FitSugar

Get Motivated: You're Just Going to Feel Worse

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Last night, I was sitting on my couch trying to get motivated to go for a run. (I know, I know, my first mistake was sitting on the couch). I was feeling pretty lazy and gross, but I also just was not feeling like working out.

I kept telling myself that not going for the run was only going to elevate my feelings of laziness with myself, so somehow I mustered up the strength to peel myself off the couch and go for my run. Forty-five minutes later I was done, and I was feeling great. My feelings of laziness and grossness were completely eliminated, and I was already cooking dinner and baking cookies. After dinner I did a few things around the house, watched a little TV, curled into bed with a book and had a fabulous night's sleep.

Had I not run, I would have stayed on the couch and watched hours of TV while sinking deeper into feeling worse and worse. Cookies would have been totally out of the question and I know for a fact that I would not have slept nearly as soundly.

My point is that it is truly amazing what just 30 minutes of moving can do for you, not only for your body, but for your mind as well. When you're feeling so blah with yourself that you just don't want to exercise, remember that not exercising will only make those feelings worse.

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5 Lessons Learned From A Course in Weight Loss

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:06:18 PDT

At the heart of her mission, best-selling author and speaker Marianne Williamson urges people to choose love over fear - and get very self-aware in the process. Marianne's book A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons For Surrounding Your Weight Forever looks at the deep connection between spirituality and weight loss, while providing concrete exercises to complement the journey in order to say goodbye to unwanted weight forever.

If you've grappled with issues of worthiness, weight loss, or compulsive eating, I urge you to pick up this book for some fresh perspective. While every page of this book offers new insight and advice, if you're interested in a taste of what A Course in Weight Loss has to offer, here are five quotes that really moved me.

"When you're eating excessively, you're expressing fear." Marianne urges her readers to look deep within themselves and see places where they are expressing love and where they are expressing fear. If you're a compulsive overeater, chances are you're trying to satisfy some urge unrelated to the food in front of you. Whether it's a lack of meaningful purpose, low self-esteem, or another difficult circumstance, Marianne wants her readers to make the connection between an unhealthy relationship with fearful thoughts and food.
"The Not-Thin You is not your enemy; she is an unintegrated part of yourself." This point definitely struck a chord with me. So often we look at our extra pounds as our direct adversary, but Marianne tells us to shift our perspective. Only when we love and accept our bodies for what they - all their imperfections included- can we find a healthy way to let go of extra unwanted weight and keep it off.
"It all begins with a beautiful napkin." In one of my favorite lessons in A Course in Weight Loss, Marianne talks about starting a love affair with food. Simply buying a beautiful napkin for yourself can help build new healthy rituals around mealtime. Marianne also believes that quick eating along with disposable napkins and plates are out of the question. By creating new mindful, beautiful rituals around mealtime, you'll be able to let go of negative patterns from the past.

For two more lessons learned from A Course in Weight Loss, keep on reading.

Meal Strategies to Help You Lose Weight

Leta Shy — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:24:19 PDT

You are what you eat, but how you eat is almost as important. If you're trying to lose weight, here are three eating strategies that may work for you.

Eat more frequently: Grazing or eating smaller meals more frequently is a strategy that works for many people. You'll avoid the blood sugar spike and crash that can happen when you eat a big meal. And waiting too long between meals can cause you to overeat once you've got a plate in front of you. Eating more frequently also helps boost metabolism, so try eating five to six small meals instead of three big ones.

Stop postdinner snacking: It's a myth that eating late at night can make you fatter, but many times our most mindless eating happens when we're relaxing on the couch or zoning out to online videos after dinner. Eating when you're not hungry can lead to weight gain or hinder any weight-loss goals, so try our tips for preventing unhealthy late-night eating here.

Taper off: Some people recommend eating your biggest meals earlier in the day so that by the time dinner rolls around, you're not starving and ready to overindulge with greasy takeout instead of a home-cooked, healthy dinner. Having a light dinner instead of a heavy one can also help you go to sleep easier and get more quality sleep, which is a crucial component of any weight-loss routine.

