FitSugar

Winter Exercise Tip: Head Into the Wind First

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:00:00 PST

A lot of us run in one direction for 15 minutes then turn around and run back for the remaining 15 minutes. For those of us who live in windy places, this means that half of our runs are done into the wind and the other half are done with the wind at our back.

When it's especially cold outside you need to protect yourself from the elements, so start your outdoor jogs by heading into the wind on the first leg. You'll be less likely to get over chilled (and even frostbitten) on the way back (when you're wet from sweat) if you end your workout with the wind at your back.

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Kristen Stewart Talks Badass Fairy Tales, Bella Swan, and Her New Leading Man on Snow White Set Visit

Molly Goodson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:01:00 PST

Last October, we were so excited to pay a visit to the set of Snow White and the Huntsman outside London. We got a sneak peek into the amazing world Kristen Stewart and her costars, including Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Charlize Theron, and more, inhabited while shooting the action-packed fairy-tale movie. We have tons to come from our day poking around the remarkable set and learning about everything from the costumes to the fight scenes. While we were there, we even got to see the aftermath of Kristen accidentally actually punching Chris Hemsworth in the face filming a scene. Check out our chat with Kristen and stay tuned for lots from the set:

Is there something you admire about Snow White?

Yes. It’s strange playing a character that you actually could never truly embody. Her spirit affects people. . . I can’t have Snow White’s effect on people. I can’t actually be completely selfless because nobody is. You can only really play a character like that in a fairy tale and play it with an awful load of integrity. She’s very fully formed, but very farfetched-from-the-reality-that-we-live-in type of person. She also is strong in a very different way than you’d expect. Strength, yeah, but also gusto. I mean, she’s strong. She can kick ass. It hurts very much to do so and so it’s not like you’re watching her go take down a kingdom. You’re not watching going, "Yeah! Kill him!" Really it’s more like you’re watching someone having to do something that doesn’t just go against your sensibilities or that you agree with. It’s gutting. It’s physically gutting, literally. A million reasons, but she’s special.

Do you like that she’s not like your prissy fairy tale?

Yeah, because that’s just a very surface, though she is prissy sometimes. That’s the other thing. It takes her the whole movie basically to become who I’m talking about now. I’m really sort of talking in retrospect. It’s strange. It’s a total identity movie. It’s all about not finding yourself, but actually just being OK with who you always have been and not being ashamed of being the only one who sees the light. It’s an enormous burden and she’s so stunted. She was put away when she was 7 years old and your mother and your father were killed basically right in front of you. We’re not doing the version of a fairy tale that wouldn’t deal with all of those things, where you just sort of skim over all those things, and it's like all of these things are actually really important to the characters. She literally bleeds for her land and her people, and that’s just such a cool concept for me because it’s other people caring about people. It’s very simple, but it’s so common. Every day all the time you see people not caring about each other, and this is just about that.

She learns to be a leader or she’s born a leader inside, do you think?

She’s definitely a born leader. I mean, it’s literally pumping through those veins, but it’s been taken from her. She’s been so stolen from.

To read the rest of the interview, including her thoughts on Bella vs. Snow White and what it was like to punch Chris just

