FitSugar

Partner Yoga Pose: Double Boat

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:30:00 PST

When you practice yoga on your own, it can be very internal and meditative, which is one of the reasons people love yoga so much. Yoga also stretches, strengthens, and tones your muscles, and if you do yoga poses with another person, the physical and emotional benefits are amazing. Not only can you get deeper into poses, but you can also deepen your connection.

Here's a fun partner yoga pose to try. I call it Double Boat, and you can find it in the book Yoga for Partners. When you do Boat pose on your own, it totally works your abs, but when you do it with a partner, it changes the stretch and works your hamstrings.

To find out how to do Double Boat

Sit opposite your partner, with about three feet between you.
Hold hands on the outside of your legs. Raise both legs and place the soles of your feet together.
Work on finding your balance and, when you're ready, try straightening your legs. You may need to come out of the pose and adjust the distance between you and you partner, moving an inch or two apart if your hamstrings are less flexible, and moving a couple inches closer if you are more flexible. The least flexible person is always in charge, so make sure you do the pose in a way that's comfortable to both partners. It's OK if one or both of you can't straighten your legs. If it helps, you can work on one leg at a time, keeping the opposite foot planted on the floor.
As you hold the pose, work on drawing your lower back in (trying not to hunch or round your spine) and engaging your abs. You can either gaze towards each other, or drop your heads back and gaze behind you.
Stay here for five or more breaths and then slowly lower your legs down to the ground and release your partner's hands. If your lower back is sore, take a counter-pose such as Child's Pose on your own, or do Double Sandwich together.

Source: Flickr User lmpicard

The Most-Overlooked Tax Deductions

Kiplinger — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:50:44 PST

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

Every year, the IRS dutifully reports the most common blunders that taxpayers make on their returns. And every year, at or near the top of the “oops” list is forgetting to enter their Social Security number at the top of the tax form - or making a mistake when entering those nine digits.

But think about it for a minute: Do you think that’s the most common mistake . . . or simply the easiest to notice?

One thing we know for sure is that the opportunity to make mistakes is almost unlimited, and missed deductions can be the most costly. About 45 million of us itemize on our 1040s - claiming more than $1 trillion worth of deductions. That’s right: $1,000,000,000,000, a number rarely spoken out loud until Congress started tying itself up in knots trying to deal with the budget deficit and national debt.

Another 92 million taxpayers claim about $700 billion worth using standard deductions - and some of you who take the easy way out probably shortchange yourselves. (If you turned 65 in 2011, remember that you now deserve a bigger standard deduction than the younger folks.)

Yes, friends, tax time is a dangerous time. It’s all too easy to miss a trick and pay too much. Years ago, the fellow who ran the IRS at the time told Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine that he figured millions of taxpayers overpay their taxes every year by overlooking just one of the money-savers listed below

Make Bath Time Fun With These 9 Bath Toys For Tots

LilSugar — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:35:07 PDT

It's bath time, baby! Bath time can get very mixed reactions from babies. Some little ones are born water lovers while others cry so hard that mama's afraid neighbors might call the police. Either way, bath time toys make the experience much more enjoyable for both baby and mom. Check out these nine fun toys that will have your kiddie splishin' and splashin'!

Dunck Bath Toys ($10 for set of 3): Multipurpose bath toys! Dunck stacking bath toys by Skip Hop provide endless fun and function in the tub. Mama can rinse baby's head with one dunck duckie while baby stacks, pours, or floats the others.
Sophie the Giraffe Bath Toy ($17): Baby's favorite giraffe gets a floatie! Sophie the Giraffe is one of the most popular toys for babies - and now she's ready for some bath time fun. She even squirts water when squeezed!
Tub Time Tea Party Set ($10): Mommy says it's bath time, but your little girl wants to host a tea party. Now you can do both! This tea set includes a teapot, sugar bowl, sugar cubes, and two tea cups.
Girl's Tub Toy ($5): A dolly for bath time fun! No need to explain to your little one why her doll can't take a bath with her with this little bath time friend.
Foam Butterflies and Bugs ($24): Turn tub time into a garden adventure with these easy-to-apply and -remove designs. From flowers to butterflies, the colorful foam icons stick to the side of tiles and tubs.
Silly Squirts Bath Toys ($11 for set of 4): These cute little squirts aren't your average bath toy. The top twists off for easy cleaning, and you can mix and match them to create hybrid bath time friends!
B. Fish & Splish Boat Bath ($30): All aboard for loads of bath time fun! There are 13 toys in this set that are ready for an underwater expedition - and when the bath time fun is over, everything stores below deck.
Boon Scrubble Bath Toys ($10): Fun in the tub with BPA-free toys! Tots can scrub in the tub with this set of three interchangeable bulbs and textured attachments that unscrew for easy cleaning. Just fill the toys with water and squeeze for lots of bath time laughs.
Snail Stacker Bath Toy ($10): Rub-a-dub-dub, there's a snail in the tub! This smiley snail has three stackable rings and a flower on top that doubles as a squirt toy.

Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, and More Magic Mike Guys Go Shirtless on Set

Lindsay Miller — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:15:00 PDT

Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, and Matt Bomer all went shirtless and showed off their sexy six-packs yesterday afternoon as they shot new scenes for their male-stripper movie Magic Mike in Tampa, FL. Channing, Alex, and Matt, who were clad in swim trunks, had the company of a bikini-clad Olivia Munn on the boat that served as the set for the day. Meanwhile, Matthew sunned himself solo on the sand in a cowboy hat and shorts. The upcoming film is loosely based on Channing's own past as an exotic dancer and has also shot in Miami and LA over the past couple of months. Matthew has been splitting his time between the project and his role opposite Reese Witherspoon in Mud. That movie is filming in the South, as well, but Matthew and Reese made a pit stop in their hometown of LA last week for a double date with their significant others. Reese and Jim Toth hosted a Livestrong fundraiser that Matthew and his partner Camila Alves also attended on Thursday night.

Eva Longoria Sports a Tiny White Bikini Yachting With Eduardo in Spain

Molly Goodson — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 11:26:31 PDT

Eva Longoria showed off her petite frame in a hot white bikini as she chatted with boyfriend, Eduardo Cruz, on the deck of a yacht in Spain today. The boat is off the coast of Marbella, and Eva and Eduardo headed into town to hit up a beach bar for lunch. Eduardo Cruz has been showing Eva Longoria the sights in his native Spain for a couple weeks now, and the happy couple even shared a double date with his sister Penelope Cruz and husband, Javier Bardem, on Wednesday. Eva and Eduardo are going six-months strong at this point, and things are still heating up for the couple as they head into Summer side by side in luxury.