FitSugar

Get Physical: Winter Camping

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 07:17:03 PST

If you love the outdoors and have someone who loves it equally as much, why not plan an overnight excursion? I know it's February, and it's cold out, but winter camping is a huge sport. What's so great about it? No bugs!

If you plan ahead and pack the right gear, you'll beat the cold and have a ton of fun. Here's what you'll need:

Waterproof Tent and a tarp to lay underneath it
Warm mummy style sleeping bags for each of you, preferably made of down like this one from The North Face
Always use a sleeping pad under your sleeping bag so you're not resting on the cold earth
Warm clothing - pack wool base layers to help keep you warm, extra pairs of wool socks, a warm hat and mittens, a waterproof coat and pants, and waterproof boots.
Enough water for the both of you. Keep your water bottles from freezing by placing them in a wool sock or insulated bottle cover.

Want to see what else you need? Then

A camera to hold onto the memories
Cell phones just in case
A pocket knife
Plenty of snacks and food to cook. Remember to bring pots, plates, can opener, and utensils - everything you'll need in order to eat. Canned foods or one pot meals work best. My favorite camping meal is macaroni and cheese.
Waterproof matches or a lighter and plenty of firewood to start a campfire. (You may as well pack some marshmallows to toast as well)
Bring snowshoes or cross-country skis to use during the day
If you're hiking to your camp site, pack all your stuff in a comfortable back pack or pull it along in a sled.

Fit's Tips: Very important: Make sure you plan your trip and tell family and friends exactly when and where you're going. It's a scary reality that something could happen, so this way, people will know where to look for you.

The Latest Fashion Stars of Winter TV - Revenge, Pretty Little Liars, Hart of Dixie, and More

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:33:10 PST

Our primetime Winter TV playlist - which has come to include everything from CW classic Gossip Girl to network newcomer The Secret Circle - not only provides addictive storylines week after week, it boasts a covet-worthy lineup of wardrobes and fashion know-how. Whether it's Leighton Meester showing off her newfound '50s ladylike chic, or Rachel Bilson's edgier feminine style in the likes of Alexander Wang and Chanel, we've come to expect our nights to be filled with ultra-inspired television fashion. In addition, we've scoped out a couple more shows to add to our ever-growing must-watch list, including Revenge's Emily VanCamp exhibiting her Hamptons-perfect wardrobe and the Pretty Little Liars cast wearing cool leather jackets and and sweet separates. To catch up on the latest Winter TV fashion, click the slideshow to see the closets we're coveting the most.

Cold Weather Pet Care Tips

Tara Sharp — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:55:37 PST

With this season's chilly temps, it's especially important to keep your pet toasty and safe. Heidi Ganahl, CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow, shares some important tips on caring for your furball this Winter:

Never let your dog off the leash in snow or ice. Although it may seem like a fun option to let your pup frolic in the snow, it can prove to be extremely dangerous. Dogs tend to lose their sense of smell in extremely cold weather and become lost. Believe it or not, Winter has the highest rates for lost dogs!
Thoroughly wipe down your dog when he comes back into the house after being in the snow. It is common for dogs to ingest salts for melting ice as well as antifreeze, which can prove to be very toxic.
Similar to how you should never leave your dog in the car during the Summer, the same goes for the Winter; a car can act almost like a freezer in the Winter, trapping heat outside and causing your pet to freeze to death.
Fresh water is a must at all times, as your dog may be more likely to lick ice and eat snow if he/she is thirsty from lack of water. Similar to the above point, it is common for dogs to ingest snow-melting-salts and antifreeze.

Any tips to add?

Source: Flickr User nikoretro

Winter Skin Boot Camp: 5 Ways to Whip It Into Shape

Guest Writer — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:01:00 PST

We're delighted to present the following post written by celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert Brett Freedman.

Soft, healthy-looking skin seems like such a challenge in the Winter. The first week you put the heat on in your house is the worst. Whose skin doesn't kind of freak out? We all have Summer and Winter clothes, but how many have a Summer and Winter skin care regime? Address these environmental changes with nudges to your face and body moisturizing routine. I recommend a week of boot camp to get skin in supple shape. So get toned right up with my body-beautiful skin care tips.

Pilates Moves For Your Arms and Core From Kim Kardashian's Trainer

Self — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:18:48 PST

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

If you're a novice like me, you might not realize that there are many different kinds of Pilates. And those incarnations are not defined as "hard, very hard, and nearly impossible."

Celebrity trainer Sara Kapuchinski just opened her new LA studio i heart fitness xo, where she teaches West Coast-style Pilates to a revolving A-list clientele including Khloe and Kim Kardashian, Christina Ricci, Modern Family's Sofia Vergara and Glee's Romy Rosemont.

Kapuchinski started out as a weekend trainer, whose day job was as an A & R executive in the music industry. Soon, she realized that teaching fitness felt more personally satisfying. "Music was fun, but I was more gratified training people," she recalls. "After sitting at a desk from 9 to 5 and staying up 'til all hours, I was experiencing a lot of neck and back pain. And, like most people, I was amazed that classic Pilates did the things that it was supposed to do: my posture improved, I lost inches in my waist and my neck and back pain basically disappeared."

