FitSugar

Sitting 101: Desk Ergonomics

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:30:00 PDT

I consider myself an active person and am definitely happier strolling about than sitting, but I sit for a large portion of the day. I blog – how could I avoid a chair? Like most things, there's a technique to sitting. A well-designed workstation can help keep you pain free while you toil away during the day.

Here are a few things to consider about how and where you sit:

Adjust the height of your chair so your hips are between 90 and 120 degrees. If adjusting your chair means your feet no longer rest comfortably on the floor, use a foot rest.
Your keyboard should be in line or lower than your elbow joint. The open angle of the elbow will help reduce elbow, wrist, and shoulder pain.

I have a few more suggestions, so

Snacking Good: Natchitoches Meat Pies

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:07:39 PST

We've always wanted to take a stab at rolling out a few Natchitoches meat pies. Thanks to an easy recipe from Food Orleans, this might be a dream realized sooner rather than later.

[Baked or fried? You decide.]

Natchitoches meat pies are one of those special little treats with a name as fun to say as they are to scarf down. Nackadish - that's how you say it - is a small town we drive through on our way north to visit Alexandria or Oklahoma, and it's where Steel Magnolias was filmed, and it's famous for these little pies. It's a beautiful little place, with a picturesque riverfront lined with shops and restaurants that have their own sort of French Quarter-ish wrought iron balconies (remember the Easter scene where Jackson slapped Ouiser? That's the riverfront!). But you don't have to go into the actual town to get yourself some meat pies; just stop at any gas station right off I-10. They all fry them up and they're all pretty wonderful.

For her recipe, continue reading.

Safe House: A Standout Thriller

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

While working for the CIA may seem like a dream job, Matt Weston's (Ryan Reynolds) current position at a Safe House is certainly no picnic. He's a new agent, stationed alone in South Africa, waiting for the chance that he will have a "house guest" (someone who is taken prisoner by the CIA.) Matt's desperately trying to get some field experience so he can be stationed in some other city where he can see a little action. After a year of boredom, his wish comes true when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) arrives.

I was constantly on the edge of my seat throughout the film, and felt everyone in the theater being equally enraptured with what was unraveling before our eyes. Safe House has high-stakes moments cut with sardonic, nonchalant comedy that Reynolds and Washington both pull off nicely. I felt connected to everyone's struggles, but the plot kept me unsure if I wanted the good guy or the bad guy to come out on top. To find out why Safe House exceeded my expectations, just keep reading.

Gas Prices Are Up! What You Can Do to Save

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:20:33 PST

Unrest in the Middle East and the closing of American refineries have gas prices going up, up, and away for US consumers. Analysts are predicting that the prices may continue to rise.

But don't worry, there are a number of methods to save on refueling your car. Here are some tips:

Spend to Save: Look for deals around you that will help you save on your gas. For example, you can choose to frequent wholesale stores like Costco, which will give you a little bit of cash back on Costco gas. If you're a real gas guzzler, check out this full list of gas rebate cards on CreditCards.com.
Don't Top It Off: Topping off your gas may result in a higher gas bill, because you might be paying for gas that goes back into the station's tanks after your gas tank is full, says the Environmental Protection Agency. You can also ruin your car's vapor recovery system if there is no room for the gas to expand in your tank.
Smooth Trip: Starting and stopping excessively can shorten the life of your engine, transmission, brakes, and tires. Go easy on your braking and accelerating. Remember to also turn off your engine if you know you'll be waiting for a long while. Staying put without moving means you're getting 0 miles per gallon.

For more gas-saving tips, read on.

Rachel, Kirsten, Minka, and a Fashionable Hollywood Crowd Celebrate Art of Elysium's Heaven Gala

Katie Henry — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:32:21 PST

Rachel Bilson, Kirsten Dunst, and Minka Kelly stepped up their fashion game last night at LA's Union Station in support of the Art of Elysium's annual Heaven Gala. Rachel, dressed in a frock from Chanel's Spring 2012 collection, arrived solo, though she later met up with her Hart of Dixie costar Jaime King, who was wearing Valentino. Minka selected a bright Oscar de la Renta gown for the occasion while actress Camilla Belle modeled a bold Carolina Herrera. Newlywed Molly Sims hit the red carpet with her husband, Scott Stuber, in a coral grecian gown. The mom-to-be posed with her hand on her growing baby bump and then stopped to share a hug with stylist Brad Goreski. Brad told us he's hoping all of his clients make the best-dressed list at tomorrow's Golden Globe ceremony, and he can't wait to return to NYC for the upcoming 2012 Fall Fashion Week.

