FitSugar

Locker Room Time Savers

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:45:00 PDT

For those of us who sneak out of the office to get in a quick workout at lunch, anything that can cut time down in the locker room is helpful.

Forget layering sports bra and shirt, instead slip into an all-in-one sports top with built in bra.
Only pack the necessities in your bag so you're not left fumbling around to find your gear. I like to put my socks inside my shoes the night before so they're already together.
Avoid spending time unraveling iPod cords by investing in a cord keeper. I like the SmarterWrap cord manager ($4.99).
Instead of using a headband, put hair in a loose ponytail. This will preserve volume and eliminate time at the blow dryer post workout.
Take a "body shower" and use dry shampoo to freshen up hair.

There are a few more time saving tips for the locker room, so

Forget about fidgeting with bottles in the shower, wash your face and bod with the cleansing cloths. I like the ones by Dove.
Keep makeup in a see through case (or even ziplock bag) so you can see what you're grabbing for and aren't left searching frantically for your eyeliner.
If possible, avoid the prime lunch rush and head to the gym a little earlier or later to avoid waiting in lines for the showers, hair dryers, etc.

Source

Should You Cleanse Before Pregnancy?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:04:46 PDT

Every mama wants to give her baby the best start possible, but just how clean should that beginning be? Anna Getty, the organic living expert and founder of Pregnancy Awareness Month (which happens to be now), recently wrote about her thoughts on preparing the body for pregnancy on the Healthy Child Healthy World website. She shared her year-long, pre-conception plan to whip her body (and soul) into shape for baby, saying:

I cut out all forms of caffeine including black or green tea and (gulp) chocolate, all refined sugars, gluten, dairy, and alcohol, any form of pharmaceutical drugs like aspirin or Ibuprofen and ate a mostly raw diet. I also included acupuncture, colonics, meditation, yoga and juicing. I had planned on cleansing for a year, however, somewhere in the middle, maybe five months, of my pre-conception cleanse the spirit of my unborn daughter decided I was "clean" enough and graced my womb with her presence.

It seems everywhere I turn these days, I hear someone talking about the latest juice cleanse. Friends, colleagues, and celebrities are busy touting the weight loss and detoxifying benefits of the drinks but I never thought about using them to prepare for pregnancy. You clean baby's linens and clothes before she uses them, but do you need to clean your womb before she enters it?

Source: Flickr User Meagan

13 Health Gimmicks You Can Stop Wasting Money On

Business Insider — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:15:21 PDT

Consumers have a tendency of falling for the next big health gimmick. Save your money on health duds with these Business Insider tips.

No matter how many times we're told otherwise, Americans' obsession with get-healthy-quick schemes will likely never die. Too bad most of these fads aren't worth their weight in salt - or your hard-earned dollars. We've put together a list of some of the worst budget-sucking health trends that still persist today.

Coconut Water

Coconut water may be nature's version of Gatorade but some brands have already caught fire for over-hyping its nutrient content. Vita Coco agreed to settle a $10 million class action lawsuit over an independent study that showed the drinks didn't pack near as many electrolytes as advertisements implied. Some coconut waters are also loaded with added sugar, which will do nothing to help your waistline.

Alternative: Pick up your own young green coconuts on the cheap from an Asian produce market. Just crack them open with a cleaver and pop in a straw.

"All-Natural" Foods

30 percent of Americans bought more natural foods in 2011, according to a Rodale study. But what are we really paying more for? There's no clear cut regulation on what makes food "natural," which means just about any company can slap that label on its packages, add a fancy green theme and jack up the price.

Says Andrew Schrage of MoneyCrashers: "Before buying any food that is touted as being 'all natural,' take a look at the ingredient list before you check out. Keep in mind that butter and salt are indeed natural ingredients. So stocking up on natural foods may not achieve anything other than increasing your grocery bill."

Read on for more.

How to Clean Out Your Closet

Laura Marie Given — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:15:56 PDT

Getting dressed is a much more enjoyable process when you have a neat, organized closet to rummage through each morning. Stray belts, mismatched shoes, and a pole lined with tangled, broken hangers makes for extra, unnecessary stress. Sure, cleaning out your closet may be an elaborate process, but the results will have a major, time-saving payoff. Not sure where to begin? Follow this step-by-step guide for a smooth closet-cleaning experience:

Remove and Classify

The first step is to take out everything - yes, absolutely everything. It's the only way to know exactly what you have and exactly what you need.
As you remove your items, sort them into different categories: things to keep, things to store, things to give away, and things to toss. This applies to everything, from clothing and shoes to jewelry and handbags.
Bag up the to-give and to-toss piles, then box up the seasonal items you'd like to stow away for a while. Sweaters, puffy jackets, and Winter boots take up lots of space, so keep them in a different closet or attic until the Fall.