Two No-Sweat Ways to Extend Your Life

Leta Shy — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:46:02 PDT

Sometimes a healthy life isn't the easiest to live. It can be so hard to resist temptations in the form of desserts and comfy couches. And although regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat any bad effects from those temptations to prolong your life, it doesn't always have to be about getting in a strenuous, sweaty, heart-pumping workout. Here are two low-key ways to help you live a long life.

Get up and go: The more you sit, the more years you shave off your life, so make a habit of getting up and moving around as much as possible if your job requires you to sit in front of your computer all day. Haven't moved from your seat in a while? Read our tips for staying active while at work, even if you can't fit in a workout.

Take a jog: You don't have to always do high-intensity intervals to get the benefits of cardio. In fact, a recent study found that regularly taking a leisurely jog can add up to six years to your life. Just a few moderately paced jogs totaling around one- to two-and-a-half hours per week have been shown to be able to help you live longer, so try an easier walking-jogging routine the next time you're not exactly in the mood for a sweat session.

Why We're Crushing on The Conversation's Amanda de Cadenet

Tara Block — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:55:00 PDT

You may not know British TV personality and photographer Amanda de Cadenet yet, but we promise you she's someone you'd want to sit down and have a chat with. Which is exactly what she's doing with a plethora of high-profile women (many of whom are her friends) for her new show The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet. Coproduced by Demi Moore and Amanda, The Conversation is a new Lifetime series premiering April 26 that features intimate, one-on-one interviews between Amanda and various female celebrities, politicians, and musicians on the issues women care about. It's also sprinkled with "real" women on the street answering similar questions.

This week we were lucky enough to chat with Amanda over the phone, and we can't wait to share her musings on her personal relationships and life challenges, her thoughts on hot topics like Fifty Shades of Grey, and what it was like interviewing some of today's most famous and influential women on the tough topics we all can relate to. But first off, who is Amanda de Cadenet and what makes her so cool? Here are six things to know:

Cool runs in the family. Her mom was a model and her dad is a race car driver.
She's a motorcycle mama! Her dad taught her how to ride when she was only 6 years old, and her favored mode of transportation today is her Ducati.
At only 14, she became the host of two TV shows in the UK: The Word and Breakfast.
After her TV gigs, she decided photography was her passion, and she became the youngest woman to shoot a Vogue cover. She's also shot for magazines like Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, in addition to ad campaigns for Converse, Roxy, and Absolut.
She's got a thing for rockers! Her first husband was Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, and her current hubby is Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi.
The 39-year-old mom has 5-year-old twins with Nick and a 19-year-old daughter from her first marriage.

With many of these intimate discussions taking place on the couch in her own LA home, Amanda isn't afraid to get real about everything from sex positions to body image with such stars as Jane Fonda, Zoe Saldana, Sarah Silverman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Eva Longoria, Gabby Sidibe, and many more. And Amanda is proud of her ladies, telling us that they all make great role models. She said, "They're kind women. They're very compassionate. They're very down-to-earth, and they are truly women's women. You know how people say, 'She's not a women's woman'? These woman are."

Stay tuned for more of our interview with Amanda, and check out a preview of The Conversation below!

Photo courtesy of A&E Television Networks LLC

Need Fitness Motivation? Just Look at Your Dog

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:54:35 PDT

Early in the morning, my dog Reuben is raring to go. He wakes me up with tons of licks, and paces coyly around the room until I pull my lazy bum out of bed. He can't wait to get outside, not only to "do his business," but to run and jump around, chase skittish squirrels, and play with his favorite squeaky ball. It's impossible to watch him happily zooming around with boundless amounts of energy without being inspired to get my body moving, too. The next time you see a dog sprinting and smiling, catch its buzz and be just as excited to exercise as it is. If you have a pooch, take them along on your run as a thank for encouraging you to get off the couch and move.

11 Ways to Have a Clean Place Without Cleaning

Emily Co — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:05:25 PDT

If you don't enjoy cleaning, tidying up your place may feel like a time-consuming and mind-numbing task. However, there are little tricks you can do to lessen your load and expend less effort toward cleaning yet still have a sparkling clean residence. Here are some ways to have a clean place without cleaning:

Everything has its place: Remember that every item has its place in your home, and if they don't, find spots for them. Organize your things and make sure that every time you take something from its rightful place, you're always returning it to where it belongs when you're done using it. You'll prevent clutter from building.

