FitSugar

Now Is the Time to Get Ready For the Slopes

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:41 PST

Even though we're in the middle of Fall and I've yet to see any real signs of snow, experts say now is the time to get your butt in gear for Winter sports. Days on the slopes can be long and require a good amount of endurance, especially if you're the type who likes to visit the mountains for an extended weekend or even longer.

Veteran Winter Olympic athletes like ski racer Daron Rahlves and snowboarder Elena Hight recommend doing specific training for Winter sports six to eight weeks before the season starts. They say the key to lasting all day, weekend, or week on the slopes is to work on flexibility, strength, and cardio. A good mix of this will ensure you can snowboard from sunup to sundown. Being in tip-top shape will also help cut down on injuries.

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle asked a group of Winter Olympians and trainers their advice on getting in shape for Winter sports. Here's some of their advice.

Stretch for 15-20 minutes every day or do 10 minutes of sun salutations. Skiers should focus on their lower bodies, while snowboarders should focus on their upper and lower areas.
Two to three times a week, focus on strength training with emphasis on your quads, hamstrings, and core muscles. Keeping your legs and core strong helps with balance and endurance, and helps cut down on ACL injuries. If you can, use kettlebells and also make sure to do tons of squats, leg curls, and lunges.
Do some sort of aerobic activity for at least 15 minutes every day, keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time.

Sounds doable to me. Who's hungry for powder?

Work It at Home: Just You and a Deck of Cards

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:30:00 PST

Mixing up your fitness routine keeps boredom at bay, and I have a total body workout that is all about variety. This at-home workout will have you sweating in no time and it's always challenging. All you need to get started is a deck of cards, so dig yours out of the junk drawer and get your move on.

The workout involves circuits of push-ups, sit-ups, and squat jumps, and the deck of cards keeps you guessing at the number of repetitions. Here's the gist: Flip over the first card. Let's say it's a 10. Your first circuit will be 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, and 10 squat jumps. Flip over the next card, and repeat the circuit but change the reps according to the number on the card.

To find out ways to make this workout more interesting and challenging,

There's not much you can do to change the squat jumps, but there are endless possibilities when it comes to sit-ups and push-ups. Consider doing some push-ups more slowly, try the one elbow in, one elbow out variation, and maybe include the triple clap push-ups you've been working on. As for the sit-ups segment, any challenging abdominal exercise would be a great substitution for the traditional sit-up.

Don't feel like you need to tear through an entire deck of cards on your first try; in fact, half the deck is pretty intense. You may initially get through a fraction of the cards, but challenge yourself by adding another card or two each time you take on this workout.

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Swimming in the Winter?

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:02:00 PST

I'm not talking about a Penguin Plunge here - there will be no jumping into freezing cold water in the middle of winter to raise money. I don't think I could ever do that.

I'm talking about joining a gym or YMCA that has a pool you can use to swim laps in for fitness.

Wintertime can be too cold for most of us to exercise outdoors, and swimming is just about the most excellent form of exercise you can do. It's a great cardio work out to get your heart pumping - but you can't overheat because the water keeps you cool.

It combines breath work and strength training, while having very low stress on your joints and bones.

It's great for people who have knee pain or injuries from running, so you can still work your total body without pounding your feet into the pavement.

All you need are the obvious things - a pool, a swimsuit and a pair of goggles to protect your eyes from the chlorine. See you in the pool.

Fit's Tips: If you're going to be swimming consistently a few times every week, you want a bathing suit that'll be comfortable and will last. Try to find a suit that is chlorine resistant, because after time, exposure to chlorine can ruin the stretch fibers of a regular bathing suit, which can make it sag - not what we're going for here.

Swimmer Dara Torres on the Quest For Her Sixth Olympic Games

espnW — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:12:32 PDT

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

By Luke Cyphers

Dara Torres once wrote a book called Age Is Just a Number. Nowadays, though, the feel-good story of the 2008 Olympics admits to, well, feeling her age. Torres won two silver medals as a 41-year-old mother and swimmer in Beijing, but she harbors no illusions about repeating the feat four years later. "You have to be realistic," Torres said. "I am 45 years old. I'm that much closer to being 50, and my body just can't recover the way it used to."

Her goal was gold in 2008. In 2012? "I don't feel like I have anything else to prove going into these Olympic Games," said the 12-time medalist. "It's not about medals. I have enough."

So why does she put herself through grueling training five days a week in the hopes of making her sixth - and she swears last - U.S. Olympic team? Because, at her best, she's still one of the fastest sprinters in the world. She placed second in the 50-meter freestyle (25.24 seconds) at the winter nationals. Last month, she swam a solid 25.36 seconds in the prelims of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, but faded to 25.47 in the final to finish sixth. She'll need to place within the top two at the Olympic trials in Omaha in June to make it to London.

