NY this weekend. Linds, who could never be described as modest, seemed pretty comfortable playing a stripper in the upcoming film I Know Who Killed Me, thanks to Sheila Kelley's popular strip tease-based work-out, S Factor. The starlet isn't the only celeb who likes to work it while she works out -- Kate Hudson is also a fan of S Factor and takes classes in LA. The program is about so much more than dirty dancing; it's focused on body toning and self-confidence (though we can't imagine knowing the moves is a bad thing). Curious? FitSugar has teamed up with S Factor to offer you a free introductory class at the studio closest to you!

Okay, completely unrelated but equally important: don't forget tomorrow it's trivia again! This week we're keeping it all in the family (that's your hint so study up). Three lucky winners will be signing off with a fab PopSugar t-shirt so we'll see you in the chatroom at noon PST!

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Splash

Rebecca Taylor Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:15:38 PST

Rebecca's girl is both an homage to '90s grunge and a fresh-faced street-styler. The Fall collection marries the designer's signature sweet side with darker territory, at least where texture and color are concerned. Rebecca's palette is decidedly moody in deep brown, burgundy, and black on leather, herringbone, wool, and velvet layers. Then she counters with cool-girl silhouettes; layers are in perfect proportion - for every slick leather layer, there's also a sheer-chiffon sleeve, slinky sequins, or abstract print. There's a lightness to counter the severity of her colors; she still homes in on that girlie factor we love in a pretty peplum top, a sexier snake-print halter dress, or ultra-femme sheer pleats. Like front-rower Olivia Palermo, this girl is something of a mix-master who's got as much femininity as she does cool-girl edge.

Trends: Rich texture in leather, velvet, and jacquard; sequins, peplum, heavy layers, and exotic print.
Colors: Brown, gray, and black with just a pop of purple and blue.
Key Piece: We love the open sheer-chiffon pleats on the gorgeous full-length print dress; also the cool factor of a leopard coat done in ombre.
Accessories: Metallic ankle-strap heels, fur-adorned ankle boots, chain-strap crossbody bags, and oversize leather satchels.
Who Would Wear It: Street-chic celebs like Nicky Hilton would rock the moto-style jackets and edgy layers.

Tax Stuff Every Newlywed Should Know

Emily Co — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:12:40 PST

You're still hearing wedding bells, but don't let the honeymoon phase distract you from reality. Money is a huge factor in relationships and if you don't tackle it from the start, it can start to shake the cornerstones of your marriage. Kathy Pickering, the executive director of The Tax Institute at H&R Block, names a few things newlyweds should be aware of come tax time:

Filing Status: A newly married couple has two filing status options, married filing jointly or married filing separately; however, a joint return often results in a lower federal tax. That said there are some cases where married filing separately does make sense. For example, if you have relatively high medical bills and lower income, it may be best to file separately. Medical expenses can be included in itemized deductions, but are only deductible to the extent they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. If you have very high medical expenses and a low adjusted gross income, filing separately means you could deduct more of these expenses. However, if you filed jointly, you may not benefit from this deduction. Other things for newlyweds to pay attention to:
Name Change: Whether you took your husband’s last name or hyphenated your name, you must report your name change to the Social Security Administration (SSA). To avoid any delays or problems at tax time, your name and social security number on your tax return should match the records the SSA has.
Adjust Income Tax Withholding: If you and your husband work, your joint income may put you in a higher tax bracket and increase your total tax liability. You should make any necessary withholding adjustments for the next year by filing a new W-4 form with your employer. Use the withholding worksheet to indicate whether your spouse works and how many dependents you have, which determines the number of allowances to claim and the amount of income tax employers will withhold from your paychecks.

Fall in Love . . . With Belted Coats

Lauren Conrad — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:18:03 PST

We are thrilled to share this story from Lauren Conrad! The TV personality, writer, designer, and style maven has started LaurenConrad.com, a social networking site that features daily posts by Lauren on all of our favorite topics - fashion, beauty, food, party planning - and Lauren will be sharing her latest fashion finds with Fab every month. This week, she's sharing her favorite belted coats.

It’s easy to look frumpy during the Winter when you’re hidden beneath layers upon layers of clothing. But you don’t have to be a fashion victim just because the mercury dropped. Instead, take a cue from Burberry Prorsum and Diane von Furstenberg and belt that bulky coat of yours! Defined waists are coming back in a major way for 2012, which makes belted coats the perfect transitional piece for this trend. I love the belted look because I think it’s a nice way to create a waist when it’s cold. And I love the understated femininity of the look as well. As a matter of fact, I even designed one for an upcoming Paper Crown collection (stay tuned!).

The belted look can be achieved a couple of ways: Simply cinch your coat or jacket at the waist with your favorite belt or buy a pre-belted (or waist-tie) coat/jacket. You can even work this trend with a closed blazer and cute belt, too. The belted coat works for all body types. It’s universally flattering and adds the ultimate chic-factor to drab Winter wear. The best part? It’s a cinch!

Here are a few of my favorite belted coats:

Topshop Military Belted Coat
Urban Outfitters BB Dakota Romain Belted Coat
Vanessa Bruno Camel Belted Coat

Which one is your favorite?

Also, how do you feel about the belted coat look?

XO Lauren

P.S. Want to see what the original cover concept looked like for the first L.A. Candy book? Click here to see the sketch I did (and just found)!

Are Your Birth Control Pills Safe?

Shape — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:17 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Last year during my annual exam, when I complained to my doctor about my terrible PMS, she was quick to pull out her pad and give me a prescription for the birth control pill Yaz. "You're going to love this," she said. "All of my patients that are on it think it's the best. It's even helped some of them lose weight!"

Less PMS and not having to worry about my weight? I was sold, even though I'd only intended to talk to her about lifestyle and/or diet modifications since my birth control needs were already taken care of. Before I stopped into the pharmacy, however, I looked up the pill online (Paging Dr. Google!). The results were anything but the lovefest I'd been promised. In fact, the information I found scared me so badly that I never filled that prescription.

Am I Normal? Your Top Six Sex Questions Answered

It quickly became evident that I wasn't the only woman concerned when Yaz and it's sister pill Yazmin, two of the most popular pills on the market, came up for review by the FDA after reports that the manufacturer may have hid and minimized critical health risks. But is the hysteria warranted?

Find out how safe birth control pills are after the break!