After a bit of investigation, the trainer found that Pilates on the West Coast, which is heavier on cardio, was more her speed: "Pilates is so great for your body, for your core (that mysterious thing), but a lot of times you leave a class feeling like you need to sweat. I wanted something that was a bit more cardio-driven without having to go take a Boot Camp."

Read on for three of Kapuchinski's heart-pounding Pilates moves!

10 Things Worth Paying More For

Bundle — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:15:34 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart Bundle story here on Savvy!

It is better to save, than it is to spend - that's usually a winning (and smart!) mantra to live by. But there are actually some things that are worth the extra dollars in cost. Here are 10 of them.

Service. Consumers like to complain about the terrible service they get from certain companies - cell phone and cable TV providers, for example, or dry cleaners and tailors. Ever have to fight with customer service on the phone over a dispute on your cell phone bill? Ever pick up a pair of pants from the tailor only to later discover that your hemlines were uneven? Had a bad haircut? It's worth it to pay more for quality service. People who are skilled in their craft generally charge more for their expertise, and people are willing to pay for a good experience - especially if that means having a bad experience that the service provider is willing to quickly make right for you for free. That's priceless.
Direct flights. We're used to going onto sites like expedia.com or kayak.com to find the cheapest airfare for wherever we want to go, but it's often worth it to pay the extra money for a direct flight. Not only do you avoid the hassle of having to transfer planes at a layover, you save the precious time you could be spending more efficiently at your destination. I'd pay $50 or $100 more for a flight in a heartbeat if that means six extra hours with my family and friends during the holidays instead of snacking on overpriced airport food in the middle of nowhere waiting to get on the second leg of a flight.
Closet basics. There's absolutely no reason you should spend $200 on a pair of designer jeans. But a good, durable pair of jeans from a retailer like Levi's, which produces them for around $50, can last much longer than cheaper brands from big box stores. The key word here is basics: You don't want to spend a lot on whatever is "in" now, but stuff that you can wear no matter what year it is: A nice suit that will work for both a job interview or a wedding. A nice pair of shoes that can be dressed up or down. A white dress shirt you can wear to work or a night out. One nice coat to get you through many many winters. Spending money on quality basics means you'll have things to wear for a long time without ever going out of style, and that actually saves money in the long run.

Read on for more things worth paying more for.

Atlantis Adventure: Is It a Destination For Your Family?

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:58 PST

It's better in the Bahamas! As we hunker down for six more weeks of Winter, a Caribbean getaway sounds like heaven. Many island hotels are offering last-minute deals to escape from the cold, but how do you know if one is right for your family? As guests of Atlantis, JetBlue, and LEGO, we got an inside look at what the resort is doing to accommodate families.

A beautiful and expansive resort, Atlantis is situated on picturesque Paradise Island, a 40-minute drive from the Nassau airport. With four distinctive rooming options, we were situated in the Royal Towers, the resort’s original accommodations, where a standard room with two double beds provided plenty of space (and gorgeous views) to spread out and relax. While I would have loved to stay in the more luxurious and hip Cove area, it has a strict "no children" policy, which is probably best given its outdoor bars and gambling.

Atlantis’s water park, Aquaventure, has 141 acres of water slides, lazy rivers, pools, and sprinklers that are second to none. Three of the resort’s 11 pools are designed specifically for kids, with zero-barrier entries, in-pool jungle gyms, and ample lifeguards. Most of the park’s 18 water slides are for kids over 48 inches, though there are a handful created with lil ones in mind (you wouldn’t want your little ones on the bigger slides - trust me!). But if your tyke is anything like mine (and the dozens of others I observed), the rapid river ride, The Current, is perfect.

To hear about our favorite parts of the resort, as well as the low points, read more. By far the highlight of our visit was the shallow water dolphin interaction. The hour-long Dolphin Cay experience included kissing the dolphins, learning about their mating habits, and watching their water show. My son is still talking about it. We were equally impressed with the pristine white sand beaches. In the evenings, the resort has plenty of activities to occupy youngsters with its own version of Build-A-Bear, pottery painting, remote control car building and racing, and free nightly movies. Where the resort seems to be lacking is in its dining options. Food at the resort is expensive, very expensive. To curb the costs, Atlantis offers two dining plans starting at $75 per day for adults and $35 for children over 6 years old. We tried several of the restaurants on the plan and, save a bountiful breakfast buffet, found the food to be mediocre. If I were to do it on my own, I would forgo a dining plan, stock up on cereal for the room, eat poolside for lunch, and save my money for dinner at the resort's more notable restaurants. In all, Atlantis is a luxurious destination for those with money to spare (current promotions start at 5 days/4 nights for $499 per adult) . With the water park, animal interactions, AKA kids club, and a LEGO fantasy camp that is debuting this Summer (featuring building activities, the dolphin interaction, beach games, and more), there are plenty of activities to keep families busy. Parents with kids over 48 inches will be able to enjoy the bulk of Atlantis's amenities, but even families with smaller kids can experience the best of what the resort has to offer.

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