FitSugar

Get Your Butt in Gear: Gretchen Bleiler For Oakley

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:30:00 PST

January is just around the corner, and that means it's time to play in the snow. Are you mountain ready? If you're in need of fresh gear, check out the new collection that snowboarding superstar Gretchen Bleiler designed for Oakley - and you thought they only made sunglasses.

Known for her crazy trick the inverted crippler, Bleiler designed a collection that mixes wild and tame. A jacket she calls The Mane features a faux fur trimmed hood and comes in three colors, one a bright yellow that suggests a lion abstracted. The collection includes basic jackets and pants, all with small details that give them style and flair. The jackets and pants are cut to flatter the female form, and many items are made with recycled polyester. At $250 to $300, the price range might be as steep as the mountains you ride, but style wedded with comfort and warmth is always priceless.

To see more of the collection,

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Under Armour Brings Beauty Into 21st Century (With Your Help)!

Sponsor — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:00:00 PDT

As beautiful, smart, and athletic women of 2012, we know that real beauty can be found anywhere, from the basketball court in the city to the running trails in the mountains. Lucky for us, Under Armour is ready to show the world what real beauty is, too. How? We're glad you asked because the company needs our help! All you have to do is declare a goal with UA, track your progress, rise to the top of all of the challengers, and win (don't worry, Under Armour knows that sweat marks and muddy shoes are as beautiful as you). The THREE ladies that push themselves the hardest will have their lives sponsored for a year with greatness, glory, and gear. Since we know that you've been dying to achieve the most in training while finding beauty in your work and body, prove to us you have more than what it takes and go sign up with UA today.

Meeting My Sperm Donor

The Good Men Project — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:00:50 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Ben Sommer, conceived through alternative insemination, is a young man now and tells the story of deciding to meet his donor.

I grew up in a middle-class home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with two loving parents, both of whom are women. My conception was perhaps the most organized and scientific miracle of the modern American family - my architecture, the dream of dozens of individuals conducting their work across thousands of miles.

Objectifying Ryan Gosling

I was conceived through alternative insemination. A donor submitted his sperm to the Sperm Bank of California in Oakland (TSBC). Later, it was sent to the Fenway Community Health Center in Boston. Since opening its doors in 1982, TSBC has helped families without the ability to conceive on their own to birth over 2,000 children. Two thirds of those have ended up, like me, being raised in a lesbian household. TSBC is also the first sperm bank to offer a donor-identity-release program, which allows children of alternative insemination access to their donors' information when they turn 18.

I am not as much an oddity as you might think. As of 2005, some 270,000 children in the United States had same sex-parents. We are a generation that is just now beginning to come of age and able to share our stories. This is mine.

Growing up in a lesbian household was much like growing up in any other family unit, I imagine: vacations to Cape Cod, parents working late and sometimes not, play dates with a diverse group of friends.

I never gave much thought to that mysterious figure across the country. I never questioned the fact that I didn't have a father. As far as I was concerned I didn't need one. Is having two moms really all that different than having a mom and a dad? Parents are parents, right? I didn't see a difference at the time. My parents didn't either - at least at first.

They decided to conceive through a donor, in part, to avoid the complications that a third parent would bring. Asking a close male friend to donate, like some couples have done, can create unforeseen consequences. In the past, there have been custody battles between the donor and the parents raising the child. This was the case with a friend of mine, whose parents arranged donation from a male family friend. With a semi-anonymous donor like the man my parents chose, it would be clear who my parents were. And it was.

That's not to say that it was smooth sailing. "When we first learned you were going to be a boy, we really panicked," my mother told me recently. "Who's going to teach him to throw a ball? We didn't have many male friends. There was even basic stuff, like who's going to teach him to pee standing up. That doesn't come naturally."

Read the rest of the story below.

How to Warm Up For Every Type of Workout

Leta Shy — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:16:18 PDT

You know that you should warm up no matter what, but if you ever wondered what exactly you should be doing, here are specific warm-ups for different kinds of workouts.

Yoga: Think you don't need to warm up before yoga? Think again. Warming up before your class can help your performance and keep you from being sore the moment you stretch out into Downward Dog. Keep your wrists, shoulders, and back muscles loose with these four upper body warm-up ideas you should do before your next yoga class.

Running: Walking briskly or jogging is an easy way to warm up for your actual run. But if you want to warm up in a way that targets your muscles specifically, dynamic warm-ups are the way to go. These warm-ups raise your heart beat and loosen tight muscles while you perform the moves, making you primed to have a good run. Try this short dynamic warm-up before you go out for your run.

Find out more ways to warm up after the break.