Kim Rhode is not your typical Olympian

Dara Torres says it is harder for her body to recover compared to when she competed in the 2008 Olympics. "If I had to just swim the race once, I don't think it would even be an issue making the team," she said. "But I have to swim it three times, and having my body recover for those three races is my issue."

Torres embraces the actuarial challenge of capping an Olympic career 28 years after it began in 1984, even as her world has changed and her body has creaked. Her longtime coach, Michael Lohberg, died of a rare blood disorder in 2011. One of Lohberg's assistants, Bruno Darzi, now coaches her. Her daughter Tessa is now 6. And her left knee required surgery and more than a year to rehab. Through it all, "I still have a passion for the sport of swimming," she said.

But there's also a sense of obligation to the public following she has built through her success and frequent television appearances. (The former telecommunications major and frequent morning-show guest announced her comeback on "Live with Regis & Kelly.") "I have so many people come up to me and say I'm inspiring them to do things that they thought they couldn't do because they were too old, or that they put off because they couldn't find a balance in their life to do it," Torres said.

Keep reading for more on Dara Torres' Olympic past and present.

Marion Cotillard Has a City Weekend With Baby Marcel

Allie Merriam — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:27:46 PDT

Marion Cotillard spent Friday with her son Marcel Canet out and about in NYC. She was back to work on Saturday, though, doing a shoot in the West Village neighborhood. Baby Marcel is nearly 1 year old! The little guy turns on May 19, which is sure to be a big day for Marion and her fiancé Guillaume Canet.

Marion and her son have been all over the globe in recent months, as they travel from their home base in Paris for work. Marion went to Pittsburgh and beyond to shoot The Dark Knight Rises with Christopher Nolan and a cast that included Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway - check out the latest Dark Knight Rises trailer ahead of the blockbuster's July 20 release! She spent time during the Winter in Manhattan, working on an untitled project with director James Gray and costar Joaquin Phoenix. Later, Marion and Marcel moved on to Nice, France, for another picture. Marion's current project is Blood Ties, which her Guillaume is directing. Guillaume is behind the lens shooting Marion as well as Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, and Clive Owen.

A Cancer Survivor's Goal: 50 Triathlons by Her 50th Birthday

espnW — Fri, 04 May 2012 04:26:06 PDT

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

By Julia Savacool

It's a good thing Jenn Sommermann discovered triathlons when she did. "I was turning 40 years old, and my friend and I were looking for a way to commemorate the occasion," Sommermann said. "We decided to train for a triathlon." Because Sommermann was on the East Coast and her friend was on the West, the two trained together virtually, exchanging workout notes and messages of encouragement. Several months later, they competed in the Danskin Women's Tri in Seattle.

"That was it, I was in love with triathlons," Sommermann said. Little did she know, two years later the fitness she gained through the sport would help her win a battle against ovarian cancer.

It was December 2006 when Sommermann received her diagnosis. She'd been feeling out of sorts for months, but had been reluctant to see her doctor.

The symptoms for ovarian cancer are subtle: Bloating, weight gain, fatigue and indigestion are all indicators for the disease, but they are also common symptoms for many women during their monthly cycle. The main difference with ovarian cancer, explained Sommermann, is the symptoms don't go away.

It was by chance she discovered the cancer - she was pressing on her stomach one night and came across a hard lump. "I called my husband over, and he felt it, too," she said. "I knew this wasn't good." She went to see her physician immediately, and an ultrasound revealed a tumor about the size of an eggplant. "I had Stage 3 ovarian cancer," said Sommermann. "I was in shock. The disease is 94 percent curable if you catch it by Stage 2. But after that, the numbers are not in your favor."

Surfing gets Anastasia Ashley through tough times

Read more about Jen's inspiring story after the break.

One Month Till Memorial Day Weekend! How to Get Bikini-Ready Now

Self — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:12:29 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

With spring in full swing, we've already said goodbye to the winter blues. But as you enjoy the milder weather and longer days, keep in mind that Memorial Day weekend is merely a month away - meaning it's almost time for bikinis and short shorts! So, is one month enough time to score your best body yet?

It sure is, says Jim White, registered dietician, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But you'd better get started now. "After all the shrieking and gasping about how 'time flies' and it's 'too soon' to be exposing that muffin top, it's time to get realistic and take action," he explains. "A month is not a tremendous amount of time to shed any accumulated winter fat, but before you break out into cold sweats, it is not unreasonable to lose 10 pounds or one dress size in that time."

To make sure you score your best bikini bod before you hit the beach, sign up for SELF's free Drop 10 plan - it'll have you slimmer and stronger than ever in only five short weeks! Then, follow White's basic rules for healthy eating. "Healthy eating is a must if you expect weight loss," he says.

Read on for the one-month plan!

