FitSugar

Guess Who Burned Calories by Walking Her Dog?

FitSugar — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:05:07 PDT

Can you guess which celeb was spotted walking her dog?

What Do You Wear When Walking Your Dog?

FabSugar — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:22:22 PST

Burn Calories, Walk Your Dog and Your Dogs

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:00:00 PST

Time and time again I get requests for Jessica Biel's workout. I don't blame you for wanting to know what she does, the girl is ripped. I have also noticed, time and time again, that we are always seeing Jessica out walking her dogs.

While I am sure that she does WAY more than just walk her dogs for exercise, it definitely doesn't hurt for maintaining that figure of hers. A 130-pound woman walking her dog at about 2.5mph (average) will burn about 183 calories in one hour. For great tips on safe dog walking and to see even more pics of Jessica walking her dogs

Here are some great tips from Weather.com for happy dog walking this spring:

Just like people who aren't used to exercise, dogs should start off slow. Moderately paced walking and swimming are a good way to start--they let canine athletes build their cardiovascular and muscle strength without putting undue stress on their joints.
Keep a close eye on your dog: watch for any unusual signs of fatigue or trouble breathing. If your pup wants to stop, let him. Dogs that overdo it can suffer strained tendons or ligaments or other orthopedic problems.
Don't expect your fuzzy buddy to be a weekend warrior, even if you only get exercise on the weekends yourself. After a long week without exercise, your dog may be ready to get out and burn off energy. But because of their enthusiasm, many of the popular breeds, such as Labrador and golden retrievers, will overdo it.
Safety first--keep Rover on a leash when you run. Even the best-trained dogs can run into the path of a car or a territorial animal. And if you have to run when it's dark out, put reflectors on your dog's collar as well as on your clothes.
Concrete and asphalt are tough on the paws, especially on hot days. Try to run on dirt paths or grass as much as possible. Gravel, cinders, and road salt can also irritate paws.
Take it easy in extreme weather. If it's freezing cold or hot and steamy out, either keep your run short or play a little indoor fetch instead.
The more active your dog is, the more water he'll need. Make sure he has plenty of fresh water before and after your run. If you're going for a long run, take some water along for him.

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Flynet

Got the Day Off? Get Out With Your Pup!

PetSugar — Mon, 30 May 2011 03:32:39 PDT

It's Memorial Day and I'm using today to take an extra long walk with my Boston. He's a fairly energetic dog who can walk quite quickly (as long as it's not too hot), and we're gonna go on a street roaming adventure! I know some of you have big dogs and others have little ones, so everyone's speed needs will be different. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when taking to the streets with your pups:

Make sure you walk at an appropriate tempo! If your pet is huffing, wheezing, or trying to stop, he may be trying to tell you something - you both can slow down and smell the roses.
If your dog is tugging and pulling the leash, he may not be acting naughty, he could just need more exercise. Walking quickly, or even jogging, with higher energy breeds can help them work off steam and (hopefully) be a bit calmer when it's rest time!
Some pooches, North included, enjoy mixing it up. Try walking quickly for part of the time, and more of a stroll for the rest. This allows doggies, and you, to burn off a tad more calories, but not come home totally pooped. I like to walk on a street busy with people, then duck onto side streets for this purpose. On the busy streets, we have to navigate the crowd and my dog wants to sniff "hi," but on those quiet streets, he's ready to pick up the pace!

As always, if it's hot where you are, carry water and take breaks on any long walks. Getting fit should be fun for you both!

9 Ways to Earn Extra Cash When Money Is Tight

Wise Bread — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:51:58 PDT

I'm sure everyone can do with a little more cash in their wallets. Here are some great suggestions by Wise Bread for you to make extra money.

Even though I'm self-employed full-time, I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to make more money.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Wise Bread post on websites that can help you earn extra cash. More recently, I came across a blog post on Zaarly titled, "10 Ways to Make Money Without a Job." After reviewing the latter post, I thought it was time to revisit the topic and let you in on a few more ways to get paid.

The ideas that Zaarly presents are perfect for the unemployed or those who just want to pad their pockets a little more. In addition, there are moonlighting jobs that I do that I thought you should know about. Thus, if you're without a steady paycheck or you just want to build up a rainy-day stash, here are some of your options.

