FitSugar

Build a Strong Core and Arms With the Suitcase Walk

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:00:00 PST

If you're looking to strengthen your core muscles as well as your shoulders and arms, here's a great move called the suitcase walk. Not only is it great for toning your muscles, but it can also prepare you for carrying your suitcase in the airport this holiday season. Here's how to do it:

Hold a rather heavy size dumbbell in your right hand, between 15 and 30 pounds. You want to choose a dumbbell weight that will challenge your core, but also allow you to have good form when walking. Hold the hand weight to one side with a straight arm, just like you would hold a suitcase. Keep your shoulders even and your posture square.
Walk, carrying your dumbbell at your side, for 100 to 300 feet. If you don't have one long area to walk in, then walk a shorter distance, back and forth, to total the amount of feet you've chosen. Keep your spine straight and your abs engaged as you move with control. Don't swing the dumbbell mindlessly, but keep it at your side.
Then bend your knees to put the weight down and pick it up with your left hand. Walk the same distance.
Do this exercise once or twice on each side, envisioning the long lines at the airport.

Source

ExerciseTV: Post Flight Stretches

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:00:00 PST

Travel much? Try these easy stretches for when you get off the plane. They will help revitalize your travel weary body by opening up your chest and shoulders. Since the busiest travel day of the year is approaching I wanted to share this video I found over on ExerciseTV. They were generous enough to share this video with me and to sponsor this post.

You should definitely check out the extensive video library at ExerciseTV. There is no reason to ever be bored with your workout again!

Happy traveling!

Lil Links: How Do You Decide to Add Another Baby to the Family?

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:32:19 PDT

Is three children one too many? - BabyCenter Blog
Sienna Miller shows off her boho-chic bump - Celebrity Baby Scoop
16 reasons to live like a 2-year-old - HuffPost Parents
Jillian Michaels says adoption is a calling - Celebrity Baby Blog
The pros and cons of common labor and delivery positions - FitPregnancy
The best baby travel gear - Parenting
9 cute headbands for baby girls - The Bump
Should this little girl's hair bow have been banned from school? - Yahoo! Shine
6 mom-approved movies for grade-school kids - Circle of Moms
How to cut your kids' hair at home - LearnVest
Custom birthday books moms and kids will love - Cool Mom Picks

9 Ways to Earn Extra Cash When Money Is Tight

Wise Bread — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:51:58 PDT

I'm sure everyone can do with a little more cash in their wallets. Here are some great suggestions by Wise Bread for you to make extra money.

Even though I'm self-employed full-time, I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to make more money.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Wise Bread post on websites that can help you earn extra cash. More recently, I came across a blog post on Zaarly titled, "10 Ways to Make Money Without a Job." After reviewing the latter post, I thought it was time to revisit the topic and let you in on a few more ways to get paid.

The ideas that Zaarly presents are perfect for the unemployed or those who just want to pad their pockets a little more. In addition, there are moonlighting jobs that I do that I thought you should know about. Thus, if you're without a steady paycheck or you just want to build up a rainy-day stash, here are some of your options.

1. Offer Experiences to Strangers

I recently learned about a new site called Vayable, which allows people with specialized knowledge and talents, local info, and time on their hands to create experiences that others can purchase. It's basically a touring and activity company without the company. Anyone can join the site and set up an experience. For instance, the Kan Brothers offer motorcycle tours of San Francisco - which include helmet rental, a drink at a local hot spot, and a city map - for two to four people at $75 per person. In New York City, Kim G. is offering a personalized painting lesson for groups of two to six for a flat rate of $300; the experience includes acrylic paints; canvas board and supplies; studio space; wine, cheese, and crackers; and Kim’s undivided attention. Consider this tip if you're interested in joining Vayable: Browse the site to see what other people in your area are offering. By creating a unique experience that no one else has established, you have a better chance of getting booked.

Read on for more.

Not Content to Lounge? Our Favorite Healthy Vacation Destinations

Michele Foley — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:50:32 PDT

Vacations are meant for relaxing, but sitting around all day can get boring pretty quickly. Whether it's a morning yoga practice on the beach, a spectacular hike, or biking through wine country, choosing a fitness-minded hotel or resort definitely has its perks. Planning your own vacation? Consider one of these fit destinations in your decision - all of which have been tried, tested, and approved by FitSugar's own editors.

Kirsten Dunst Makes the Whole Pajamas-on-the-Plane Thing Chic - Here's the Trick

Hannah Weil — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:20:09 PDT

Before Kirsten Dunst hit the Cannes red carpet in her two respectively stunning looks, she boarded a plane at Heathrow in her pajamas. Well, not exactly - playing to the season's pajama-dressing trend in a silky Louis Vuitton pajama top and skinny black pants, she executed the chicest kind of comfortable travel style. We love that it's both a relaxed Summer look and a cheeky nod to the "don'ts" of airport dressing. The trick is playing off the easy top with fitted, skinny bottoms and a pair of sophisticated sandals or platforms (read: not your slippers). The finishing touch? A pair of oversize frames to mask any effects of your red-eye flight. Just shop our picks below to channel the look for your next trip - or your everyday.

