FitSugar

I Just Did It: Nike Women's Media Summit

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:00:00 PDT

Did you know that 18 months of research goes into each pair of athletic shoes with a swoosh? I had no idea about the science behind sneakers until I visited Nike Corporate HQ in Beaverton, OR, just outside of Portland. Nike hosted a Women's Media Summit event to introduce its new cutting-edge (and when I say cutting, I literally mean "cutting" like what one does on the basketball court to quickly change directions) shoe, the Sister One.

This event, where Nike treated a bunch of fitness and design writers to a two-day seminar (workouts included), will be the closest I get to feeling like a Nike-sponsored athlete. I did get meet of few inspirational Nike-sponsored female athletes that I have seen tear it up on the field and court. The six athletes we met were all beautiful; they radiated health and fitness as they were interviewed. Learn from my mistake and know that you never ask a woman in soccer about the health of her knees. Olympian soccer forward Carli Lloyd, who scored the gold-winning goal at Bejing, and Olympic goalie Hope Solo schooled me on that gaffe. I guess it is superstition.

I also learned that hoops player and two-time gold medalist Sue Bird doesn't want to play ball in a "whack looking shoe." If this point guard doesn't like the look of her kicks, she has trouble playing ball. Kinda like a sporty spin on "your are what you eat," but more "you play what you wear."

To see more about deep shoe research,

read more. Nike takes every stitch on its sneakers seriously and they research, research, research its products. From the opinions of athletes, which it inclusively defines as anyone with a body (yay me, yay you!) to the infrared stress reading of the sole, Nike shoes are designed to perform. It was cool to see the research equipment used regularly at the Nike Sports Research Lab in progress and to see Carli and Hope demonstrate the different high-tech devices that translate movement and muscle power into computer programs for analysis. I learned a workout move or two and many fitness tips during the trip that I will share with you soon. Stay tuned for a review of the Sister One training shoe. Source

See the Full Soundtrack Song List For The Hunger Games

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:43:52 PST

We don't just have the epic battle of Katniss Everdeen fighting for her life in The Hunger Games movie to look forward to - it sounds like we're also going to be treated to a pretty epic soundtrack.

The full tracklist has just been released, and though there's a big presence of country/pop star Taylor Swift, there's plenty of indie cred too, in the form of artists like Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and Neko Case. You can pre-order the soundtrack on iTunes now, in anticipation of the Mar. 20 release of the album, and to get the full listing, just keep reading.

Sienna Miller Debuts Her Reported Engagement Ring

Allie Merriam — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:26:56 PST

Sienna Miller's engagement ring was on display last night as she left the Groucho Club in London. She's apparently engaged to her boyfriend of one year, British actor Tom Sturridge. It's Sienna's second engagement, after she accepted Jude Law's proposal back in 2005. That relationship famously didn't work out, and Sienna and Jude parted ways for the last time in 2011, shortly before she got together with Tom.

Sienna Miller is pregnant, as well, and she and Tom will welcome their first child later this year. Reports of her being with child came out in January, and just two weeks ago, her older sister Savannah confirmed the stories. Savannah told British Vogue, "[Sienna] is doing really well and we are all really happy about it, Tom is an amazing guy." Sienna and Savannah also recently made news for stepping down from their Twenty8Twelve line. The move was long-planned and not due to Sienna's impending motherhood. Savannah, who's a mother of three herself, wrote on Twitter, "Just for the record, we didn't step down at Twenty8Twelve because of our babies."

Sisters of DC Cupcakes Share Valentine's Day Baking Tips and Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:16:28 PST

What's sugar and spice and everything nice? Cupcakes! And no one knows more about our obsession with the lil confections than Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis, co-owners of Georgetown Cupcake and stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes. The sisters, who learned their kitchen skills from their grandmother ("We followed her around the kitchen and always begged to help"), have been known to bake up to 10,000 lil cakes a day, much to the delight of the patrons who line the block of their Washington DC store. The duo - who just opened their first outpost in New York City - gave me a few minutes of their time to discuss their tasty desserts.

LilSugar: Cupcakes have moved from kiddie birthday party staple to a favorite of adults and kids alike. But kids aren't always willing to try new flavors. Which are most popular with kids?
Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis: Our Vanilla Birthday (vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream and rainbow bobbles), Chocolate Birthday (chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream and rainbow bobbles), and Milk Chocolate Birthday (vanilla cupcake with milk chocolate buttercream and rainbow bobbles) are the most popular with kids. We think it's the color rainbow bobbles!