read more. Is it helping you get into the character's mindset to wear those cool costumes? Absolutely. If you look down and something doesn’t feel like you would definitely be wearing it, or if you go to grab your knife and it flops around or - basically [Colleen Atwood] thinks about every detail. It’s so wearable. I also have puffy sleeves. Somehow she manages to make puffy sleeves look butch. I was always expecting to personally wind up in a - basically what I’m wearing underneath it, like that little blue dress, which is just thin and wispy. I was really happy that she’s got something heavy on - a bit of armor before she actually finds her own armor. How did you feel the first time you put on the armor? Did you feel more badass? Yeah. That’s the first thing you want to [pound your chest]. Also, my armor doesn’t have a huge top on it. All the guys, unfortunately, they [raise their arms] and they hit themselves in the head. I can run around in mine. Somehow the armor on the men - unless they’re on horseback and they look amazing, but there’s also something kind of dainty about it, too, like pointy toes. It fits a woman’s body better, I feel. I don’t know, the guys running around suddenly look like little toys - slightly feminine little toys. Both Snow White and Bella had traumatizing experiences in the woods - being led out to die or have her heart broken - compare those two experiences? Well, it’s funny. I think [Snow White] genuinely lacks that innate fear of death that we all have. She’s got a serious, fierce survival - not skills, but insights. But she isn’t afraid of anything. What’s harder is to have dreams and hopes that you lived your whole life sort of be just shattered in front of you. So I think probably it’s totally impossible to compare the two. And I know that doesn’t make sense, but I kind of can’t compare. Can you compare the movies in general? Are there similarities at all? Bella and Snow White both come to find that they’re leaders. I mean, that’s definitely a similarity. They’re different. They’re very, very, very, different people. Also, I guess in a very sort of righteous way as well it’s all very like - everyone’s telling them “no” and both of them I guess see the light. Both of them are sort of a little more intuitive and spiritually, for whatever reason, connected and their gut is always sort of dead right. What about working with Chris surprised you? Did you have any preconceptions of him? Before I met him, I was like, "gosh, so charming." You know what I mean? Like he’s so ridiculously, seemingly nice. Movie-star caliber nice. But he really actually just is. But then again, it’s strange working - cause I mean it’s not a secret. It was completely different part before. It was totally like a rethought. So when he came in it was like "Wow! This is f*cking interesting!" I mean, it was like they really elevated it. Chris is an amazing, nice guy and also [has] great instincts and he can roll with everything on set. He’s really relaxed, whereas I’m always like, "oh my god!" I use my anxiety to do this and he’s always sort of like - he’s a good energy for me. I really like working with him. You actually punched Chris filming a scene and gave him a black eye? It’s actually a very confidence building experience. I don’t like punching anyone. So, you know, when you dream and your hand just slides right down their face, it doesn’t do that in real life. It really works. God, that really made me feel horrible, though. I mean, like instantly hot tears and I was like "oops!" We were watching it. It looks - it’ll be in the movie. Favorite fairy tale as a kid? I honestly don’t - somebody asked this the other day. I wasn’t here til the end of fairy tales. I really liked The Jungle Book. I was obsessed with The Jungle Book. Chris said Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and he was always like humming Enya as we were trudging up the mountain. I was saying basically, "You should make a remake of Lord of the Rings. Why are you doing this? . . . We’re doing Snow White and the Huntsman, Chris!" Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Show Love After Lunch

Katie Henry — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:30:07 PST

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis shared a quick hug yesterday outside a Los Feliz restaurant while waiting for her car. Jason's been enjoying a two-week hiatus from SNL by spending time with Olivia on the West Coast. He'll be heading back to the Big Apple before Feb. 4, when The Vow's Channing Tatum takes over hosting duties.

Olivia skipped this year's Sundance Film Festival, where her independent feature The Words premiered. Her costars, new couple Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana, made the trek to Utah to showcase the movie. Instead of kicking it in the snow, Olivia spent the weekend in Palm Springs with Jason and her dog Paco. The trio relaxed at a luxury resort and didn't seem to mind when the power went out due to high winds. Olivia's also been able to fit some time on the set of The Incredible Burt Wonderstone into her schedule alongside her leading men Steve Carell and Jim Carrey.

Ryan Gosling and His Drive Director Break From Filming For a Thai Red Carpet

Lauren Turner — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:52:57 PST

Ryan Gosling made the most of his time in Thailand with an appearance at the Hua Hin International Film Festival last night. Ryan, director Nicolas Winding Refn, and Nicolas's wife Liv Corfixen were there to support the action film, Drive, which is screening at the event. Ryan's girlfriend, Eva Mendes, didn't make it since she's in LA taking care of Ryan's dog, George. As the group headed inside, Ryan even stopped to pose with popular Thai actress Krystal Vee.

Ryan is overseas working on his next project with Nicolas, Only God Forgives, which means he's missing out on award season in the US. Ryan isn't up for any honors at this weekend's SAG Awards, but he will still have a presence at the big show. A signed version of the white scorpion jacket Ryan wore in Drive is up for auction, along with other items and experiences related to the year's biggest movies - you can bid in the online SAG Awards auction until Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. PT! Also, make sure to tune in to PopSugar this Sunday, when we'll be LIVE from the SAG Awards red carpet starting at 6 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST, and then watch the SAG Awards show at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on TNT and TBS. For more SAG Awards updates, follow PopSugar and SAG Awards on Twitter.

The Best Indoor Workout Classes (Because It's Freezing Outside!)

