FitSugar

Enjoy Your Travels: Adjust to Time Change

FitSugar — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:30:00 PDT

One of the hardest things about traveling over the holidays is adjusting to the time change (if your travels require one). The key to feeling good is to get adjusted to the new time zone quickly. One thing I suggest is to set your watch (to the new time) on the airplane before you take off (from your origin). This way you'll start to adjust to the time change well in advance.

If you're always saying, "Well sure it's 9 am here, but where I live, it's only 6am. No wonder I'm so tired...," your brain is going to have a hard time adjusting -- Especially since you keep reminding it of how offset things are. Instead of focusing on the time, focus your energy on eating healthy, exercising and relaxing.

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Men and Women Agree: Marriage Is Still Relevant

Annie Scudder — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:50:46 PST

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we have some good news for old-fashioned romantics: marriage is still relevant. We partnered with Ask Men to survey thousands of men and women about their relationship goals, hoping to find out how they are changing and whether or not marriage is part of their love "end game." Despite the fact that marriage rates are declining in the US and people are putting off marriage until they are older, 78 percent of men and 87 percent of women we surveyed said they do want to tie the knot.

Attitudes are evolving, though. Most men and women would not get married right away if their partner got pregnant, and they also agree that cohabitation is good for a relationship. Although on these issues, men are more likely than women to take the traditional outlook. See a breakdown of all the results now, some of which will surprise you!

Home Improvement: Why Don't Men Notice Decorating Changes?

Stylelist Home — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:00:58 PST

I'm happy to present a post from Stylelist Home!

Turns out there's a slight difference when it comes to how women and men approach home improvements and decorating at home. According to a recent study by retailer TK Maxx - not to be confused with TJ Maxx - a poll of 2,000 women reported that men don't notice the decorating changes they make to the household more than 50 percent of the time. Worse yet, two-thirds of the women also said that they had to literally let their partners know what the actual changes in the home were.

While it may be said that this depends on the scale of decorating change that has been made, it appears that this is besides the point. The same group of women claim to have done projects as big as "painted a room and got no reaction from their husband at all" to switching out "curtains to wallpaper and even moved furniture without their partner noticing." On the contrary, mother-in-laws and friends are quick to pick up on home additions such as new cushions and color palettes.

We can definitely understand the argument posed by this study. But while it's often suggested that men are less likely to turn their attention to small details in the home as women do, is it really an indication that they don't care about their domestic environment? We're curious to know what you think. Let us know in comments below.

To read the full article, click here.

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In Her Shoes: April Beyer, Matchmaker and Relationship Coach

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:05:36 PST

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, April Beyer, expert relationship coach and matchmaker, gives SavvySugar an insider's look into her unique career. Helping men and women find lasting relationships for almost 14 years, she is the founder and president of Beyer & Company, a matchmaking and relationship consulting firm. She's frequently interviewed and has been seen on Dr. Phil, 20/20, and Good Morning America. Beyond her weekly clients, April writes on her blog, conducts seminars, and is working on a book to help women prepare for love and romance. April tells us what it's like to assist other people on their journey to finding love and happiness.

SavvySugar: Can you tell me about your career path and how your business has grown throughout the years?

April Beyer: I started out in the high-end matchmaking industry nearly 14 years ago. I had worked with a matchmaking company and was there for about six or seven years. I was responsible for many marriages there. In 2003, I decided to venture out on my own and start a relationship coaching and consulting business. Now, I still have my matchmaking company. I work with a handful of highly successful marriage-minded men. I am also a coach and a writer.

Now my passion is to help women better understand themselves first so then they can naturally attract the man of their dreams. I am a little bit more of a holistic dating and relationship coach, but I think of myself more as is a communication and authenticity coach. For me, it's not about teaching people dating skills, it is teaching them relationship skills.

Click here to read more about April.

How to Adjust Your Tax Withholding

Kiplinger — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:14:10 PST

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

Political theater over whether or not to extend the 2% payroll tax holiday has overshadowed the fact that most workers can do more to reduce the amount of tax withheld from their paychecks than anything cooked up in Washington.

The power-to-the-people ploy? Using a W-4 form to put an end to overwithholding from your paychecks. First, let's set the stage. Even as anti-Washington sentiment rises to a fever pitch, most middle-class Americans continue to allow the government to claim more than its share every single payday. The proof: In 2011, 109 million of the 145 million individual tax returns filed called for refunds. That's 75%. The average refund last year: $2,913. That's significantly more than even the highest-paid worker gets from a 2% payroll tax holiday.

Yes, we love our tax refunds. But we ask this simple question of those of you who get refunds year after year: Doesn't it make more sense to get your money when you earn it?

If you agree with us that the answer is a resounding "yes," we have good news. Unlike stubbornly high unemployment, it's easy to fix overwithholding. All you have to do is file a revised Form W-4 with your employer. The information on that little form determines how much federal income tax is withheld from your checks. The more "allowances" you claim on the W-4, the less income tax will be withheld.

Read on for more.

Résumé Tip For the Long-Term Unemployed

Emily Co — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:25:53 PST

Employers generally tend to want to hire people who currently have jobs, making it harder for the long-term unemployed. That's why when you've been unemployed for a long time, you may feel insecure about your résumé. It's obviously natural to want to hide the fact that you haven't had a job in a while, but there are better ways to deal with this predicament. The New York Times offers some solid advice:

No matter how you organize it, prospective employers will see the gap in your employment. You can put the emphasis elsewhere, however. Mr. Margolin suggests customizing résumés for specific positions by writing four or five sentences at the top summing up your skills and experience related to that opportunity.

