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Food for Thought: 20 somethings

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:30:00 PDT

The folks at Fitness, the magazine that is, are savvy to our changing nutritional needs. As we age our bodies and our lifestyles change. Curious if you are meeting the nutritional challenges of your generation? If you're a 20 something here's some food for thought.

Eat Protein
Since your life is likely to be hectic, you are generally looking for food on the run. Make sure that you are making healthy choices and not skimping when it comes to protein. Missed meals and dieting can lead to falling short of meeting the RDI for protein - the building block of muscle. So don't short change yourself and fill your quota with chicken, fish, eggs and lean meat. Here's a helpful breakdown of protein amounts in popular foods.

Eat Potassium
According to the USDA, the majority of women in their 20's eat less than 50% of the RDI of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral that helps muscles, including the heart, function properly. If you are eating your 5 fruits and veggies a day, you are getting enough potassium. So eat your veggies!!!

Eat Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Since women are especially susceptible to depression in their 20's, it is a good idea to boost your serotonin levels. Once way to do this is by eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This is really the fat you should love. Find it in salmon and other cold water fatty fish, as well as walnuts and flax seeds. If you eat beef, go grass fed - it is higher in omega-3s than conventionally raised beef.

No longer 20? Check back soon to see what you should eat in your 30's and 40's.

What We Need to Talk About When We Talk About Sex and Feminism

The Good Men Project — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:00:00 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Lisa Solod, who came of age during the sexual revolution, explores what feminism means to this generation.

My mother married my father because, she told me in a rare moment of candor, she wanted to have sex with him. She was 25 and tired of pre-sex fumbling and stolen kisses. My father was, of course, far more experienced, having been in the Pacific Theater during World War II; far less discreet about his former life (and life in general) he told his daughters inappropriate tales of the women he had met on shore leave. One I particularly remember had her front teeth filed into points. Well into their marriage, each of them managed to be unfaithful and they finally separated (but not because of infidelity) after twenty years of marriage. Yet, for another dozen years or so they would hook up here and there, travel together, and, of course have sex. In a further revelation, my mother told me that the sex was the best part of her relationship with my father.

I came of age at the tail end but the real beginning of the sexual revolution (1971-1974). At that point, sexual liberation was inextricably tied to the rise of feminism. Having sex like men, i.e., without attachment, was part of our freedom. But too many of us got hurt. We hadn’t yet factored in the biology of mating and how really hard it was to have that much sex without any real commitment. Most of the women I know who grew up during those years had far more sexual encounters than they were ever willing to reveal to their husbands. Those of us who divorced then dived back into the sexual market with the same abandon. I am not sure we were all the wiser. I hear STDs are on the rise in the over 50 group, which doesn’t surprise me. We all were pretty practiced in birth control but we took it into our own hands, with the pill and the diaphragm. This was pre-AIDS. Barrier methods were not our methods of choice then. They are not, apparently, our method now, either.

Should a Man Stand Up For His Woman?

But those of us who grew up in the trenches of the sexual revolution know that feminism was about far more than women having the kind of meaningless sex with men that men had been having with us for eons. Feminism, which is still being parsed in the media as well as our own homes, still being debated and discussed and accepted and dismissed, was about being able to control (to the extent that anyone can) our work lives, our love lives, our lives as a whole. It was about being able to have a career, being paid equally well for that career, and making our own decisions about marriage and childbirth without having to merely capitulate to what society had set out for us. I, for one, was happy not to have to marry to have sex. I was thrilled to be able to go to college and think about a career without worrying that it might make me unmarriageable. I was ecstatic about the notion that I could make decisions for myself.

All those ideas I passed along to my daughter. But, of course, she had no need to wrestle with those notions as the women in my generation had. She lived in a society where (she thought) feminism was taken for granted. Women her age did not talk about marriage, either as an option or something to reject. They saw it as fact that women could do anything.

Read the rest of the story below.

Tastemaker Tips: Modernism 101 With Vas Kiniris of Zinc Details

Angela Swinderman Elias — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:24:31 PDT

Twenty years ago, $1,000 was all it took for Zinc Details owner Vas Kiniris to set up shop in San Francisco's Tenderloin hood. Determined to shake the town out of its postmodern slumber, Vas set out to bring the cool, avant-garde aesthetic from his European travels back to his 200-square-foot store. After winning honorable mentions during his first showing at ICFF, Vas knew he was onto something. Twenty years later, Zinc Details inhabits a much larger space in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood and services retail, wholesale, and ecommerce shoppers. As a staple in the San Francisco design community, Vas loves to hold screenings, tastings, and viewings at the store, to "keep the conversation going" about modern design.

