FitSugar

Get Your Butt in Gear: Heart Rate Monitoring Sports Bra

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 04:00:00 PST

Some people are against wearing a heart rate monitor while they workout because they feel it would be annoying to wear the strap around your lower chest. While I feel zero discomfort whatsoever wearing my strap, you may want to try going strap free.

The NuMetrex Heart Rate Monitoring Sports Bra ($49.50) works with the Polar WearLink Transmitter and compatible watches. It also connects with most fitness machines like spinning bikes and elliptical trainers with integrated monitoring devices.

The NuMetrex Heart Rate Monitor Sports Bra gives you the power of a heart rate monitor with the freedom of strap-free wear. Buy one on Numatrex.com.

Not sure what your target heart rate is? Check out the Fit Calculator to find out!

Keep Your iPhone Lenses in Check With the Lens Wallet

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:33:22 PST

If the iPhone 4 is the most popular camera in the world (and it is), then why treat your mobile lenses any different than your DSLRs? Keep your magnetic fish-eye, macro, and telephoto lenses and iPhone tripods safe and scratch-free with this chic iPhone Lens Wallet ($15).

There's a place for everything, and everything stays put in its place, thanks to a magnetic strip and pockets plus an animal-friendly leather strap to keep things nice and secure inside the canvas and felt wallet. Even better - if you don't have any of these amazing iPhone lenses yet, you can get four (fish-eye, macro, and 2X and 8X telescopic lenses) plus the wallet for just $80. That's a deal if I ever saw one.

Ready to snap some pics? Check out a few of our iPhoneography tips and tricks.

9 Popular Tax Breaks You Can No Longer Count on in 2012

Kiplinger — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:15:00 PST

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

You’ll face a higher tax bill next spring if Congress doesn’t act to revive a series of tax breaks that expired Dec. 31, 2011. Among the breaks that Congress didn’t extend in all the Sturm und Drang over the payroll tax holiday are:

Alternative minimum tax patch

The AMT is a parallel tax system created more than 40 years ago to prevent excessive use of tax breaks by the very wealthy, ensuring they pay at least some tax. Taxpayers whose income exceeds the AMT exemption – in 2011, $48,450 for individuals and $74,450 for married couples filing jointly - must calculate both regular tax and AMT liability and pay the larger of the two amounts. But exemption levels have, at least tentatively, dropped to $33,750 for individuals and $45,000 for married couples filing jointly in 2012, which will expose 31 million taxpayers to the higher AMT this year, according to Tax Policy Center estimates.

Higher mass transportation benefit

This one's of particular interest to strap-hangers, van-riders, and other users of public transit. A 2009 federal stimulus provision raised the maximum an employee could receive for transit, tax-free, from $120 to $230. That matched the tax-free limit for parking. With the expiration of this break, the maximum for 2012 dropped to $125. Employees who’ve asked to have an amount higher than that withheld from their paycheck to cover their total commuting costs will see their net pay come down, as the difference is now taxed.

Read on for more.

11 Tips to Give Your Credit Score the Lift It Needs

Business Insider — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:15:00 PST

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

Trying to improve your credit can seem impossible when lenders are fearful and you're strapped for excess cash.

But don't give up hope.

"Focus on where you are right now and do what you can with what you have," said Justine Rivero, a credit advisor with Creditkarma.com.

You can make progress-even on old, negative debt - and start to rebuild your credit and therefore, your future.

Here's how to do it step-by-step:

Consider debt counseling.

You'll have to close all your accounts, which will negatively impact your score in the short run, but by the time you've reached this point, you should just be focused on paying off your debts, said Gerri Detweiler, an expert with Credit.com.

Closing your accounts won't lower your score as badly as you might think.

The National Foundation for Credit Counseling maintains a list of member organizations, many of which are nonprofit and provide free or low-cost assistance.

Read on for more tips.

A Reader Buys Her First Bike and Preps For a Bike Race

Fit Community — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:30:49 PDT

Being a beginner cyclist didn't stop FitSugar reader bjeanne18 from participating in a 15k bike race! She shares what it was like to shop for a bike and prep for her big race day in our FitSugar Community.

