FitSugar

DVD Review: Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:31 PDT

I know that many of you share my admiration for Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser fame, with her no-nonsense approach to exercising and her ability to get the contestants up and moving. So I was excited to check out her workout DVD, Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred ($11).

As the title implies, the workout promises visible results in a month, if you do it every day for 30 days. (“Up to 20 lbs. in 30 days!”) Though that may seem like a big undertaking, the commitment is small - just about 25 minutes a day. Between the short workout sessions and Michaels’s motivation, I was feeling amped that I had a winning DVD on my hands.

To hear more about the 30 Day Shred,

DVD Review: 10-Minute Solutions Hip-Hop Dance Mix

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:30:32 PDT

I tend to avoid hip hop-based fitness videos, out of fear the instructors will be too perky for my taste. But since I like the 10-Minute Solution series, I leaped into 10-Minute Solution Hip-Hop Dance Mix DVD ($13.50) hoping for a good workout and some new moves for the dance floor.

Though most of the routines aren't very club-worthy, they make for a hearty, thorough, but not super-intense cardio workout. To really get your heart pumping, do all five 10-minute segments in quick succession. The instructor is perky but not annoying and very accessible; she assigns names to all the moves and calls them out clearly to help you can keep up.

If you're a beginner, I recommend starting with the first segment, hip-hop basics. It will help you get a feel for the steps and how the routines build on each other. As with most dance-based fitness videos, you learn the moves one by one and add more as you go to form longer combos. Some of the routines - particularly Edgy Grooves and Cardio Street Heat - are hard to follow on first viewing, but after a few tries, even beginners will find them manageable.

You don't have to have a dance background to do this video; just the patience to learn. My only complaint was the music: your typical Casio-esque fitness DVD beats. I think some actual hip hop would motivate me to move even more.

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,

read more. 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. Source

Link Time: Make Chocolate Ganache Truffles

Susannah Chen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:08:55 PST

Learn how to make basic chocolate ganache truffles at home - Vegetarian Times
Top 100 dishes from around the world - Foodspotting
Do aphrodisiac foods really work? - The Kitchn
Brace: Mission Chinese Food is coming to Manhattan - Grub Street NY
Why gluten-free pasta's worth trying, regardless of your diet - Food Republic
Must make: Korean-Chinese spicy noodle soup - The Daily Meal
5 free iPhone apps to help you impress your date - GeekSugar

10 Ways to Fall Back in Love With Your Job

Emily Co — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:51:24 PST

Valentine's isn't just a holiday for couples; it's a time to celebrate your appreciation for the things you love. This encompasses a lot of things from beloved pets to jobs that bring home the bacon.

The 9 to 5 grind can wear you down, and some of you may start to feel that all you're doing at work is counting down the hours till you can clock out. Don't let work get you down, and read on for ways you can fall back in love with your job again.

Tori Spelling Asks How Moms Squeeze in the Exercise

Tori Spelling — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:36:55 PST

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week, we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares her thoughts on motherhood and exercise.

Last weekend, Liam had some observations about my footwear:

"Mama, what the heck are you wearing on your feet? Those are tennis shoes. I've never seen you wear those. You only wear regular shoes."

He's correct. The harsh realization that my 4-year-old is inadvertently pointing out that I haven't worked out in years. Oh well, ya gotta start someplace.

How do you busy mamas squeeze workouts into your crazy schedules?

More great articles from Tori Spelling:
Valentine's Day Creative Kids Crafts
Eco-Chic: My New Vintage Wood Floors
Home Sweet Hollywood Recap: The Season Finale
Palm Springs PicTORIal Part 1

It's Easy to Make Your Own Carolina Herrera-Inspired Headband

Jaime Richards — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:10:00 PST

Carolina Herrera is known for her classic yet dramatic pieces, so it just makes sense that her Fall 2012 hairstyles would reflect that aesthetic. Working with Orlando Pita (at Orlo Salon for Moroccanoil), Herrera's models walked the runway with coiffures he described as "really graphic, but not too romantic."

And while it's probably not practical to wear the big-time bouffants seen in the show, there's an easy way to get the gist of the style at home. Learn how to pump up the volume and to make your own Herrera-style headbands now.

Source: Getty

Savvy Links: 9 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Home Energy Bill

Emily Co — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:04:00 PST

9 easy ways to reduce your home energy bill - Tecca
What it's like being the new girl at work in 1941 - The Jane Dough
The surprising facts about Valentine's Day - LearnVest
Ways to save on your taxes - Real Simple
Reap the rewards of good credit - Dailyworth
31 hidden networks that can help you land jobs - Wise Bread
Find loyalty clubs that pay - AllYou
Are you crossing the line between schmoozing and flirting at work? - HuffPost Women
Little-known social security benefits - Bankrate

Tom and Katie Treat Suri and Connor to a Sunday Night Dinner

Allie Merriam — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:45:14 PST

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes took their children Suri and Connor out to dinner in LA last night. They skipped out on all the happenings at the Grammys, instead choosing to focus on family over a meal at Bouchon Bakery. Tom's home in LA again after finishing up work on One Shot. He's now gearing up to shoot We Mortals Are with director Doug Liman. Another of Tom's projects, Oblivion, is moving forward with production as well, having added Morgan Freeman to the cast. This will be a big month for the Cruise-Holmes clan. Katie and Tom, one of Hollywood's cutest couples, are looking forward to their latest Valentine's Day together tomorrow. He's also gearing up for a return to the Oscars, where he'll be a presenter, on Feb. 26.

Rewind: Our Predictions on the Toughest Oscar Matchups

BuzzSugar — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:05:08 PST

Be sure to check out our new video of the the toughest head-to-head Oscar matchups and see our predictions for who will take home the Oscar!

Winter can't come fast enough: We got our first look at Game of Thrones season two.

The Oscars are coming! The Oscars are coming! Don't forget to a ballot for a chance to win an iPad, and keep track of all the nominated films you've seen with our checklist. Get some viewing party inspiration with our ideas for theming it like Midnight in Paris or The Artist.

Speaking of the nominees, we dug up their bad movies pasts and showed you the films that star multiple nominees.

The full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man has finally arrived! See Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in this extended look of the much-anticipated film.

The doctor is out: Fox announced that House would come to an end after eight seasons.

We got peeks at upcoming movies: Kristen Stewart is the fairest of them all in Snow White and the Huntsman photos, and we saw stills from The Avengers as well.

The Vampire Diaries stars bared all as Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder got naked for the cover of Entertainment Weekly.

Feel the love: Watch our supercut of hot actors saying "I love you."

Read our interview with the adorable Bret McKenzie, who is nominated for an Oscar for the music of The Muppets.

There's a new action hero in town! Check out Jeremy Renner in The Bourne Legacy teaser.

We chatted with What to Expect When You're Expecting star Elizabeth Banks about her experience working on the film and what it's like to be a real-life mama.