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out the launch of Zinc Details' Borgias Unveiled window display tonight and scope out the space. If San Francisco is too far, not to worry! I've reeled in Vas to share his tips for introducing high-impact doses of modernism into any home.

Get the most out of large-scale pieces by investing in multifunctional designs

"Our customer base is basically an urban dweller trying to maximize the potential of his/her space. Even people who don't live in the city are still interested in using any available space. Our furniture is not only scaled properly, but many pieces are also versatile and modular. The Studio sofa/sleeper ($1,595) and Zing deluxe daybed ($795) are perfect examples."

Keep reading to check out some of Vas's favorite modern pieces and how to style them!

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "Michael"

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:04:31 PST

When I heard that Glee was performing a Michael Jackson tribute, I basically starting moonwalking across the floor, but the episode didn't quite live up to my expectations. I definitely appreciated the effort, and there were absolutely some standout performances, but I would have loved more Jackson 5 or old-school Michael disco tunes.

With so many songs crammed in, there's very little in the way of plot here. Basically, the entire episode is about the rivalry between the New Directions and the Warblers, and Sebastian emerges as the show's new villain when he hits Blaine with a jacked-up slushie. Oh, and Rachel finally gives Finn an answer to his proposal! Ready to break it all down? Just

The episode opens up with a big, beautiful MJ-filled bang - Blaine leads the New Directions with what he thinks is the perfect song for Regionals. I absolutely loved this performance of "Wanna Be Startin' Something." Blaine is stepping into his role with the club perfectly; he's become my favorite male voice on the show.
Finn asks Rachel for a response to his proposal, but Rachel feels pressured and needs more time. She nearly gives her answer, before Finn cuts her off and agrees that she deserves as much time as she needs. When Rachel asks for Quinn's advice, Quinn announces that she's been accepted to Yale and gives Rachel her honest opinion - that she should break it off with Finn. This moment in the bathroom is a perfect lead-in for her performance of the classic Jackson 5 tune "Never Can Say Goodbye," which ultimately turns into a montage of all Quinn's lost loves on the show. Regardless of the totally cheesy nature, I thought her voice was spot on for this song.
While the New Directions have decided to perform Michael Jackson for Regionals, Sebastian and the Warblers get wind of the idea from Blaine and decide to do it as well. Eventually, Santana and Sebastian and their respective crews battle it out to decide who's "bad"? The performance definitely pays homage to the original video and its West Side Story influence, but the whole thing just felt pretty underwhelming to me. That is, until Blaine gets slushied with a drink that's been seriously tampered with, scratching his cornea. Artie becomes so enraged with the whole thing that he goes to a dream sequence where he and Mike Chang perform a super-long version of the Janet and Michael Jackson tune "Scream." I was excited to see Artie's killer moves, but Mike as Janet was a bit over the top.
There are two musical highlights of the episode for me. The first is Mercedes and Sam performing "Human Nature" - the whole thing gave me the chills I had been expecting for the last twenty minutes. The icing on the cake? The two kiss at the end! Later on, Santana and Sebastian battle it out one-on-one "Smooth Criminal" style, accompanied by only a duo of cellos. I was so glad that Santana got to take the lead on this one, and I was absolutely impressed by Sebastian's voice. I doubt this is the last we'll be seeing of him.
Rachel and Finn perform "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" back in the choir room. It's pretty good, but I didn't really care either way whether she accepted his proposal. She ends up accepting, but it feels like a pretty mediocre experience given the most recent episode. Plus, she gets her letter as a NYADA finalist, so let's see if this sticks.

What did you think of this week's episode? Share your thoughts below!

20s, 30s, or 40s: Which Decade Is Best For Becoming a Mom?

Kate Stahl — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:03:28 PST

Just a couple of weeks after her 25th birthday, Kristin Cavallari announced she and fiancé Jay Cutler are expecting their first baby. Kristin joins fellow twenty-something soon-to-be mama Hilary Duff, who turned 24 last September. While both Kristin and Hilary reflect the national average age for women to become first time moms - it now stands at 25.1 years old - they certainly aren't the norm for celebs, many of whom wait until their 30s before they have a baby. Molly Sims is expecting a honeymoon baby at age 38 with hubby Scott Stuber. Jessica Simpson will welcome her firstborn at age 31, and Beyoncé became mom to Blue Ivy at 30. I had my daughter at 31 and I thought that was the perfect age - young enough to be able to cope with the lack of sleep in the beginning and, later, the high energy of a lil one, but old enough to not have any regrets about missing out on my carefree 20s. So what decade do you think is best for becoming a new mom? Weigh in below!

