FitSugar

Sale Alert: 25 Percent Off at Sports Authority

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Time to stock up on new gear. Sports Authority is having their annual Friends and Family Sale. From August 14 - August 17, 2008 you can get 25% off any single item. Just print out the coupon and head to a store near you or enter the code TSAFFAUG when shopping online.

It's the perfect time to get yourself a nice reward for all the hard work you've been doing, or to get ready for back-to-school. I've got my eye on this Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor ($110). Happy shopping!

Heart Braid Is a Sweet Valentine's Day Hairdo

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:35:38 PST

Who needs a sleeve when you can wear your heart on the top of your head! While some tots will be sporting their Valentine's love with their clothes, lil ones with long manes can fashion their hair into the ultimate symbol of love with a heart braid. Cozy Friedman of New York's Cozy's Cuts for Kids and the author of Cozy's Complete Guide to Girls' Hair ($9), shared the sweet holiday look with us. If you know how to create a French braid and have 15 minutes to spare, your child can sport this sweet style. Just follow these step-by-step instructions.

Images Courtesy of: Jennifer Playford and Alexandra Grablewski

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Being a Sports Fan

Prevention — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:19:15 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Cristina Goyanes, Prevention

It’s no wonder your friends aren’t available to hang out on Sundays in the Fall and Winter - according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 64 percent of Americans claim to be professional football fans, and as of 2010, women make up 44 percent of the NFL fan base.

Being a sports fan doesn’t mean you’re expected to know all the players and stats of your hometown teams and destined for a beer gut - it’s about coming together in the name of good times as part of a community.

“Bonding over sports - the highs and lows of the game - strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things,” says Renee Clauselle, PsyD, who runs a private psychology practice in Long Island, NY.

Seventeen Unexpected Side Effects of Exercise

Rooting for the same team creates an immediate sense of family, says Daniel Wann, PhD, a Murray State University professor who has been studying the psychology of sports fans for over 20 years. “If you identify with a local team, you build an instant connection to others around you,” he says.

Beyond the bonding aspects, watching sports can motivate you to pump up your own workouts - and even burn a few extra calories when you jump, cheer, and clap during the highlights of the game. Find out more ways being a sports fan is a winning situation for your health.

Keep reading to learn how being a sports fan benefits your health.

How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

Health — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:03:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Does your metabolism grind to a halt after 35? Can certain foods rev it up? Answers ahead — and they're good.
By Paige Greenfield

Here's something to feel good about: your body is a calorie-burning machine. You'll even torch a few while reading this article. The point is, every single thing you do — from breathing to eating to sleeping — uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate. And just like your curly hair or warm personality, yours is unique.

"There are so many factors that determine your metabolic rate," says Janet Rankin, PhD, professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech. Among them: your height and weight (bigger people burn more calories), your gender (women have slower metabolisms than men), your age (your metabolic rate declines as you get older), how much muscle or fat you have (muscle burns more calories than fat does), and your DNA.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Although you can't rewire your double helix or switch back the clock, there's still plenty you can do to be a fast burner, Rankin says. All you need to do is remember these four research-backed truths.

Cardio Revs Your Metabolism For Hours Afterward
Resistance training often hogs the metab-boosting spotlight. It's no wonder, since a pound of muscle at rest fries three times as many calories as a pound of fat. However, cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism humming.

New research explains why: In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, people pedaled a stationary bike as hard as they could for 47 minutes.
The finding: They slashed 190 calories above their resting metabolic rate for 14 hours after their workout. Add that to the 519 calories, on average, the cyclists scorched from the workout itself, and that's one heck of a sweat session.

"If you do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward," says study author David Nieman, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Appalachian State University.

So how can you tell if you're pushing hard enough? Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

More useful tips after the break.

Learning More About Tangerine Tango, Pantone's Color of the Year: An Interview With Leatrice Eiseman

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:01:15 PST

Each year Pantone, the global authority on color, reveals its choice for the color of the year, signaling the color direction for interior design, fashion, cosmetics, and graphic design. This year, the color is Tangerine Tango, a vibrant shade that will breathe new life into 2012's color palettes. I recently chatted with Pantone's resident color guru, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, about what the color means for the new year. Let's learn more about Tangerine Tango!

CasaSugar: Were there any major influences that contributed to Pantone's decision on Tangerine Tango for 2012?
Leatrice Eiseman: The Color of the Year selection process is very thoughtful and time consuming. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations, and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact color, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

CS: What colors do you suggest pairing Tangerine Tango with?
LE: It goes well with many colors that make for unexpected combinations. For example, pair it with an elegant wine color, such as Syrah or a Rhubarb Red. It's great with a slightly greenish blue, like Vallarta, or a hot pink called Cabaret for a retro look. Of course, it's always great with warm taupey tans like Tiger's Eye, and a special favorite of mine is a deep yellow green called Winter Moss. And there is the summertime staple of White Alyssum and Tangerine Tango.

Keep reading for more tips on decorating with Tangerine Tango and more gorgeous photos!

Why You Aren't Toning Up With Strength Training

Self — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:00:14 PST

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

If you aren't seeing the results you want and you know you're putting in the effort, it might be because you're not getting the most from your strength training workouts. Tempo is an oft overlooked, but pivotal aspect to toning and strengthening muscles.