Self — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:35:01 PST

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

There are lots (and I mean, lots) of reasons why my motivation to work out during the Winter plummets - from the snowy commute to freezing cold winds to the cold, dry air that hits my chest with such force that it becomes hard to breathe. (Ahem, there's a reason I sign up for races that are after September - this born-and-raised Floridian prefers to train outdoors during the Summer.)

But it is possible to sculpt, strengthen, and sweat (majorly sweat) without having to be freezing cold during the winter. So when the weather outside is frightful, head indoors for these top full-body workouts that will help ward off Winter weight:

Indoor cycling: Ruth Zukerman, cofounder of NYC's FlyWheel cycling studio, is heating things up indoors with her 45-minute, heart-racing classes. (Self favorite Jillian Michaels is even a recent investor in the company). "I wanted to be part of the most innovative and effective indoor cycling program, and that is FlyWheel. I am thrilled to join the FlyWheel team," Michaels said in a press release. What makes cycling such an effective alternative is that it's taking the fun full-body workout people love indoors, and instead of scenery, you'll stay motivated to challenge yourself thanks to encouraging instructors and a killer playlist. Flywheel has an awesome on-bike technology board that lets you compete against other riders in the class. Plus if you're looking to shape up before hitting the slopes, "indoor cycling is great preparation for all Winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding. I know from personal experience that when I hit the slopes I don't tire out easily or suffer from the kind of après-ski muscle pain that most people do, and it's because of indoor cycling," Zukerman says.

Try this move: If you're riding an exercise bike at home or the gym, try some interval training. One thing we often do at Flywheel is a "Sprint Chorus," meaning we increase our RPMs to a sprint during the song's chorus and then revert to a cadence on the beat of the music as the chorus ends.

More best indoor workouts after the break.

Grillades and Grits: Get Your Brunch on!

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:00:06 PST

Grillades and grits are a trademark dish in New Orleans. If you can't make the trip to Nola, Food Orleans shows you how to recreate the experience in your own home.

If you've never had or heard of grillades and grits, then I apologize for not mentioning them earlier. They're one of the two most wonderful things to eat for brunch in New Orleans (shrimp and grits being the other). I've never been to anyplace in town for brunch that didn't offer one or both of these goodies. Grillades (gree'-awds) are made of beef, veal, or pork; I haven't encountered a rabbit version yet, but I won't be surprised when I do. The beef is a thin, flat cut of top round or chuck - something that can withstand a long, slow cooking. It simmers in a pot with the trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), garlic, and a little jalapeno - not traditional, but I really like it - until the rich broth thickens and intensifies, so what you get is a powerfully flavored beef "stew" that is perfect over creamy cheese grits. This is a great Louisiana recipe to try if you're hankering for some thick, rich goodness but you don't feel up to stirring a roux, because you don't have to. The small amount of flour used in the browning of the beef will produce all the roux you need.

Read ahead for the grillades and grits recipe.

Cross-Country Skiing Tips For Newbies

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 22:51:18 PST

Downhill skiing is a blast, but if you're not in the mood to race against frigid winds or deal with crazy crowded lift lines, try cross-country skiing this Winter. It may not be speedy, but cross-country skiing will tone your upper and lower body, give you a great cardio workout, and burn almost 500 calories in one hour!

Like snowshoeing, cross-country is more social than downhill skiing since conversations aren't limited to just time riding the lift. You get to slush along snow-covered trails and gab while taking in the breathtaking scenery. Plus, there is no expensive lift ticket needed. Some find cross-country more comfortable than downhill skiing because the boots are more flexible and the skis lightweight. Ready to get started? Here are some tips for newbies.

First, find some cross-country trails. Some downhill-ski resorts have groomed trails, but also check out nature centers or parks where you hike in the Summer. You might have to pay a fee (around $15 to $30) to use the grounds. Don't be shy about asking the staff to point you toward the easier trails.
Rent boots, skis, and poles at the place where you're skiing, but if this isn't possible, rent equipment the day before from a gear store; rentals are about $15 a day.
Definitely head out with someone who has some cross-country skiing experience or take a lesson to learn the basic techniques for moving, slowing down, stopping, and getting up hills.

