FitSugar

Back on Track: Check Your Sneaks

FitSugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:30:00 PDT

After a three-day weekend, possibly full of splurges, you want to get back on track, and let's start from the bottom up. How are your sneakers treating your feet? You should replace your running shoes every 350 to 500 miles, and you might be due. Tally up your weekly miles, multiply them by the number of weeks you have had your shoes. If you tend to forget the purchase date of your shoes, and really who has space in their brain for details like that, remember to write the purchase date on the inside of the tongue next time you buy new sneakers.

Also, take a moment and try the twist test to determine if your sneakers are shot or if they are still absorbing shock for you. If you can easily twist your shoe, their mid soles are worn out and it is time for new ones.

If your shoes failed the twist test, visit ShopStyle and start checking out some new styles.

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Twist Test: Are Your Running Shoes Dead

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:44:08 PST

My friends at geeksugar just posted about StrideKick a groovy little device that tells you how many miles you have run in your shoes so you know when to get new running sneaks. You should get new shoes every 350-550 miles depending on your running style, body weight, and the surface on which you run.

But alas, the StrideKick is still in the prototype phase and won't be on the streets for awhile. So how do you know when you should get new shoes? Here are a couple of simple tips:

Write the date of purchase with indelible ink on the inside tongue of the shoe. This way you will know when you started using them and do some general math based on your weekly mileage.
Try the twist test. If you can easily twist your shoe your mid soles are worn out and it is time for new shoes.

Fit's Tip: Listen to your body, if your feet, knees or shins are hurting after a run you should probably get some new running sneaks.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - Haven't We Already Played This Game?

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:30:00 PST

Giving the people more of what they want is usually the principle behind sequels, and it definitely holds true for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, but a good sequel takes what works and makes it better. Though this follow-up to the 2009 hit retains the chemistry of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, it disappoints by failing to add anything to the franchise. This time, Holmes is as intelligent, stubborn, and incorrigible as ever, but Watson is trying to evolve by getting married. Unfortunately, Watson's marital status is just about the only development for either of the main characters.

This time, we follow Holmes and Watson as they trace a series of crimes to Holmes's infamous nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), who has been leaving clues around Europe that he's laying the groundwork for war. Holmes is hot on his trail, while a batch of assassins are hot on Holmes and Watson's trail, leading to a game of cat and mouse that could be fun to watch, if the story was told in an engaging way. Unfortunately, plot points are withheld until the last moment, and the twists are so convoluted that you're lost along the way. It's a shame, because the film could have been a satisfying sequel, but instead it feels like a half-baked shadow of its predecessor. To find out what I mean, just keep reading.

Grimm Gets Picked Up For a Full Season

Rose Curiel — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:10:10 PST

There's good news for fans of crime procedurals with a twist: NBC has picked up freshman series Grimm for a full season. The show, which stars David Giuntoli as a detective who is a descendant of the brothers Grimm, has fared well in its Friday night time slot, beating out lead-in Chuck in ratings. NBC will air a special episode of Grimm on Thursday, December 8 at 10 p.m. to test the fantasy series out in a new time slot, so it remains to be seen whether the network will keep the show at its regularly scheduled Friday night time slot following its full season pick-up. Have you been you watching the new series?

Photo courtesy of NBC

The Vampire Diaries "Ordinary People": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Marisa Tom — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:46:06 PDT

On this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries, we pick up where we left off - perplexed by the mysterious writings on the cave walls beneath the Lockwood property. It's imperative that Alaric, Elena, and Damon unearth the meaning behind these ancient cryptic inscriptions, for better or for worse. With Stefan locked up, Rebekah basking in her new-found high school popularity, Klaus nowhere to be found, and Katherine stirring up trouble with Mikael (we presume), it'll take more than a little luck for the motley trio to decipher the cave code.

For Elena that means making nice with Barbie Klaus in order to press her for information about her past, while Damon tests out a riskier method of research, and Alaric continues to work tirelessly to crack the "vampire Pictionary" messages the old-school way. If you're ready to dive right into the good, the bad, and the bloody, just keep reading.

Mistakes Runners Make on Race Day

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:38:43 PDT

Whether you're signed up for your town's Turkey Trot 5K or a much longer distance (like this weekend's NYC Marathon!), you don't want to do anything on the big day that might cause discomfort while running - or worse, an injury. To ensure your best race, here are mistakes to avoid on race day.

Wearing Something New
Train in your race-day outfit during the weeks leading up to the race. I'm talking everything from your undies to your sports bra and your wicking socks to your hat. You want to make sure that what you're wearing is comfortable, breathable, and won't cause any irritation. Be sure to practice longer training runs in this outfit; sneakers that feel great after three miles might cause painful blisters by mile 12.

Eating Too Much or Not Enough
Your nerves might have your stomach in knots, but don't skip out on your prerace fuel. A few hours before the race, eat a meal of familiar foods that are easily digestible. Avoid a meal that is laden in fat and sugar - it won't give you sustained energy and may also cause stomach cramps. Like your outfit, food is something you can play around with during training. Find a meal that works for you by testing it out before going on a big training run. Hydration is key too. Drink 14 to 20 ounces of fluid two to three hours before you run rather than chugging an entire Nalgene 10 minutes before. Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the race, too.