Reduce your stuff: If you have less possessions, you'll have less clutter to deal with. Check out our recommendations of things you should throw away today. Be mindful when shopping and don't buy things you don't need, even if you're tempted to.

Take off your shoes: Taking off your shoes before going into your home may feel strange, but it actually helps minimize cleaning time. You won't have to vacuum up and mop away all the dirt and grime that you've been stepping on all day. It goes without saying that you should also clean your pet's paws before letting them enter your home as well.

Have a welcome mat: Get a welcome mat so people can wipe their shoes on it before entering. Even if they are planning on taking off their shoes before coming in, you'll have less to clean if everyone is wiping their shoes off before placing them in your entryway.

Don't leave your windows open for too long: When airing your room, make sure that you're not leaving your windows open for too long or dust will start to collect.

Read on for more tips.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Tea Leaves"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:32:43 PDT

On this week's episode of Mad Men, Betty's back - and in an, um, "big" way. Thanks to January Jones's real-life pregnancy, Mrs. Francis has packed on a few pounds after what appears to be more than one afternoon spent on the couch with a box of Bugles. Things take a dramatic turn when Betty's mother-in-law advises a trip to the doctor, and he finds a tumor in her throat.

As Betty contemplates her mortality, Don and Harry take a little work offsite to a Rolling Stones concert in the name of Heinz. Back in the office, Peggy adds a new copywriter to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and the tension between Roger and Pete continues to build. It's a relatively slow episode ("Zou Bisou Bisou" is a tough act to follow), but let's break down the biggest moments when you

Scary situation: Betty's clearly a bit bored in her life as Mrs. Francis, and as her mother-in-law points out, Betty is starting to let herself go. She heads to the doc in hope of scoring some diet pills, but he finds a tumor instead. Betty begins contemplating what will happen to her kids if she has cancer, and starts having nightmares to go along with it. Ultimately, the tumor is benign, but the scare doesn't shake Betty into reevaluating her life: it only makes her help herself to more ice cream.
Wise beyond her years. Betty's not the only one who's initially shaken up by her tumor: Don is also starting to panic. He's suddenly caring and introspective (perhaps because he recently lost Anna to cancer), but he's also pushing Megan away. When bikini-clad Megan is hurt that he wants to blow off their trip to Fire Island because he's upset about Betty, he tells her that she's 26 and basically insinuates that she's too young to understand. Megan handles the situation nicely, reminding Don that she's old enough to handle death and even manages to convince Don to come along on the trip. Yet another case of Megan proving that Don's temperament doesn't scare her.
Let's spend the night together: Don and Harry head backstage at a Rolling Stones concert in hope of scoring the band for the new Heinz campaign. They basically redefine "fish out of water" standing in their suits and ties among teenage girls smoking joints. Harry gets an in with a groupie, which leaves Don fraternizing with a young fan - and for the first time, Don actually seems fatherly instead of trying to hit on her. It's all for naught though: Harry ends up signing a band called The Trade Winds thinking he got the Stones. Whoops!
Tension in the ranks: Even with his new office, Pete and Roger are still butting heads around SCDP. Pete concedes the Mohawk account to Roger, much to Roger's pleasure - only to essentially take it back at the end of the episode. As he pops a bottle of champagne, Pete announces that Roger will be dealing with the day-to-day, but he'll still be the one in charge. Roger is obviously disgruntled about this and laments to Don that he's starting to feel like he's being shoved out the door at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. This relationship seems like a ticking time bomb, but what will prompt the big blowout?
New guy: With Mohawk airlines back on the client list for SCDP, Roger demands that Peggy find a new copywriter. Enter Michael Ginsberg, whom Stan dismisses as too qualified (he warns Peggy of hiring someone who might be her boss someday), and Roger likes because of his Jewish background. Peggy is immediately turned off when he thinks she's a secretary, and is concerned how Don will feel about his off-putting remarks. As it turns out, Don's completely fine with Ginsberg, and he gets a job. There's just one late-breaking twist: despite Michael's claim that he has no family, friends, or ties of any kind, we learn at the end of the episode that he lives (and cares for) his father. Wonder how this one will affect his promise to live in the office 24/7.