Keep reading for more beginner cross-country ski tips.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Fincher's Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Film

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:55:26 PST

It's hard to describe The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo without giving away major plot points that would spoil twists and turns to audiences that haven't already devoured Stieg Larsson's novel of the same name. To those who already know the story, I can tell you that David Fincher's adaptation is (mostly) loyal, with a couple of changes that actually function as surprise treats for those who have read the novel. To those who aren't familiar with the story, I can tell you to buckle your seatbelt. The imagery that unfolds over the opening credits of the film, set to Trent Reznor's take on "Immigrant Song," is intense, and edgy, and strangely intriguing - which is perfectly fitting for the film.

Daniel Craig plays Mikael Blomkvist, a charismatic journalist who's been commissioned by an elderly man named Henrik Vanger (an excellent Christopher Plummer) to solve a seemingly impossible mystery: to find out who murdered his great-niece over 40 years ago. Once Blomkvist accepts the challenge against his better judgment, he unwittingly starts digging up old family secrets that prove to be much more dangerous than what he'd expected.

When Blomkvist hits a roadblock in his digging, he enlists the help of a research assistant, the titular girl with the dragon tattoo. She's better known as Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a leather-clad, skinny girl who is as brilliant as she is brusque. She's guarded (for a very good reason), but she can't say no to Blomkvist's offer to track down "a killer of women." The unlikely chemistry between Craig and Mara is surprising, fun, and manages to eke out a few light moments (particularly when Salander is scoffing at Blomkvist's computer skills).

To find out more about why the film is great, just

read more. With that said, there's a reason why Fincher has been touting his film as the "feel bad movie of Christmas." Larsson's novel takes sadistic, often jaw-dropping turns, and Fincher ensures that his film will have the same unsettling effect. He doesn't hold back, as certain scenes will have you squirming in your seat. Though it's even more graphic than what I was prepared for, the emotional toil only makes you want the hero and heroine of the film to triumph all the more. And triumph they do: Mara is mesmerizing as Salander, from her accent to her facial expressions to her few moments of comedic timing. She is fully immersed in the pierced, antisocial hacker: you won't find any traces of the fresh-faced girl we met in The Social Network. Mara brings a tiny bit more emotion to the film than the Salander in the novel, which proves to be an important device as we no longer have the luxury of seeing inside the psyche of such a complex character. What makes The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo such a satisfying thriller are the additional touches: the unsettling, snow-covered setting in Hedeby island off the Swedish mainland is creepy for its isolation and howling winds alone. The score plays to your emotions without hitting you over the head with an overly haunting soundtrack. But ultimately, it's Mara's performance that will keep your knuckles white and your eyes glued to the screen.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Gisele Bundchen Goes Casual Ahead of a Christmas Eve With the Patriots

Lauren Turner — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:17:17 PST

Gisele Bundchen was layered up as she left her Boston brownstone and headed to her Range Rover yesterday afternoon. It's been a big year for the busy model mom, and it looks like she's winding down 2011 with her family in Massachusetts. Gisele returned to the US in early December after traveling to Spain and Brazil for work. She shot the Spring 2012 Givenchy campaign in Barcelona and then headed to Sao Paolo to promote her new designs for the C&A department store.

Gisele got right back to her boys, Benjamin and Jack, upon arriving home, and she was spotted at the park with them just a few weeks ago. Her husband, Tom Brady, has also been with his sons when he's not on the football field. His Patriots are playing a home game on Christmas Eve this year, which means he'll be able to spend Christmas Day with family.

Geoffrey Zakarian on Winning The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs

Susannah Chen — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:50:31 PST

Those of you who've tuned into the Food Network at all in recent days might have heard that the last season of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs has just wrapped, and a new champion has emerged victorious out of the star-studded (and highly competitive) lineup.

That would be Geoffrey Zakarian, guest judge of Food Network's Chopped and chef and owner of The National and The Lambs Club in New York City and Tudor House in Miami.

I had a chance to catch up with the chef over the phone, where he revealed his thoughts on why he won, how he hopes to set himself apart from the others on Iron Chef America, and what he always makes for the holidays.

YumSugar: You had a very serious expression on your face when the final outcome was revealed. What was your first thought when they announced you as the winner?
Geoffrey Zakarian: Well, they actually didn't call my name, which was sort of confusing, because whenever anyone got kicked off, they would actually say, "You will not be the next Iron Chef." But I was stunned, shocked, and relieved; there was a real sense of accomplishment.

Zakarian on his toughest Next Iron Chef moments, and his upcoming Kitchen Stadium challenges, after the jump.