Continue reading for more tips on what not to do on race day.

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "Put Me In, Coach"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:43:54 PDT

The doctors of Seattle Grace are competing for more than just surgeries on this week's Grey's Anatomy; Owen is also trying to whip them into shape as a softball team. They're not exactly in prime athletic shape though, and even recruiting a former pro in Henry is no match for the stiff competition coming from Seattle Press.

It's on the lighter side of the spectrum as far as Grey's episodes go: everything works out peachy keen with their patients, and the show is low on drama - aside from Sloane and his new lady friend having a serious effect on Lexie. Let's break it down when you keep reading.

OnSugar Blog: The Coolest Green Living Placemats Cum Art Kits For Kids

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:35:12 PDT

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and houseofanais is one of them. Here is one the latest posts to her House of Anais blog.

I know we are not the greenest family in the country, but we are trying to do our fair share on recycling, walking, shorter showers (miss Anaïs so enthusiastically uses her water timer for everyone), etc. We also try to live a relatively healthy lifestyle by eating more local and organic produce, avoiding BPA and other chemicals, and so on - and I recently also blogged about my quest for safer equipment in my start of the school year story. Basically, we updated the kids' school kits to these cute and eco-friendly lunch bags, food containers, and water bottles.

So recently we were asked if we wanted to test some environmentally-friendly products, and the whole family was very excited to try some out. The kids selected these cool placemats from Modern Twist, made out of food-grade silicone (they are very flexible so none of those bent corners that normally happen to our plastic placemats). What is so cool about them is that you can color them - and immediately I was thinking of long car journeys, sticking them in my handbag when going for restaurant meals (double benefits for being able to scrap all that falling food back to the place and entertaining kids as nonchain restaurants don't normally have activity packs for kids, and the waits time are long). We'll see soon how all that works as we are heading on our Yosemite road trip!

Oh how they loved coloring these placemats - for once, they stayed at the table eating the dinner and then coloring their pictures. Poor little Hugo got sidelined a bit as his rather artistic daddy wanted to also have a go too when enjoying his sushi. My tip would be to get one of these whiteboard erasers as it makes the cleaning of the placemats really quick. I also liked their coloring pens as they are child safe - and easy to wash off from clothes if an accident happens (unlike some other pens . . .)

My verdict all in all - we all love them, they are very cute and safe and can be used for many purposes - highly recommended!

And this is how far the kids got after meal one - and can one tell a difference between a 2-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy? Or maybe he just has a very modern style . . .

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

Mountain Buggy Duet Double Stroller Proves Good Things Come in Small Packages

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:31:19 PDT

Double stroller pushers are often faced with a dilemma: sacrifice comfort for the convenience of a compact stroller, or choose a wide side-by-side carriage that is often unwieldy and hard to manage in crowds. The newest crop of double strollers is out to solve that dilemma with side-by-side pushchairs that mimic the size and maneuverability of classic single strollers. The latest to enter the market is Mountain Buggy's Duet ($600). The company sent us one of the first strollers off the assembly line for testing purposes. See how it measures up.

Who is this product designed for? As the narrowest side-by-side double stroller on the market, the Duet is perfect for parents of twins, or tots close in age, who use their stroller around town, not just for walks through the neighborhood.

Is it practical? The Duet gives double stroller-pushing parents more flexibility than ever before. It easily fits through the standard 32-inch door frame and maneuvers as smoothly as lightweight stroller down both nicely paved paths and torn up city streets. Able to accommodate two car seats (one seated slightly higher than the other) and two bassinets, the pushchair can be used from birth on up. The fully-reclining seats provide lil ones with plenty of space to stretch out and rest while the seats' independent canopies feature "flick-out sun visors" that provide extra protection once tots lay down. An adjustable handlebar provides both taller and shorter-than-average parents comfortable pushing positions.

Keep reading to see what sets the Duet apart from other double strollers and where it could use some improvements.

5 Pilates Moves That Will Get You Ready For Bikini Season

Leta Shy — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:42:53 PDT

Whether you're dancing your way to dropped pounds or making like a ballerina on the barre, there's no end of trendy workouts to try. But one workout that's shown the test of time is Pilates: the exercises are great for toning and targeting muscle groups, which is perfect for upcoming bikini season. And don't be fooled; these exercises will have you sweating! Here are 5-targeted moves to start working into your exercise routine in time for bikini season!

Abs

Pilates is the perfect workout for your abs. It engages the transverse abdominal muscles, which are your deep abs, so these exercises not only help you get a toned stomach but also strengthen the muscle that helps "suck everything in." Try this ab sculpting series from celebrity trainer Nicole Stuart that includes Pilates basics like The Hundred and Single Leg Stretch.

Glutes

Pippa Middleton's love of Pilates may have been the key to her famous backside. Get your own attention-worthy bum with Pilates exercises that target your glutes. Try the Swimming Frog, for example. This move mimics the moves of an amphibian to tone your back as well as your backside. You can also try the move with a basketball between your legs to make it more challenging.

Check out three more moves for three different areas after the break!