Do a Thorough Cleanse

Once your closet is completely cleared out, it's time to start dusting, wiping, and washing. Clean every shelf and drawer, then sweep and mop the floor.
Consider adding an air freshener that's specifically designed for closets, like the Ornascent by Compac Closet Freshener ($12), to maintain a clean scent.

Keep reading for more closet-cleaning tips.

Spring Cleaning: Refreshing a Pet-Friendly Home

Sara Yoo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 PDT

Thanks to cold weather and short days, it's easy to get complacent about house cleaning during those long Winter months. But now that Spring has sprung, I'm feeling recharged and ready to tackle the tasks I've largely ignored since Fall's warmer days! I won't place full blame on my pup, but for such a small member of the household, she sure contributes a lot of the mess: muddy footprints, fur everywhere, slobbery toys, and errant treat crumbs are just a few of her transgressions. So I've compiled my to-do list of must-hit spots in my Spring cleaning purge. Keep reading for my Spring tasks!

What We're Sweet On: A Cooling Cleanser That Decongests

Jaime Richards — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:05:50 PST

It's an oldie, but a goodie: Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser ($25). Besides, it's actually kind of fun to use. The two-step treatment begins by washing the face with the creamy, cooling cleanser, rubbing it in with circular motions to release dirt and makeup. The second step involves polishing the skin with a muslin cloth that's included as part of the kit. Once you rinse off the cloth and check out your mug in the mirror, skin feels smoothed and softened, and looks clearer and brighter.

This rich cleanser contains cocoa butter to hydrate, hops extract to tone, and rosemary essential oil to invigorate. Eucalyptus helps to decongest clogged skin, and gives that cooling, tingly sensation. But the best part? The oddly exciting and strangely addictive moment when you see makeup melting into the cloth - including the stubborn kind of mascara that almost requires grabbing a chisel to remove.

How Carrie Underwood Gets Grammy-Ready

Sponsor — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:00:00 PST

Carrie Underwood, everyone's favorite Grammy-winning country singer and performer, has been using the suite of Olay deep cleansers to give her face a clean beyond what the eye (and cameras) can see.

To prep for last night's Grammy Awards, Carrie first used Olay Shine Control Lathering Cleanser to get a deep, down-to-the-pore cleansing to minimize shine. With all those flash bulbs on the red carpet, the last thing you want is a shiny forehead! Then she topped it off with Olay Complete Moisturizer, a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer for glowing, healthy-looking skin (and protection from UV light!).

To end the night, Carrie used Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths to exfoliate and cleanse her skin of oil, dirt, and all that red-carpet makeup.

Like Carrie, you can get red-carpet-ready starting and ending with Olay!

"The Daily Facials are awesome at taking off makeup - especially eye makeup. You often get products that are super oily, or just don't do the job, or that sting your eyes. I honestly couldn't live on my tour bus without them." - Carrie Underwood.

Carrie Underwood's Fresh-Face Secret? Yes Please.

Sponsor — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:00:00 PST

Don't think a cleanser can go beyond the basics? Carrie Underwood begs to differ. Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths thoroughly cleanse skin deep down to the pore, removing dirt, oil, and makeup - even your super-duty-waterproof mascara. Don't believe it?

Take it from Carrie:
"It's hard to find eye makeup remover that doesn't burn your eyes. The Daily Facials don't burn anything and take off all of the layers of makeup I've managed to put on my face for concerts."

So take off your makeup each night by combining soap-free cleansers and conditioners infused with beta hydroxyl that go beyond basic cleansing to gently exfoliate and condition skin with essential Olay moisture (score!).

Cyber Monday Deals on Everything Fitness

Michele Foley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:14:59 PST

Even if you missed Black Friday, there are still a lot of shopping deals to be had tomorrow. Cyber Monday is when retailers present some of their best deals online - from free shipping to massively reduced items - or in some cases, they put the entire store on sale. If you're looking for fitness and health products, look no further. Just remember to act quick - most of these deals are one-day sales that end promptly at 11:59 p.m. in your particular time zone.

See the Cyber Monday deals after the break!

Carrie Underwood Reveals Her Beauty Essentials

Annie Tomlin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:02:22 PST

Carrie Underwood is one busy woman. Along with recently cohosting the Country Music Association Awards, she's Olay's first brand ambassador - and she's got a pretty stellar set of pipes, if you haven't heard. We caught up with Carrie to find out how she prepares for an awards show, what she's learned about beauty, and whether new music is in the works. Read on for our Q&A with Carrie Underwood, plus see behind-the-scenes photos from her Olay campaign.