Off the Court With Beach Volleyball Olympian Misty May-Treanor

Susi May — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:15:18 PDT

The daughter of an Olympian and wife of a Major League Baseball player, professional beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor knows a thing or two about competing. She even tangoed her way across the stage in Dancing With the Stars a few seasons ago. After winning back-to-back Olympic gold with teammate Kerri Walsh in Athens and Bejing, the duo is hoping for top honors again this Summer in London. While on the Nike campus in Beaverton, OR, I caught up with Misty, where she let me in on a few pregame rituals and what the scene is really like at the Olympic Village.

Misty, 34, is looking forward to competing and isn't letting her nerves get the best of her - the mark of a seasoned athlete. "I know when things are going to get me a little nervous, because nervous to me feels good." Asked about pregame rituals, Misty says she and Kerri make a habit of jumping over the sideline to enter the court together, which is followed by a complicated handshake. She'll also turn to music; to psych up before a match, she listens to anything from hip-hop to Euro. And, of course, the fans: Misty looks "at the stands and gets energy."

Find out what Misty says about the Olympic Village and her pregame meal after the break!

Get a Taste of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs at the All-New Chef's Club

Susannah Chen — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:15:31 PDT

One of the most coveted awards in the food industry is the title of Best New Chef, an honor bestowed upon 10 young chefs each year by Food & Wine magazine. Now, the editors of the magazine are taking the accolade - along with sophisticated dining - to the next level, with a new dining adventure called Chefs Club. The concept? Build a restaurant inside a well-respected hotel (in this case, the St. Regis Aspen Resort) and feature a menu with a rotating guest list of current and former Best New Chef winners. Behold: a new way to afford diners a chance to eat the food of Best New Chefs from around the country.

The menu will change according to season, with Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter menus, each featuring dishes from four chefs. Since Chefs Club's been in the works for over a year, the inaugural menu won't include the Best New Chef class of 2012 just yet. "We didn't know who they were until a month ago, but it's possible we'll use one or two of them for the second season," said Christina Grdovic, Food & Wine's publisher.

Food won't be the only item to write home about. "We'll have 10 cocktails from 10 different bars, based off of Food & Wine Cocktails," Grdovic added. In addition to this program, curated by deputy editor of Food & Wine Cocktails Jim Meehan, there'll be a wine list, too. The list, developed by executive wine editor Ray Isle, will include specific wine pairings for each of the Best New Chef dishes.

In an era of food truck meetups and Fashion Week pop-up shops, Chefs Club could be the next frontier in dining. "People want to be able to go out and have a high-end, innovative experience, but also a quick, affordable meal. Chefs Club is going to do both of those things," Grdovic said. "It'll be the kind of restaurant where you want to go back over and over again. That's what people want."

Source: Thinkstock, Food & Wine

Everything You Need to Consider When Decorating an Entryway

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:07:02 PDT

Entryways tend to be smaller, but that doesn't make them any less important - after all, the foyer is a guest's first impression of your home. For that reason, it's worth your time to design an entryway that nicely reflects your style. Not sure where to start? Follow these quick tips to create a foyer that's both functional and well-decorated year-round:

Go with a statement piece. The easiest way to have a major impact is to choose a unique focal point that visitors will notice right away. A gorgeous mirror is a practical pick, since it allows you to have one last look-over before walking out the door. Other ideas include a large work of art, a striking armoire, or a colorful chair.
Consider your storage options. Are you regularly grabbing keys, hats, or gloves as you leave? Choose a piece of furniture that suits your habits, whether that's a tall chest of drawers or a tiny table to hold your essentials. If you live in a climate with four seasons, think about your Winter storage needs before making any purchases.
Don't forget seating. A chair of some kind is crucial for practical reasons - putting on shoes, waiting guests - but don't choose just any chair: pick one that embodies your personal style. Since there's little else to coordinate with, this is a great place to indulge your creativity and buy a chair that perfectly represents your taste.
Set the mood with lighting. A chandelier strikes a much different note than, say, a table lamp. Since you're dealing with a smaller space, every piece of furniture matters, so pick one that says something. For a fun, eclectic look, try a stark contrast, like a gold, contemporary floor lamp with a rustic wooden table.
Leave space for extras. Don't crowd your foyer with unnecessary knickknacks because you'll need that space for all those random items that you end up tossing aside as soon as you walk in. Prevent a mess before it starts by leaving ample room for everyday accessories.
Make simple seasonal swaps. As the months change, so does your decor. The easiest, neatest way to transition your entryway? Rather than adding to the space, trade pieces - one in, one out. Some examples: a Winter boot tray, a Spring umbrella rack, or a Summer picnic basket. That way you don't have to add extra clutter, just exchange your pieces for other, more seasonally appropriate items.

Do you have any tips for decorating a foyer? Share them in the comments!

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