1. Offer Experiences to Strangers

I recently learned about a new site called Vayable, which allows people with specialized knowledge and talents, local info, and time on their hands to create experiences that others can purchase. It's basically a touring and activity company without the company. Anyone can join the site and set up an experience. For instance, the Kan Brothers offer motorcycle tours of San Francisco - which include helmet rental, a drink at a local hot spot, and a city map - for two to four people at $75 per person. In New York City, Kim G. is offering a personalized painting lesson for groups of two to six for a flat rate of $300; the experience includes acrylic paints; canvas board and supplies; studio space; wine, cheese, and crackers; and Kim’s undivided attention. Consider this tip if you're interested in joining Vayable: Browse the site to see what other people in your area are offering. By creating a unique experience that no one else has established, you have a better chance of getting booked.

Read on for more.

What It Takes to Buy a Home

Kiplinger — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:14:47 PDT

Do you have what it takes to buy a home? Consider this exhaustive guide from Kiplinger.

Tired of renting? It could be a great time to buy your first home. In many cities, home prices have bottomed, and rents have risen. Mortgage rates are still superlow. In fact, homes haven't been as affordable since 1971. On the downside, in many cities, buyers have fewer homes from which to choose and more competition for the best houses.

In Austin, TX, newlyweds Mark and Ariane Corcoran bought their first home in March. They were renting in a popular downtown neighborhood, where they paid $1,200 a month for a 500-square-foot loft apartment, when they inherited enough money for a down payment. When they began shopping, they expected to buy a classic 1930s Austin bungalow. They found lots of prospects online but drove by most of them. "Agents are really good at taking photos that exclude what they don't want you to see, like the used-car lot out back," says Mark.

They put in an offer on a $225,000, 800-square-foot home. But after the home inspection, they realized that it needed $20,000 to $30,000 in renovations and repairs and that they'd quickly outgrow it. They walked away during the state-mandated rescission period (during which a buyer can back out for any reason and get back any earnest money deposited).

Ariane identified their next prospect within an hour after the listing appeared online. It was a newly built, 1,600-square-foot home with three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a yard for the dogs. The builder asked $270,000, the couple offered $260,000, he countered, and they paid $268,000. They put down 20 percent to avoid private mortgage insurance and snagged a 30-year fixed rate of 3.75 percent from a credit union. Their monthly mortgage payment is $1,524.

Before you take the plunge, consider the answers to questions often posed by first-time buyers. Read on for what to ask yourself.

Dog, Meet Baby: The All-Important First Introduction

Lisa Horten — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:04:33 PDT

You've done everything you can to prep your pup for that major life event on the horizon. Now all that's left is to play your role as mediator during the crucial first meeting of your beloved canine child and your newborn. A baby who's just a few days old is unlikely to have any reaction to his new four-legged sibling, but the dog? That's another story. To ensure that the first introduction goes as smoothly as possible, follow these easy guidelines from the one and only dog whisperer, Cesar Millan.

Get Rid of Excess Energy: Take your dog on a long walk to use up energy before bringing him or her in to meet the new baby. Before returning to the house, wait at the doorstep for a minute, and make sure the dog's mood is calm and submissive.
Scent-sational: Give your pup a minute to sniff around. He'll instantly recognize the new scent in the house, and if you've introduced an item of the baby's beforehand, then the dog will already be accustomed to it.
It's Go Time: When the actual introduction occurs, Mom or Dad should be holding the baby. It's important that the parents' state be calm yet assertive. Allow the dog to sniff the baby, becoming familiar with him or her from a distance.
Earn Their Trust: During the first meeting, keeping a respectful distance between the dog and newborn is important. Gradually, however, the dog can be allowed closer and closer to the baby. Using this method establishes the baby as another "pack leader" to your pup.
Then What? As the baby becomes more active and interested in his or her surroundings, it's crucial that all interactions be supervised by a parent. Just as the dog needs to maintain a respectful distance from the baby, it's equally imperative that the baby know not to bother the dog, pull on its tail, poke its eyes, and the like. But do your best to make sure that your dog still receives plenty of attention and affection. Try to maintain the daily routine of walks, praise, and regular feeding times. This will ensure that your dog feels secure as part of the newly expanded family.