Real Talk With TV Broke Girl Beth Behrs

LearnVest — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:59:07 PST

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

Since when is being broke funny?

Since CBS released its new sitcom 2 Broke Girls, in which actress Beth Behrs plays a recently humbled heiress, Caroline, who moves to Brooklyn to hide out after her father loses their family fortune in a Ponzi scheme.

Caroline winds up living with her perpetually poor fellow waitress, Max, played by Kat Dennings, and the two hatch a plan to save their wages and start a cupcake business.

Recession-era cupcake businesses have been all the rage lately (see: Bridesmaids), but shows addressing personal finances - or lack thereof - with humor and honesty is something we don’t see very often. Caroline and Max manage to plan for their future while hustling for their present - and survive on a shoestring with admirable grace. We love that these characters live richly, even on a tight salary: After all, that's what LearnVest is all about.

And, of course, any show where the leading ladies discuss interest rates is right up our alley.

Check out our exclusive talk with Behrs on her penny-pinching past, her first pair of Louboutins - and why she still chooses to live with a roommate in real life. It turns out that we can learn something from celebs about money.

LearnVest: As a 26-year-old in Hollywood, how much of Caroline and Max’s financial struggle can you relate to?

Beth Behrs: Literally up until we shot the pilot, I was working as a nanny five days a week and then as a bartender and concierge at The Geffen Playhouse on the weekends. So, I can definitely relate to being broke, right out of college and working tons of odd jobs to just pay the rent.

Real-life waitress stories and more from Behrs.

9 Steps to Get Your Finances Back on Track

Business Insider — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:15:01 PST

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

As the youngest daughter of two borderline baby boomers, like many other Generation Yers, I grew up watching my parents spend cash faster than they made it and had no concept of financial planning whatsoever.

When I scored my first full-time job after college, I'll never forget the rush I felt seeing all those numbers fill up my bank account. I bought new furniture for my apartment, stocked my closet with fancy new work clothes, and spent paydays filling my shopping cart on Amazon.com.

Ten weeks later, my entire department was laid off.

At that point, I had no savings, my credit score was bad, and I had absolutely no backup plan. I scraped by for two months with a few freelance jobs until I took a $10,000 pay cut just to get by.

Things finally turned around, and a couple years later, I found myself in the same place as many of my friends in their mid-twenties. We're paying rent comfortably for the first time and are able to start building our nest eggs. The problem is many of us have no idea how to start doing it.

Rather than turn into some sort of cautionary tale for future generations, I decided after my last birthday that I was going to take a good hard look at my finances.

I asked for tips from a trio of financial whizzes who broke down a few actions us 20-somethings can take today to start to getting our money on the right track. Here's how I did it and you can too.

Know your numbers

I have something akin to post-traumatic stress disorder from my days when I was in constant fear of overdrafting my account or bouncing my rent check.

But Chris Hobart, president and CEO of Hobart Financial Group, said knowing how much debt you have is the first step to chipping away at it.

I laid out how much I owe in student loans and on my two credit cards, set up auto-payments for each, and worked out a plan to start paying off more than my minimum payments each month to get rid of the debt faster and cut back on interest.

Read on for more ways to get your finances back on track.

10 Money Rules For Young People Entering the Workforce

Bundle — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:15:11 PDT

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

When I first graduated, I did some things right with my money (lived cheaply, didn't get into a lot of debt), but I also did some things wrong (didn't ask for raises, borrowed too much money from my parents, didn't save any money for several years). If you're graduating and just starting off, here's some money tips to get you started, from someone who went through what the young graduates of today are going through.

Don't pretend your student loans don't exist

I'm not saying you should become overly worried about your loans right after you graduate, but don't pretend they don't exist! You usually have a six-month interest-free deferment period before you have to start repaying them, so take that time to get organized. Figure out what your monthly payments will be, and start taking the steps to be prepared to repay them when the time comes. Bundle has many articles for dealing with student loan debt, so be sure to read about them if you need extra help.

Don't spend big money going out every night on food and drinks

This is definitely the time of your life to live it up as a twenty-something, but it's also not the best idea to spend all your extra income at the bar every night. You would be surprised how much money you'll save by limiting how much you spend at restaurants and bars. Find ways to live it up for less: Throw house parties, potlucks, brunches, and when you do go out, have the $2 PBR instead of the $8 cocktail - at least sometimes.