The 15K bike race was part of the Corporate Challenge. I signed up for the bike race and a 5K run and they are the first races I've ever competed in as long as you aren't counting elementary school where I was downright legit at the water balloon relay. Word.

I probably got into biking around January when the BF and I decided to look into getting bikes. We went to our local Richardson Bike Mart and told the salesman we were total newbs and looking for beginner bikes. He nods his head as if he understands us and says, "Ah yes, so the sub-$1000 range." Sub-$1,000?! Um, wow. I really was under the impression a $300 bike was a lot of money. I mean, I still have to be able to afford shoes.

So I get completely schooled/versed on bikes and read a lot of stuff online but I still can't part with the money for a nice road bike - I ended up going with a hybrid Men's DiamondBack but I absolutely love it. It cost me a little less than $300 from Sports Authority and came with a free tune-up in the first year. I like that my seat is more cushion-y than actual road bikes and that my handles bend back slightly so I can sit up straight when I'm riding. It's a lot more comfortable.

Read on to learn more about bjeanne18's bike race prep.

Moschino Cheap & Chic Spring 2012

Chi Diem Chau — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:03:49 PDT

Rossella Jardini always brings out the fun in Fashion Week with her Moschino Cheap & Chic line, and her latest Spring collection didn't disappoint. The lucky ones who got to attend the show were treated with fresh fruits and vegetables free for the taking on farmers market-style tables, which, of course, set the theme for the collection. Apple, grape, carrot, onion, and pepper prints all made its way on the runway via maxi dresses, car coats, and tiered skirts. For the strawberry lover, Jardini created a pink dress adorned with black, seed-like beads and a green bow. So cute. Since no farmers market is complete without flowers, Jardini completed the theme with an array of floral print shifts and notable pouf-skirt minidresses decorated with pretty watercolor prints. If this doesn't make you want to gobble up your fruits and veggies, we don't know what will.

Trends: Pouf-skirt minidresses, fruit prints, shift dresses, tiered skirts.
Colors: Yellow, green, white green, black, seafoam green.
Key Look: The strawberry dress and pouf-skirt minidresses were adorable.
Accessories: Metallic platform sandals, quilted clutches, floppy woven hats, double-strap flats.
Who Would Wear It: Girls who like wear fun standout pieces like Katy Perry and Dita von Teese.

In-Room Fitness Amenities Offered at 5 Popular US Hotel Chains

Heather Dale — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:37:06 PDT

Hotel gyms are becoming so state-of-the-art nowadays that you really just need to show up in your shorts and running shoes and you will have access to all the amenities your workout routine could ever require. Hotel chains are even stepping it up a notch by offering in-room workout gear for guests, as an increasing amount of women are keen on exercising in the comfort of their own room - why compromise privacy and convenience?

Here's a rundown of the big hotel names that are bringing the workout to you, in the comfort and safety of your own hotel room.

Westin Hotels and Resorts: Various Westin locations across the country offer a program called RunWestin complete with a running concierge who leads guests on runs and even acts as a tour guide while pounding the pavement. This running group is available for all guests of varying running levels, and if you'd rather run solo, you can grab or download a provided trail map. Forget your shoes? No problem. Your Westin hotel just may be one of the properties that has teamed up with New Balance so you can borrow shoes, shorts, shirts, sports bras, and socks during your stay!

The Westin also offers the option of booking a guest room that comes with a treadmill, a stationary bike, dumbbells, fitness DVDs, resistance bands, and stability balls. So you never have to worry about leaving your room to work out!

Here are more hotels that offer in-room exercise gear.

Victoria Beckham Spring 2012

Hannah Weil — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:41:12 PDT

Victoria Beckham, one of our favorite style mavens - and super-chic mama - showed a gorgeous, glossy Spring 2012 collection, mixing sleek, fitted silhouettes with roomier, more free-form shapes. Beckham showcased the kinds of body-conscious sheaths we might see her wearing, in bold navy and orange colorblocking, then surprised with newer, looser shapes in shiny satin finishes on jackets and sportier styled parkas in dreamy lavender and gray hues. Present throughout the collection is a heavy dose of leather - layered under dresses in creamy white and black, on newsboy caps, and cutout, ankle-wrap sandals and pumps. Sporty elements make an appearance in the form of zippered details, drawstrings, and halter necklines done in thicker harness-style straps. It's a blend of the sexy and the streamlined, appealing both to the minimalists and the statement-makers. The collection manages to walk that line between being modern, feminine, and wearable all at once. It offers the new without compromising Beckham's eye for the impeccably tailored, the undeniably cool.