Change the "work experience" section to "experience" and write about volunteer and paid work, making clear which work was unpaid but using the same language for both, says Elena Bajic, founder and C.E.O. of Ivy Exec, a recruitment service in New York. For volunteer as well as paid work, she says, "quantify your results, talk about the strategies used to get there and about how you contributed to the growth and success of the organization."

This is just another reminder for job hunters to stay active and to invest time and energy into filling up the gaps in your résumé with volunteer activities, education, and freelance gigs. Employers like to hire people who take initiative, and you'll be a more attractive candidate if they notice your proactiveness.

Adele Talks Grammys Nervousness and Being "Quite Carefree" in Vogue

Lauren Turner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:04:39 PST

Adele lets her hair down on the cover of Vogue's March Power issue. The singer just won six Grammys at last night's show and performed for the first time since recovering from vocal cord surgery. Adele opened up about the experience of being forced to stop singing for a time, gave insight into her "big personality," and shared her nervousness about hitting the stage at the Grammys. Here's more from Adele in Vogue:

On being forced to stop singing: "I think if I hadn’t had my voice trouble, I would never have broached those subjects with myself. Now I just feel really at peace. And really proud of myself. I’ve never fully appreciated the things that I’ve achieved until now. In fact, my entire life has changed in the last ten weeks. I’ve never been so happy, and I love it."
On the public's perception of her: "I am quite loud and bolshie. I’m a big personality. I walk into a room, big and tall and loud. People think that I’m f*cking miserable, they are really surprised when they meet me that I’m chatty and bubbly and kind of quite carefree really. I’m the total opposite of my records."
On performing at the Grammys: "I’m nervous whenever I perform. But seeing that it will be the first time opening my mouth again onstage in front of my peers? I’m sh*ttin’ myself."

Photo credit: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott/VOGUE

Nina Dobrev Joins Ashley Greene and Camila Alves For Fashion Week Fun

Lindsay Miller — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:21:25 PST

Nina Dobrev spent the weekend in style as she hit up several New York Fashion Week shows. The Vampire Diaries star kicked things off on Saturday at Christian Siriano before joining her friend Camila Alves at Herve Leger by Max Azria and at Monique Lhuillier. The pair made a quick change between the latter two shows, as Camila swapped her sexy Hervé top in favor of a bright-yellow dress, and Nina changed out of a simple, black look and into a bold, blue sheath. Yesterday, Nina was back on the scene as she teamed up with another star of a bloodsucking franchise, Ashley Greene, at the DKNY presentation. The actresses claimed coveted spots right along the runway and chatted up their seatmate, model Coco Rocha, during the show. Nina had to leave the fashionable festivities shortly after DKNY wrapped, however, tweeting that she had a 6 a.m. call time on The Vampire Diaries set today. Nonetheless, there are still many more shows to come as NYFW continues, so don't forget to stay tuned to Fab and Fashionologie for all the latest looks and backstage coverage!

Cooking Basics: How to Make Caramel Candy

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:03:19 PST

Making caramel may seem like a daunting task, but it is an exhilarating (and delicious) science project that requires a little preparation, patience, and timing. Challenge your candy-making skills by trying out this soft caramel recipe by a chef from the Culinary Institute of America.

As you cook the caramel on the stove top, you will notice the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk will slowly deepen in color and flavor. Caramel expands and bubbles as it cooks, so use a larger pot to avoid a hot, sticky mess from boiling over. As you cook, your flame should be high enough to allow the caramel to bubble yet low enough to allow the caramel to slowly develop its flavors.

When you reach the magic number, work quickly and don't delay! Even a few degrees can completely change the texture, consistency, and flavor of a caramel. But use extreme caution, because caramel burns are dangerous and painful; keep a bowl of ice water nearby just in case.

Allow the caramel to cool completely before you use a chef's knife to cut the slab into strips, then into square pieces. Use your fingers to mold the individual pieces into perfect squares.

Click here for the caramel recipe.

Handy Everyday Gmail Tips and Tricks

GeekSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:01:03 PST

If you've moved to Gmail recently (congratulations!), it's possible that you could get overwhelmed with all of the options, settings, and possibilities at your fingertips. We've got a ton of tips to share, but let's start with a few basic and handy tips that you could use every day. Check them out below!

Make voice calls - You can easily make voice calls in Gmail on the cheap. In the "Chat" section, just click the "Call Phone" button and enter the digits. You'll then be able to make free calls to landlines the US and Canada, and for super cheap you can call cell phones and landlines worldwide.
Search with options - If you haven't discovered the "Show Search Options" link to the right of the Gmail search bar, you're in for a treat. Clicking it reveals a host of helpful options, including the ability to search by sender, date, attachment, subject, and more. It's extremely helpful if you are less than diligent about labeling and filing emails in your inbox.
Use rich text signatures - Tired of those boring text-only signatures or canned responses coming from your Gmail account? Take note: Gmail supports rich text signatures! Add links, colors, images, or formatting to your Gmail account signature, or any other account you've set up to send from Gmail. It's super easy to set up - just head to your settings page, scroll down to the Signature section, and design away!
Use keyboard shortcuts - First, enable keyboard shortcuts in your Settings menu. Then, use these fast and easy keyboard shortcuts to navigate!

See the rest of the list after the break.