Read on for more rules.

Michael Angarano on Working and Taking Punches in NYC, and the Blockbusters He Loves to Watch

Allie Merriam — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:30:00 PDT

Michael Angarano is one of the young cast members in The Art of Getting By, formerly known as Homework, which is out today. The film, a debut from writer and director Gavin Wiesen, is a coming-of-age story that features a love triangle. Angarano's Dustin, a twenty-something artist living in a Brooklyn loft, finds himself caught between Freddie Highmore's George and Emma Roberts's Sally, who are both about to graduate high school. We were able to chat with Angarano earlier this week about having a role in the film that was shot in his hometown of NYC, his own experiences as a teenager, and what blockbusters he's pumped to see this year. He even revealed that he got caught in a bar fight while shooting! He said:

On what he was like in high school: "I was more of an athlete, I played soccer and I ran track, you know I did things like that. And so were my friends. But I was always working at the same time so I had the way of expressing myself. I felt like if I went to high school as a kid who wasn’t an actor I feel like it would have been completely different. I probably would have discovered in high school theater and film."
About having his first teenage love: "I feel like we all have it at about the same age, and if we don’t, we will. It’s that moment where you realize that living for yourself is not what life’s all about. It’s where you have this moment, and it’s a moment, that changes you. Because you realize that you love this person and you will live for them, or that you’ll at least die for them. It’s kind of that love that makes you realize that life isn’t all about what’s going on in your head, it’s about what’s going on around you, between these people. So it changes everything, it changes how you think and how you act and what you do things for, what motivates you."
On enjoying shenanigans while shooting in NYC: "I did! There were a lot of shenanigans for me. I only worked eight out of the 22 or 25 days. I got punched in the face while filming. I was at a bar and I got punched. It was bad because we had to film that Monday, and it was a Friday. There’s a scene in the movie where I have a nice black eye that’s covered up in makeup. . . I was trying to stop a fight. And I got punched. I was at this bar downtown, I don’t even know where, all I know is there were these gold skulls lining the walls. And it seemed like some form of hell."

To read what big films Michael is looking forward to seeing this Summer and what his plans are, as well as how it was coming home to NYC, just

On his Summer plans: "I'm actually going to start a movie called The Brass Teapot with a girl named Juno Temple in July in upstate New York. . . And so I’m really excited about that, I’m going to spend most of the Summer in upstate New York."
On his Summer vacation plans: "This, in a weird way is kind of like my vacation. Well, I live in LA and when you work as an actor there are weeks or months at a time where you kind of just are able to live your life unbothered, really, because there’s a lack of stuff going on or you have something planned, so it’s not, so you can kind of do whatever you want. . . So that’s where I’m at right now. I’ve been hanging out, not working. Last year I worked pretty consistently, and now those movies are finally coming out."
On shooting in NYC: "It was inexplicably, indescribably amazing. It was really really fun for me, because it was almost like I was discovering the city for the first time. It was almost like experiencing something in a whole different way that I was so familiar with. I had lived in the city - no well I didn’t, I lived in Staten Island - but I spent my whole life in the city. I never got to walk around the city by myself. I was always in a car with my dad or I was working. So to be able to live in Greenwich Village and be able to walk to set and basically be in the same wardrobe. It was kind of like living the lifestyle of the character which made it a very seamless experience for me."
On the Summer movies he wants to see: "I saw Tree of Life and I saw Bridesmaids and all of those were really great. I live for Terrence Malick movies so Tree of Life blew me away. But I just saw Super 8, that was a fun experience. Just watching the Summer blockbusters I feel is discovering what it means to be an avid movie lover. Even if the movie isn’t great in your eyes because you’re critiquing it because there’s a messed up frame or something you come to analyze as you be in movies. But I still very much enjoy watching the huge movies, because that’s why you want to become an actor for movies like that, basically."

Fab Community Must Reads: Something For the Guys and More

Noria Morales — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 04:35:35 PDT

Something For the Guys - The Fashion Life

Topshop's Spring/Summer 2011 Shanghai Collection - Twenty2

Five Easy Steps to Organizing Your Closet Like a Pro - Beauty and the Budget

Theysken's Theory Resort 2012 - Sandi in the City

Office Attire Tweaked For the Brights of Summer - Miss Poppins' Purse

Celebrity Style Inspired by Past Icons - Fashion Junkii