LS: Moms are busy; what shortcuts can you recommend to making delicious, beautiful cupcakes without spending the whole day baking and decorating them?
SL and KK: Try to keep a stash of baking staples - butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, all purpose flour, baking soda/powder, salt, and cocoa powder/chocolate on hand in your kitchen at all times and you can make almost any flavor! Our recipes are very simple - we don’t use cake flour or pastry flour - just all purpose - we find that works best. Also, we're big fans of chocolate ganache icing. It's so easy - just two ingredients - chocolate chips and heavy cream. You just melt them down (two cups of chips to one cup of cream), and dip your cupcakes in and you've got a super fast and unbelievably delicious frosting.

LS: Do you ever make "healthy" cupcakes for those who want to skip some of the sugar? If so, what goes into it?
SL and KK: We have a carrot cake cupcake, which has fresh carrots and fresh apples grated in it. We skip the walnuts, to save on calories, and it's a light and delicious cupcake!

The new season of DC Cupcakes begins on Feb. 25, but if you're looking to create their Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes for Valentine's Day,

The Five Best Races For Women

espnW — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:09:19 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

Sage Steele, SportsCenter anchor, is preparing to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World on Feb. 26 and hoping to fall in love with running in the process. Follow Sage’s journey on espnW.com

Women's races offer a decidedly different vibe than their coed cousins': more camaraderie, a sole sister atmosphere that welcomes all runners and walkers, and lots more running skirts. Here are five of the top women's races and series in the country. Sign up then train like Sage.

Disney Tinker Bell and Princess half marathons
Sage picked a winner. Let your inner child run free through the Magic Kingdom at these festival race weekends. Tinker Bell is in Disneyland, while Princess is in Disney World, but both allow thousands of runners to mix and mingle with Disney characters on courses that wind through each park. Racers put almost as much effort into costumes - Snow White, Belle, or Minnie, anyone? - as training. Bonus: your kids will be especially psyched to cheer you on.

Sage Steele gets some training advice from Disney runMom Lori Lovell

Nike Women's Marathon
Yeah, it's tough to snag an entry, but if you can, this race is so worth it. (Psst: Go through Team in Training.) This 26.2-mile race, and its half-marathon companion, traverses San Francisco with sweeping vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean to take your mind off the killer hills in the first 10 miles of the race. Tuxedo-clad firefighters bestow each finisher with a Tiffany & Co. pendant.

Run fast by fueling up smart

Three more great races after the break.

Khloé Kardashian Odom Tells Us Women and Girls Shouldn't Be Shy About Their Bodies

Annie Scudder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:01 PST

While Kris Jenner is making headlines for promoting a very adult product - arousal oils to be exact - her daughter Khloé Kardashian Odom is appealing to a younger audience. Khloé has teamed up again with U by Kotex, the eccentric line of pads and tampons for young women. Khloé told me that she loves that the line is "trying to destroy the old-fashioned belief that we have to be so discreet" and that it also supports the charity Girls for a Change. During fashion week, a fleet of branded U by Kotex taxis will be picking people up at Lincoln Center and in the Meatpacking District, and donating up to $100,000 to the charity. I chatted with Khloé, and she opened up about the awkward years in the Kardashian household, as well as her move to Dallas for love. Keep reading to find out all about it!

TrèsSugar: Why did you team up with U by Kotex?
Khloé Kardashian Odom: I love their packaging, the neon colors, the black boxes, they're trying to make everything so chic, and fun, and vibrant, like it's OK. Especially if you're in high school and you're pulling out one of those tampons or maxi pads, it's not as embarrassing. I love being able to let women, and especially younger women, know that it's OK to talk about this and to ask questions.

TS: Would this message have appealed to you when you were younger?
KKO: I am so thankful that I had older sisters, because I had a really tough time in school. I was always bullied in school. If it wasn't for my older sisters always making me feel like everything was OK and being able to ask them questions, I don't really know how I would have gotten through those years. I love that this brand is almost like an older sister but on a larger scheme. They're letting everyone know that this is what happens to everybody and it's awkward for everyone.

TS: So who did your older sisters talk to? Did your mom fill that role?
KKO: Kourtney told me that she didn't even tell my mom she got her period for the first year and a half. She said she told her friend and her friend just told her what to do. To me, I find that so weird. But that's Kourtney. Kim was always very open about it, but I think Kim got hers first, and I think Kourtney got jealous. Kids are weird! I don't get what that jealousy is. I'm like, "Honey, please. Be grateful that you don't have it." It's so funny that I'm 27, and my sisters are 16 and 14. I'm not so much older than them, but the comfort in talking about your bodies grows so much.