I was happy to see Betty back on the show, but I'm not sure where they'll take her character throughout the season. Plus, it felt like more Betty meant less Joan, and I definitely missed Joannie this week. How'd you feel about the episode?

Photo courtesy of AMC

The 5 Spring Cleaning Tasks That Matter Most

LearnVest — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:15:53 PDT

Not sure how to get started on Spring cleaning? LearnVest shares the cleaning tasks you should tackle first.

The phrase “Spring cleaning” evokes images of turning the house inside out, scouring every corner, and banishing every last particle of dust.

But let’s be real: it’s hard to find the time for scouring, much less banishing.

And your time is valuable.

Keeping that in mind, we’ve put together the five cleaning tasks with the most impact - the most “bang for your buff,” if you will. (Although none of them require actual buffing.)

Make Spring Cleaning Fun and Efficient

To help you master this lean, mean Spring cleaning, we turned to the experts.

Two Expert Tips

Historically, Spring cleaning comes from the time before central air and heating, when windows were shut all Winter and opened in the Spring. “People couldn’t do a lot of their cleaning while stuck inside. Now, with proper ventilation, we can clean any time of the year,” said Melissa Homer, chief cleaning officer of MaidPro. “Spring is just traditional.”

Before getting down to the nitty-gritty, she shared her expert tips.

“Don’t expect to blow through everything in a single weekend,” said Homer. “By the time Sunday night comes around, you won’t be able to even think about another sponge.” Instead, plan a set, limited amount of time each week for a month: “I always do Sunday afternoons,” she said.

Then work from room to room. ”People are resistant to the idea of cleaning when they think they have to cover the whole house,” Homer explained. “Start with the rooms you use most.” Instead of vacuuming your whole house, finish everything in the living room before moving on to the next room. "Then your living space will be cleaner, and the results will inspire you to keep going,” she said.

We all know the benefits of a clean, clutter-free home: your life feels in order, and you feel primed to achieve your goals - all of them, not just the ones involving a mop.

Here’s how to get started.

1. Clear Clutter

“The single most effective thing people can do when Spring cleaning is organize,” Homer said. “First, throw out everything that can be discarded. There’s less clutter, so it looks better right away, but there will also be fewer things to be cleaned.” Although it’s tempting to dive in and start scrubbing (after all, these color-coded microfiber cloths are pretty inspiring), you’ll move more slowly with clutter in your way. Homer recommended Target for effective, inexpensive organization systems. “It’s hard to keep things organized when everything doesn’t have its own place. Investing in proper storage makes a huge difference,” she said.

Read on for more.

If We Traveled Like Miranda Kerr . . . We'd Wear Sweatpants on the Plane Too

Noria Morales — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:59 PDT

It seems like Miranda Kerr is always in an airport, zipping between New York, LA, and Australia as if they were a few miles away from each other and not thousands of miles, and one of her many skills is looking snappy when she's fresh off the plane. Most of the time she's in Nobody denim and a sharp blazer, but this time, we caught her in sweatpants. In fact, she looks fantastic wearing sweatpants, but these aren't any sweatpants - they're 3.1 Phillip Lim sweatpants that are perfectly slouchy and thin, and she paired them with an oversized denim shirt, low booties, and a printed silk scarf. It's a brilliantly casual outfit that is totally comfy. Here are some notes:

She cuffed her sweatpants and wore them slightly loose. Sweatpants should never be too tight. Ever.

A bright, printed scarf added color and a bit of sophistication and saved the outfit from looking like it belonged on the couch, in front of the TV, with a bag of Fritos.

She wore her token Isabel Marant booties, which is a little cooler than, say, a pair of sneakers.

While she is carrying her incredibly adorable son Flynn, we think she would carry something lux like a Balenciaga weekender bag ($1,745) in deep yellow suede.
That said, we're putting ourselves in Miranda's booties and imagining a travel wardrobe full of luxurious basics. Shop our widget to get your own.