Yogini Kristin McGee Dishes on Bethenny Frankel's Fave Pose and Getting Ready For Beach Season

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:36:21 PDT

I was lucky enough to take a class taught by Manhattan-based yoga teacher Kristin McGee right here in San Francisco! Although one busy lady, Kristin traveled across the country to teach Vinyasa Vibes (a new offering at The Sports Club/LA), a flow-based, powerful yoga sequence enhanced by music. The most musical part of the practice? During Savasana, the class culminated in a live sax solo by Grammy-nominated musician Dave Koz. After class, Kristin and I chatted about her yoga journey, getting ready for bikini season, and what it's like working with one of her famous clients, Bethenny Frankel.

FitSugar: Some of the moves in Vinyasa Vibes are Ashtanga-influenced. Is that what your yoga teacher training background was in?
Kristin McGee: My original background was really eclectic because I started in the early '90s. I started taking [yoga] at NYU; some of my very early teachers were Jivamukti teachers who did study Ashtanga. Then I did study with Richard Freedman for a while, who is pure Ashtanga, and Cyndi Lee at OM Yoga. I wanted to get deeper into Iyengar classes and get into the alignment and the detail. Now in my practice I want to get more into Pranayama, more of the breathing, and maybe take some more Kundalini classes. I just feel like it constantly evolves.

FS: The Vinyasa Vibes class has live music during final relaxation. Can you elaborate on the experience of live music and yoga combined?
KM: In yoga practice, it’s a very intimate, immediate place. It's almost like live theater or live music where it brings you right into the moment. Music is a universal language, just like our breath is a universal breath. I think the second we're in this surrounding, in this environment with that live music and the intimacy of a live class, it brings it all together in one beautiful experience.

FS: You’ve collaborated with Bethenny Frankel on some projects. What's her favorite pose?
KM: Bethenny’s all-time favorite pose is Straddle Forward Bend because she says it feels like the weight of the world is falling off of her shoulders. Someone like Bethenny Frankel has a million things going on, and I don’t know how she does it! But I think you also noticed it in the practice tonight. Right when we finally got to that Straddle Forward Hang, it was kind of just like, "Ugh! Such a release!" You feel like you could stay there for quite a while.

Keep reading for Kristin's favorite snack before class and how to get your body ready for Summer.

One Woman's Quest for the Best: The Fastest, Farthest Female Inline Skate

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:23:05 PDT

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

Over the next few months, families will travel across the U.S. via plane, train or car during summer road trips. Kacie Fischer will be covering the same distance (nearly 4,000 miles, on her route), but on inline skates. . . and in just 74 days. If she reaches her goal, Fischer will also be breaking five Guinness World Records in the process.

We caught up with Fischer, a Promax DOer, after a long day of skating to get the backstory about her fit trip which has been two years in the making.

How did you get started with inline skating?

I started skating when I was 7, but didn’t start skating longer distances until I was cross training as a college runner. I found that I could travel a lot farther and see a lot more, plus it was a lot more exhilarating-try flying down a hill at 40+ miles per hour! Inline skating is like running on steroids.

More of Kacie's interview after the break.

Charlize Theron Gets Sexy in a Leather Dress For SWATH

Lauren Turner — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:06:41 PDT

Charlize Theron and her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders posed together during a press event in Tokyo today. Charlize chose a fitted leather dress for the occasion, which comes after a string of appearances in London, Berlin, and Madrid with her costar Kristen Stewart. The duo recently split up to continue promoting their project with Kristen popping up in Mexico City just yesterday. Charlize still has a traveling companion, though, since her son, Jackson, has been joining her on the road. Charlize talked about Jackson in our recent interview with the star, saying that she'll be excited to share fairy tales and classic stories with him in the future.

An Everyday Athlete Is Still an Athlete

espnW — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:59:39 PDT

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

By Risa Isard

On June 23, 1972, Title IX was signed into law, leveling the playing field for female athletes. To mark the 40th anniversary, espnW explore the impact of this landmark legislation.

You might not know me, but chances are you know someone like me. I'm that girl who grew up playing hoops in the driveway with my dad and brother every night after dinner. The one who played rec soccer for 10 years, starting out on a boys team. The one who persuaded her middle-school gym teacher to let her run the monthly timed mile against boys, then wrote her target time on her arm - in permanent marker. The one who took field day just a little too seriously.

The one who is thankful every day for Title IX.

Counting down the best of the past 40 years

Growing up, I wasn't an elite athlete, but I had passion to spare. I ran, jumped, threw, and kicked on a daily basis and eventually I found my calling in high school track and cross country. I was good (I earned seven varsity letters), but not good enough for the next level.

So when I arrived at Duke nearly four years ago, I found myself wondering something that had never crossed my mind before: was I still an athlete?

Answering that question was no easy task. As I read about various elite athletes, I recognized our shared pasts. Like gymnast Jordyn Wieber, I used to pull old cushions into the middle of the family room and do cartwheels, somersaults, and front handsprings. Like many WNBA stars, I was the only girl in neighborhood basketball games. I lacked their natural ability, but I came to realize that we are connected through dreams and experiences. We all began by thinking of ourselves as athletes and scheduling our lives around sports at a young age. That doesn't just go away.

Read on for more.