FitSugar

Why Feel The "Y": Core Concepts

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Do you work your "Y"? Well you should...it is an easy way to feel connected to your "core." The "Y" connects your armpits to your belly button, and then your pelvic floor (like a kagel) pulling up toward your navel. Feeling these points connected gets your external obliques to work so your rib cage stays aligned over your pelvis. Engaging the pelvic floor stabilizes the lower part of the pelvis. All the energy meets at your navel activating your deep abs. Your upper body is now all connected.

I find this "Y" visual helpful for quickly getting into my core and stabilizing my torso while doing a bunch of different activities, from hauling toddlers around to doing free weights I use the "Y" to keep my torso still when doing bi-cep curls. It totally helps get rid of the "sway back into the heels" that often accompanies the lift. Try the "Y" when you do your next set of push-ups - keeping your torso all trussed up really helps out your arms as they push your entire body weight away from the floor.

So use your "Y" - practice it while standing in line for your morning latte.

If you have some questions about your core read this post Core Questions and hopefully it will answer yours.

Foodie Friday Link Time: Low-Calorie Grilled Veggie Wrap Recipe

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:23:34 PDT

Relax on a hot day with this cooling vegetarian wrap - Vegetarian Times
Cheers! Here are four skinny cocktails to start your Friday the right way - Self
The weird stuff lurking in your milk, olive oil, and other "good-for-you" foods - Prevention
It's National Burger Month; here are healthy ways to celebrate - Daily Spark
Are you getting these eight essential nutrients in your diet on the daily? - Shape
Get on board with protein pancakes - it's the new trend, y'all - Eating Bird Food
A firsthand account of the brand-new Larabar line; yummy or not? - The Fitnessista
Skip the store: five reasons to make your own popsicles - Blisstree

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Christmas Waltz"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:08 PDT

This week's Mad Men brings back a character we haven't seen in a while, Paul Kinsey, and gives us a look at a relationship between two characters - Joan and Don - who we don't often see interact (but wow, when they do, is it entertaining). Financial problems also start to make Lane Pryce sweat in a subplot that's obviously leading to something far more serious.

The Paul story line kind of feels like a filler-y diversion, but I still liked seeing the old character and getting to see a side of Harry Crane, who's been relegated to being made fun of by Don lately. There are big moments this week I want to discuss, though, so to get to it, just read more.

American Idol: Who Deserves to Get Cut This Week?

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:53:47 PDT

This is it, y'all. There are only three finalists remaining on season 11 of American Idol. Not only did we get several performances from the top three this week, it was also hometown visit week! But first, Joshua got the party started with some Etta James then Jessica came out and gave a beautiful but totally boring rendition of Mariah's "My All." Phil Phillips got all Dave Matthews-y on "Beggin," and as Judge J Lo said, it was great.

All the Idols returned to heroes' welcomes in their hometowns, scenes that always melt my heart, before heading back to the stage for a second performance. Jessica even chanced a rendition of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," which inspired a positive response from judge Steven Tyler. (You go, girl.) This is the week they needed to show us what they've learned on the show and what kind of artist they'll be. The question is, after all the performances, whose album can you see yourself jamming to? Who doesn't deserve to make it to the finale next week?

How to Establish Financial Independence

Kiplinger — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:15:54 PDT

Becoming completely financially independent can be scary, but it's also very liberating. Kiplinger gives advice on how to establish your financial independence.

Not only is it difficult for us twentysomethings to wholeheartedly embrace adulthood, it's often also a challenge for our parents to let us go. Baby-boomer parents are generally known for mollycoddling their children, even after we move out of the house and into our own adult lives. Some parents have shown up for their kids' job interviews, and others have called up human resource departments at their adult kids' workplaces to complain about bad performance reviews or to negotiate salaries on behalf of their children.

They may mean well, but such extreme helicopter parents are actually hindering their children from growing into independent adults. "If a child is receiving too much help, then they have no incentive to succeed or become independent," says Erin Baehr, of the financial planning firm Baehr Family Financial, in Stroudsburg, Pa. "They may also be setting themselves up for some possible financial trouble down the road."

We certainly don't want that. At the same time, as young adults, we shouldn't be so dead set on finding our independence that we end up punishing ourselves by turning down valuable financial guidance and support from Mom and Dad.

So how about meeting in the middle? You can stay open to your parents' assistance but also set limits on how involved in your life you want them to be. For example, when it comes to parental career advice, Marty Martin, a financial psychologist at Aequus Wealth Management Resources, in Chicago, suggests you say, "Mom and Dad, I would really appreciate any advice you may have before I go to my job interview, and I will contact you after it happens. But I really need to do this on my own."