TS: Do you have an awkward or funny memory from that time?

Find out Khloé's answer, as well as the scoop on Dallas, when you keep reading.

Home According to the Bronte Sisters, in Fact and Fiction

Elka Karl — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:31:00 PST

While the Edwardian era is all the rage at the moment, due to Downton Abbey, the 19th century was pretty fascinating as well, thanks in part to its fantastic literature. The Victorian era produced an amazing number of fantastic romance and horror novels, and one family that contributed greatly to the literature of the time was the Brontes. Sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne produced an impressive body of literature, both poems and fiction, which are still being used for films today - in fact, the latest adaptation of Jane Eyre is still one of my favorite films of 2011. Another adaptation of the novel Wuthering Heights screened at Sundance, so we can only hope that we'll have another chance at seeing Heathcliff on the silver screen soon.

Take a look at some images from the Brontes' real-life home, now the Bronte Parsonage Museum, as well as some scenes from Jane Eyre that capture the decor of the era.

A Bird-Themed Cake Stand, Three Ways: One Beautiful Buy, 2 Easy DIYs

Elka Karl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:28 PST

My sister is getting married in August, so I've been spending a lot of time visiting wedding blogs and poking around BHLDN's website. One item that recently caught my eye was this lovely Barn Swallow Pedestal.
Featuring a flock of fork-tailed fliers darting about on a hand-painted platter, it seems like a perfect match for her vintage-inspired, country wedding. But at $60 - $100 per cake stand, I don't think that she'll be willing to add a half dozen of these cake stands to her dessert table.

If you feel the same way about the price, good news - I have two simple DIYs that will save you a lot of money! For the cake stand DIYs, just keep reading

4 Moves to Say Goodbye to Saddlebags

Self — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:54:13 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

If you're saddled with saddlebags, you probably think you got the short end of the family gene pool stick. But, lucky for you, those pesky fat deposits surrounding your hips, thighs, and butt are far easier to banish than, say, Great Aunt Hilda or your bossy big sister. "Saddlebags are largely determined by genetics, hormones, and age, but women can still affect the shape of their bodies through nutrition and exercise," says Rebekah Rotstein, a New York-based Pilates instructor who recently released the Pilates For Buff Bones DVD.

Not sure where to begin? Rotstein recommends utilizing large muscle groups rather than relying on spot training for fast results. "Pilates get results because it's a whole-body exercise program and works your muscles synergistically," she says. "Muscles aren't meant to function independently but as a team!"

Just remember to keep your expectations realistic. No workout in the world can turn you into Cameron Diaz overnight. "All women have padding at their hips, no matter how thin we are (even Diaz!)," says Rotstein. "It's what differentiates us from men and accentuates the curves you've got!"

To tone up those saddlebags fast, add these four moves to your regular workout routine. Check out the moves after the break.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Tres Community — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a year and two months. Since this year has started, I’ve been trying to decide what I need to do in regards to our relationship. My main issue is the minimal effort he has put into making things work. He has his own business, of which he needs one or two more people to assist. However, besides his sister helping on occasion, he does everything on his own. From the start, I understood, as well as accepted this. However, our dates have always been centered around his business or attending one friend’s parties. This averages out to me seeing him about once a month.

We have never gone out and spent an evening by ourselves, nor have we ever done anything “special.” When I ask him about this, he always just says he’s busy. His sister has said to both him and myself, that even if he’s busy, he has the type of business in which I can hang out at. After two big blow outs between us where he was blatantly disrespectful to me, I’m beginning to wonder about the future of our relationship. He used to call me at least once a day, and now three to four days will pass before he calls. I usually try to call him at least once a day, however, I’ve noticed that if I don’t call him, four days will pass before I hear anything from him.

So, over a week ago I called him and told him I don’t think it was going to work. He invited me over to talk about it and the conversation ended after I expressed my frustration with our current state of affairs. He told me that he loves me, he doesn’t want to lose me, and he promises that he is going to give me much more attention. He has promised this before, which I have pointed out, but he says that this time it’s really going to be different.

This past week, the only time we spoke was when I called. Of course, our conversations never even lasted past three minutes. This morning, I called him to let him know that I was going to be in town later, to help my cousin organize an upcoming charity event, and was wondering if he would like to get together in the evening. He was hesitant at first, and then said that he was going to be busy, but I could come over. He’s planning to have friends over.

This is how it’s been from the time we’ve met. I love him, but I’m increasingly feeling like I deserve more than this. I would like for us to spend time together, especially seeing as I have to drive an hour to see him. I do all the driving because he doesn’t drive. What should I do?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.