Source: Hanna Mac

16 Weird Reasons People Quit Their Jobs

Emily Co — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:28:26 PDT

Although common sense dictates a graceful exit when you're leaving a company, there are always going to be some who slip up. Staffing agency OfficeTeam recently conducted a survey among more than 1,300 employers who divulged some of the strangest reasons former employees have given them when resigning from their jobs. Here are a couple of doozies:

"A guy said he was making too much money and didn't feel he was worth it."
"The worker told us he just couldn't get up in the morning."
"He quit because he didn't like the way the office smelled."
"An individual did not like the sound of file cabinets being slammed."
"One person quit to watch a soccer tournament."
"We had someone leave because he had to stay home to feed his dog."
"An employee left because he wanted to watch a movie with his girlfriend during work hours."
"A person quit because he hated the carpet."
"He just walked out without a peep. We have no idea why he left, and we were not able to contact him."
"One worker left to become an apple farmer."
"A staff member quit to climb Mount Everest."
"There was an individual who left to play the trombone."
"Someone left because her boss lost the dog she had given him."
"Our employee said he was joining the circus."
"One person left because she lost her cell phone too many times at work."
"An employee said it was his routine to change jobs every six months."

Although you may be tempted to leave a job in a manner of your choosing (especially if you harbor negative feelings), it's best to reconsider your approach.

"How you leave a job can be just as important as what you did while you were there," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Regardless of the reason for resigning, making a graceful exit by tying up loose ends and thanking colleagues shows your professionalism and can help you down the road in your career."

For those who are contemplating an exit, here's a quick guide to leaving your job with grace.

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield Do Mother's Day With Her Mom

Allie Merriam — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:39:55 PDT

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield left their NYC home with their dog yesterday to walk her mom out to a car. The happy couple said farewell to Emma's mother after the trio had a visit together in the Big Apple - see what other celebrities did on Mother's Day this year with their loved ones! Emma's currently based in NYC with her boyfriend and The Amazing Spider-Man costar Andrew, as he wraps up a Tony-nominated run in Death of a Salesman with Philip Seymour Hoffman. Andrew's due to finish up in the production early next month, which gives him and Emma a month to focus on press before their blockbuster hits theaters on July 3.

The release of the Spider-Man reboot will be huge for both Emma and Andrew's careers. Which star do you think has had a bigger past year? Make sure to show love if you're an Emma or Andrew fan in this year's PopSugar 100 - vote now in the PopSugar 100 and enter to win $2,500!

Molly Sims on the Most Surprising Thing About Pregnancy, Her Glam Maternity Style, and More

Lisa Horten — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:12:58 PDT

She may be 34 weeks pregnant, but that didn't stop mom-to-be Molly Sims from squeezing time into her hectic schedule to chat with us. In addition to her acting and modeling work, Molly was recently named the Global Ambassador for Population Service International (PSI)'s child survival program, Five & Alive, and she's counting down the weeks until the birth of her baby boy.

LilSugar: Congratulations! How are you feeling?
Molly Sims: I'm coming into the end of my third trimester, and there's been a lot of swelling. I've been putting my feet up and soaking them in freezing cold water. That seems to work. We just went on the hospital tour and that made me a little nervous. I kept asking, "What's that?" and Scott [Stuber, Sims's husband] was taking notes on his BlackBerry. I said, "Can you tell we're first-time parents?!"

LS: Any other pregnancy tips and tricks that have worked for you?
MS: My back has been bothering me the whole time and the best investment I made was the Sleep Number bed. You can sleep with your feet up! It's great for my husband and I, and it means that he can rest without my waking him all throughout the night.

LS: You just had your baby shower - how was that?
MS: It was so great, just so much fun. We didn't really have a theme, but afterwards, we had a Cinco de Mayo party with everyone.

LS: Any favorite gifts?
MS: I love [online retailer] Layla Grace, and they sent me this supersoft rocking horse. I also got three great strollers - a Bugaboo that I'll use in New York, the Orbit System, which is supposed to be really easy to take apart, and then Baby Trend sent me a custom one - it's the coolest thing! I walk and hike a lot, so it was important to me to have a really good jogger. What's been great is that all of my friends have been giving me the products that they found really worked. There's so much out there, so that's been really helpful. I've also been working with Margot Stuart at Ready Me Baby. She helped me narrow down my Amazon Wish List to the 15 or so things that I really need.

Keep reading to see what's been the biggest surprise in Molly's pregnancy and her cravings.