10 Boredom Busters For Indoor Workouts

Laura Marie Given — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:52:00 PDT

If you tend to feel bored at the gym and spend more time watching the clock, these easy tricks are sure to boost your motivation. Whether you're just beginning a bikini-ready plan for the Summer or consider yourself a seasoned gym rat, here are 11 simple ways to fire up your indoor workouts:

Vary your machines: If the treadmill is your best (and only) friend, it's time to switch things up. Try the seated row, the stationary bike, the elliptical, or a mix of all four to keep your body guessing.
Head for the hills: Ward off repetition by changing the incline regularly. The best part? You'll tone your muscles and burn extra calories.
Direct your thoughts: If you can't stop thinking about how bored you are, try coming up with a new focus for every minute or mile. Plan your future wedding, imagine a dream home, or brainstorm your favorite songs and movies to distract yourself.
Alternate weights and cardio: Rather than following a full strength workout with a long bout of cardio, mix up the two. Not only will you stave off boredom, but you'll also give your metabolism an extra boost from the intervals.
Change your listening habits: If you're sick of your workout playlists, why not try an audiobook? What about a podcast? If you prefer something with a fast tempo while you run, reserve audiobooks and podcasts for incline walks or cool downs.

Keep reading for more boredom busters.

Turning Japanese: a Japanese Cuisine Primer

Sara Yoo — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:28:46 PST

We know it best for sushi, ramen, and teriyaki chicken, but Japanese cuisine actually encompasses a vast range of dishes and flavors. Japan may be a relatively small island nation, but its topography is peppered with snow-capped mountains, broad agricultural fields, and plenty of seashore. Pasture land is at a premium, so the diet tends to be low in animal fats and relies heavily on locally sourced vegetables, grains, sea plants, and fish, with recipes adapted to the country's diverse regional preferences. But before you write it off as complicated and intimidating, know that you can complete your Japanese pantry with just a few staples, and most dishes are designed to be prepared in under an hour - perfect for a weeknight meal! Ready to learn more about turning your kitchen Japanese? Get started when you keep reading.

Burn It Up: 30-Minute Circuit Workout From Equinox

Susi May — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:33:36 PDT

Circuit training is one of my favorite ways to get my sweat on. You torch calories by getting your heart rate up while building muscle with strength training - a win-win workout. My Equinox trainer, Lauren, likes 'em too. Recently she put me through the paces of the following circuit workout, and I just had to share the fun. Get ready to sweat!

There are three circuits of four exercises each. Do 15 reps of each exercise, and keep rolling through the four exercises for 10 minutes. Between each circuit, rest (stretch and hydrate) for one to two minutes. To warm up, run on a treadmill for five minutes. This workout uses 12 kg. kettlebells and a variety of dumbbell weights. As always, work with a weight that is appropriate for your strength level.

Circuit One

Exercise	Reps	Equipment	Notes
Jump squat	15	Body weight move
Squat thrust deadlift	15	12 kg. kettlebells	Place hands on kettlebells to jump back into plank; come to standing lifting kettlebells.
Single-arm kettlebell swings	15 each arm	12 kg. kettlebell	Really pop your hips to get that kettlebell up!
Plank with reverse row	15 each arm	10-15 pound dumbbells

Keep reading! There are two more circuits after the break.

6 Weekend Weight-Loss Tips to Slim Down

Shape — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:44:06 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

After a week of spartan lunches, rigorous workouts, and sleep-depriving presentations, it's easy to feel you've earned a happy hour margarita and a plate of cheesy nachos. But topping off a tough week in this way can undo all your hard work and even pack on the pounds. According to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, women consume about 115 more calories on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday than they do on weekdays. "Those extra 300 to 400 calories can leave you nine pounds heavier by the year's end," says Barry Popkin, Ph.D., the study's lead author. Fortunately, when armed with the right advice, it's possible to avoid the most common dietary traps while savoring that delicious downtime. And you may even wake up on Monday a little slimmer. Not a bad way to start the week!

FRIDAY

Overdoing It at Happy Hour
Alcohol isn't only high in calories, it also diminishes resolve - making it harder to keep your hands out of the pretzel bowl.

Keep reading to see the solution to this and many more weekend dilemmas!

Throw a Candyland-Inspired Birthday Party!

Leta Shy — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:01:01 PDT

The classic board game Candyland has been a kid favorite since its debut in the 1940s. If your lil one can't get enough of Candy Cane Forest or Gum Drop Mountain, a Candyland-inspired birthday party is easy to put together and fun to attend! Get ready for a sugar high with these ideas on turning your house into a candy kingdom!

Starbucks Fans: Get Excited For Better Rewards

Susannah Chen — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:15:02 PDT

Get ready for more Starbucks in your life. At its annual meeting today, the coffee giant revealed more of its plans for this year, and as usual, they're nothing short of ambitious. Although representatives didn't want to comment on the speculation that Starbucks will buy Peet's, we did learn a little more about what's in store.
Starbucks plans to permeate multiple aisles in grocery chains and warehouse clubs across the nation. The company's hoping to capitalize on the single-cup market, and has inked a deal with both Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to sell single-cup coffee pods of Starbucks and Seattle's Best coffees, as well as Courtesy Products to offer a one-cup coffee brewer. Bonus: as an incentive for shoppers, the chain will also expand its rewards card program to include Starbucks products in grocery stores, such as coffee beans and bottled Frappuccinos.

In its stand-alone locations, Starbucks is adding more content to its in-store digital network, including access to new partners such as the Economist, Mediabistro, Marvel Comics, and ESPN Insider. Clearly, it's not just about coffee anymore, is it?