Trends: Colorblocking, leather, exposed zippers.

Colors: Navy, black, orange, white, and neutrals.

Key Look: Navy and orange colorblocked sheath; a shiny lavender parka and white mini.

Accessories: Nude, black, and orange leather handbags, black leather newsboy caps, black and white leather sandals and cutout pumps.

Who Would Wear It: Modern, sporty types who still crave sexiness in their wardrobe.

OnSugar Blog: First Day of School!

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:06:40 PDT

Lots of moms like to think out loud and nubienatty is one of them. With back to school in full swing, she shares her lil one's first day of school picture and more on her Kandid Koilz blog. Here's an excerpt from her post.

So last week was the first day of school for me and Mason! Time is justa flyin by...my baby's in pre-k4 already. I remember the first time I dropped him off at that school two yrs ago **sniff** as you can see he no longer wears his bookbag on both shoulders, just one strap for him because that's what the big boys do **rolling eyes** We're going to make sure we're off to a good start and there's no clowning around because I don't want to have another conference where his teacher calls him a "class clown"!

Of course I was extra ready for my first day of school, eek! I decided to keep my English online and math on campus. Remember, I haven't been to school in 10 yrs. I clearly feel like I'm the oldest one in class at 30 and I feel like I'm on another planet.

Because the first day of school can cause such a flutter and coming out of the groove of Summer, I decided to start a new tradition for the first day just to get motivated into looking forward for what the school year will bring. Mason loves gifts but we call them "surprises"

To keep the new found tradition going . . . I figure hey, I'm in school too, so I deserve a "surprise"!

Want to see more? Start following Kandid Koilz or start your own OnSugar Blog. It's easy, it's free and we just may feature your content on our site!

OnSugar Blog: My Favorite Nursing Bra Style

OnSugar Blog — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:31:10 PDT

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and CWTMommy is one of them. She is on a mission to find the best nursing bra on the market. Here's her latest review from her My Experiment With Nursing Bras blog.

Drum roll please . . . and the winner is . . . a classic underwire bra! The specific one I tried from Leading Lady is style J126640 ($26).

I've always been an underwire kind of girl from as long as I can remember. It all comes down to support for me. They need to be tamed and framed. So naturally, when I decided to breastfeed I was so scared about what to do with my bras. Everywhere you go in the mommy world you hear about horror stories of infections and complications with mastitis. If I couldn't do underwire I didn't know what I would do. But I am lucky, so incredibly terribly lucky.

I'm not going to give another total review on it. If you'd like to read the original one here's the link to it. I will, however, give you some of the highlights of why it's my favorite. The support is super fabulous. Naturally it would be because of the underwire, but it is a really well made bra. The cups are molded and supportive all on their own. The straps didn't fall down off my shoulders either. The lace is just an added bonus. It's so pretty and it makes me really feel like a woman again.

Now, I know that most of you reading this probably can't do underwire, so I'm going to share my second favorite: no wire molded cup sport bra (The one I tried was style 4388.)

No, this is not the most attractive bra in the world. No, this is not the most supportive bra in the world. However, being a no wire it's pretty darn close. This is my second favorite because this is the most supportive no wire bra I've ever tried. Granted, besides this experiment there haven't been many, but I am really impressed with it. The cotton is soft and kept me dry through leakage or sweat. I really enjoyed the familiar feeling of having dedicated cups rather than a squishy compression bra that hurts like no other with sore milky boobs. I personally would need a little more from it to use it as a heavy activity sports bra, but it's pretty great for light stuff like cleaning the house or walking with a stroller. It's also decent enough to go out in public for those of you who are self conscious about that kind of thing.

I'm done! Now that this experiment has concluded, I'm currently coming up with ideas for what to focus on next. I would love any feedback you have for what direction to go now. But stay tuned because I just might have something else up my sleeve.

Want to see more? Start following My Experiment With Nursing Bras, or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just might feature your content on our site.