Read on for more.

Bachelorette Breakdown: First Impressions From the Premiere

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:09:48 PDT

Welcome to a new season of The Bachelorette, everyone! First of all, is anyone else as excited as I am to see Emily Maynard take the reigns, or roses, as it were? She is sweet as apple pie and I don't know anyone that doesn't love a Southern belle, least of all the gentlemen vying for her affections. I use the term "gentlemen" lightly, as several of them displayed relatively ungentlemanly behavior on this week's premiere.

As per Bachelorette tradition, the premiere included a basic primer to who Emily is, the limo intros with the guys, some time for Emily to mingle at her party and eventually give out the coveted First Impression rose, followed by the first rose ceremony. Let's have a quick rundown of the episode's highlights, shall we?

Find out our take when you read more.

Soothe Sunburn With This DIY Recipe

Michelle Phan — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:25:00 PDT

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. It happens to the best of us, even with the best of intentions, and this week, Michelle tells us how we can alleviate a painful sunburn:

Hi everyone,

Each day it's getting a little sunnier and little warmer outside. It's nice to spend this time outdoors, and while it's also nice to get a little vitamin D for your skin from Mr. Sun, what's not nice are those painful sunburns you're often left with as souvenirs.

Great makeup starts with a good foundation . . . brush, that is

Sunburns can be annoying, painful, and peel-y, and once you have one, they tend to be hard to forget about until they fade away. Your skin needs a little TLC when it's burned. Find out some of my sunburn soothing tips to help out when your golden glow is more of rosy red when you read more:

American Idol: Who Deserves to Get Cut This Week?

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:24:30 PDT

We had a dual theme this week on American Idol. "California Dreaming" - which essentially meant songs about California, written by artists from California, or songs that were written in or around the state of California - was the first, followed by a round of songs that the contestants "wished they had written." Phillip Phillips started off the show with CCR's classic "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." Normally, Phillip is totally my bag, but this rendition was a little Los Lonely Boys-y for my taste. Hollie whipped out Journey's "Faithfully," which paired nicely with the Farrah Fawcett 'do the stylists gave her. Joshua Ledet went with "You Raise Me Up," which was right in his wheelhouse, and impressive as usual. It was slightly disconcerting to see 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez wobble around on those sky-high heels during her performance of "Steal Away," but the vocals were ridiculous.

Sitting on large swings and walking on pianos ensued during the duets round before the contestants went on to perform songs they've been most inspired by. Unfortunately, as we were so brutally reminded in the intro this week, every cut gets deeper as the competition goes on. So who deserves to be next on the chopping block?

Orange You Glad? 5 Ways to Use a Carrot-Colored Concealer

BellaSugar — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:30:00 PDT

Orange might not look good when it's streaked across your skin à la a bad self-tanner incident. But when used for color-correcting the complexion, the warm hue is perfect for balancing out unwanted cool tones in the skin. There's more to this carrot-y shade than that, though; find out more when you keep reading.

Things You Should Never Do With Your Yoga Mat

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:55:14 PDT

No matter how much moola you dropped on your yoga mat, you want it to last and offer you a smooth and injury-free yoga practice. There's not a whole lot that goes into caring for your mat, but here are three things you should never do.

Lather up: New mats often come with a rubbery or plastic-y odor, so of course your first instinct is to give it a thorough cleaning. Using too much soap can leave a slippery film, so the next time you hop on your mat, it might be dangerously slick, putting you at risk for ~~falling on your asana~~ injury. Use this technique instead: dip a washcloth in a solution of two cups of warm water and four drops of dish soap, and lightly rub the mat. Don't scrub it with a rough sponge as this can cause nicks in the smooth surface and lead to holes. Then hang the wet mat over your shower rod to air dry.
Leave it rolled up: After a sweaty yoga class, you wouldn't ball up your wet outfit, store it in your yoga bag, and then slip it on for your next class, so why is it any different with your yoga mat? It's never a good idea to keep your mat rolled up after a sweat session. The moist, dark environment is bacteria and mold's favorite hangout spot and I doubt you want to practice on a mat covered in that kind of unhealthy growth. It's OK to roll it up right after class, but as soon as you get home, hang it over a door or banister and allow it to fully dry out before rolling it up again.
Lend it out: You're such a kind and thoughtful yogi, you're even willing to let someone borrow your mat. Stop right there. While it's good karma to share with others, I'm sure sharing germs isn't what you had in mind. Even your dearest friend can give you a cold, so it's best to encourage others to buy their own mat to ensure everyone keeps their germs to themselves.

Source: Flickr User mikecpeck