Tempo is the pace or speed at which you move through the reps of the exercises. "Most people do not pay attention to tempo for one of two reasons; either they are trying to do too much weight and need to use momentum (to create the movement) or they are in a hurry and rushing through their exercises," says strength training expert Tim Bishop M.S., C.S.C.S., owner of sports performance facility, PerformFit and author of the new book Stronger Legs & Lower Body (Human Kinetics, 2011).

Next time you're at the gym, try this tempo timing trick Bishop shared: generally, you should count about four seconds on the down (or eccentric phase), and about two seconds on the up (or concentric phase).

Learn more about tempo after the break!

Happy Birthday, Tyra Banks - See Her Style Evolution!

Hannah Weil — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:00:39 PST

As the first black model to grace the covers of GQ and Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue, Tyra Banks solidified her legacy early on. With countless runways, print campaigns (remember that sexy milk mustache for Got Milk?), commercials, and a turn as one of Victoria's Secret's ultra-sexy angels under her belt, there's no arguing the fact that Tyra's supermodel status is well deserved. Now, we know her best as Top Model-turned-talk show host and author - and of course, the woman who taught us all how to "smize" like a pro. In honor of the utterly fierce Miss Banks's birthday, we're celebrating with her stylish evolution. Click through for 50 of her most memorable fashion moments, and join us in wishing Tyra a very happy birthday.

When Do Stores Open on Black Friday This Year?

Emily Co — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:51:00 PST

Black Friday is only 4 days away, and several stores have announced when they're opening shop. This year, many retailers want to get a head start and are opening their doors at midnight. Here are a couple of stores that have shared when they'll be open for door-buster deals:

Best Buy: Nov. 25,12 a.m.

Gap, Inc.: Nov. 25, 12 a.m. Be sure to check out the new Gap stores that are set to open at midnight.

JCPenny: Nov. 25, 4 a.m to 11 p.m.

Kohl's: Nov. 25, 12 a.m.

Macy's: Nov. 25, 12 a.m.

Pet Smart: Nov. 25, 7 a.m.

Rite Aid: Nov. 24, 7 a.m. and Nov. 25, 7 a.m.

Sam's Club: Nov. 25, 5 a.m.

Sears: Nov. 25, 4 a.m to 1 p.m.

Sports Authority: Nov. 25, 5 a.m.

Target: Nov. 25, 12 a.m.

Toys "R" Us: Nov. 24, 10 p.m.

Walmart: Nov. 24, 10 p.m. for toys, home, and apparel. Nov. 25, 12 a.m. for electronics and 8 a.m. for other specials. Check out our picks for the best Walmart Black Friday deals.

Keep watching this space because I'll be updating this list as the stores announce their opening times.

Little Daily Tricks to Wake Up Slimmer

Health — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:01:00 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Jessica Girdwain

We get it: you want to lose the jiggle but don’t want to blacklist your favorite eats, count every single calorie, or overdose on gym hours. The great news is, you can drop weight without dieting: experts say making small change-ups to your day is one of the best ways to lose.

We grilled health and fitness pros for the tweaks that will help your shape the most. Road test a few, and you could shed five (this week!), 10, or even 20-plus pounds without a whole lot of effort.

Health.com: Diet Tricks the Pros Tell Their Friends

Power up PB
"Buy natural varieties of peanut butter and pour off the oil sitting on top. Each serving will have 20 fewer calories and two to three fewer grams of fat. It’s a small difference that'll add up to a couple of pounds per year."
-Amelia Winslow, personal chef in Los Angeles and founder of the healthy food blog Eating Made Easy

Pop to It
"Skimping on fiber will make you gain weight. Forget the pretzels and go for a bag of low-fat popcorn. It has five times the fiber and only 90 calories for six cups, so it’s filling and satisfying.

A recent study found that when women doubled their daily fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams, their bodies absorbed 90 calories less per day. You could lose almost 10 pounds in a year!"
-Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author of The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss

Health.com: Fill Up on Fiber

Dance Your Butt Off
"Kick up your heels and go dancing with your girlfriends - or have a solo dance session at home. Fast-tempo dances are not only a blast to do, but in an hour you’ll torch 400 to 500 calories. That’s equivalent to light jogging on the treadmill, but it’s way more fun!"
-Christine Avanti, author of Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food: Lose the Fake Food and Kickstart Your Weight Loss

Keep on reading for great slimming tips!

Top 3 Myths That Mess With Your Workout Results

Prevention — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:39:34 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You put in the time - and the sweat! So don't let these common misconceptions get you off track.
By The Editors of Prevention

Can you really blast more fat by working out on an empty stomach? Do you burn the same number of calories walking a mile rather than running? We asked fitness pros to weigh in on 5 of the most common exercise myths and tell us the real deal — so you can get the best results out of each and every workout.

Myth: You burn more fat if you exercise on an empty stomach

Reality: Don't expect any fat-melting miracles. When you exercise, your body burns both fat and carbohydrate calories. Recent studies show that working out on an empty stomach might burn a few more fat calories than when you work out an hour or two after eating — but total calorie burn is about the same.

And, based on research so far, that's what really counts when it comes to fitting into a smaller size. What scientists don't yet know is whether an increase in fat burn alone could help you lose weight faster or shed more pounds over time. So the choice about when to eat is yours.

More Misconceptions About Your Workout

There are two more myths, so keep on reading.