Busy Philipps arrived in a beaded gown and told us the evening's ethereal theme inspired her final dress decision. Tomorrow she'll be accompanying best actress nominee Michelle Williams to the Globes and said she'll have her "fingers crossed" when Michelle's category is announced. Singer Estelle kept the crowd entertained during the celebration in addition to a vintage couture fashion show sponsored by Decades. The gala, celebrating its fifth year, was originally created to celebrate artists who dedicate their time to children battling serious illness. Kirsten Dunst, in a black Valentino, was previously recognized for her philanthropic work with the charity, and this year that honor was bestowed on The Hobbit's Elijah Wood. Elijah took the stage and thanked the organization, saying, "It has enriched my life to be a part of this tirelessly dedicated family and the lives of the children they've transformed."

Organize Your Bedroom in the New Year With These 5 Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:56:27 PST

Have you made organizing and beautifying your home a resolution for 2012? Before you lose your motivation, resolve to work on one of the most important rooms of your house - the bedroom. As the place in your home where you spend (hopefully) six to eight hours a night sleeping, and time on either end relaxing, it's a great place to get started. Here are five easy tips to help you begin the process.

Move your computer station or laptop to another room. Bedrooms should ideally be reserved for sleeping, relaxing, and romance. If nothing else, invest in an under-the-bed storage container or basket that you can use to toss your laptop in and slide under the bed.
Donate any clothes and shoes you have not worn in the past year that are cluttering up your closet. Also, add any extra bedding you do not use to that pile, as well as books you will never lend to friends or read again. Choose your favorite local charity, or go with one of the bigger national charities that does great work, such as Goodwill or Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Recycle papers and magazines that have spent too long sitting on your bedside table.
Toss anything not in good enough condition to donate. If the objects are large, arrange a pickup from your waste service, or take them to the dump, which will probably involve a fee.
Add shoe storage, closet storage, and under-the-bed storage. The more items that are out of sight, the more serene your bedroom will feel.

Source

Multitasking Media Through the Wormhole

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:30:00 PST

Be it a work or personal computer, the task of transferring large media from one computer is usually much more complicated than the simplicity of the request. Two products from technology accessories company j5create promise to make file exchange as simple as a trip down a wormhole. A recipient of a CES 2012 Innovation Award, the Wormhole Station is a laptop docking station that shares the keyboard and mice functions across two computers simultaneously for drag-and-drop file transfers at superfast 5Gbps speed, which the company claims is about 160 songs per second. It includes outlets for USB 3.0 and memory card readers so that media from other devices is just as easily shareable among two desktops.

Should computer-to-computer file transferring be more of an occasional need - updating mom's iPhoto with pictures of the annual family vacation stored on your computer, for instance - opt for the Wormhole Switch. The single USB cable shares files of up to 480Mbps across laptops, desktop computers, Android devices, and iOS devices; no extra software needed.

The Wormhole Station is $130, and the Wormhole cables range in price between $25 for a PC-to-PC set, $30 for PC-to-Android, and $35 for Mac compatibility. Does Wormhole sound like an easier solution to the common flash drive or external hard drive or the how-do-I-share-content dilemma?

Free and Inexpensive Ways to Treat Yourself

OnSugar Blog — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:05:49 PST

Sometimes we just need a break! OnSugar blogger Everyday Baby Steps shares free and inexpensive ways to treat yourself.

The other day I wrote about how my new hairstyle has improved my outlook. I also mentioned that I'm fortunate enough to blog for a wonderful local hair salon, and I'm able to trade my writing services for hair and beauty treatments. It's an awesome exchange! Even if you're not lucky enough to have your hairstylist on retainer, there are still tons of ways to treat and pamper yourself, as well as your family, without spending a ton of money. These are tough economic times. Throughout my working life, I've had various periods of ups and downs with my finances. The times when I was the least happy were the ones in which I constantly denied myself. Living in a mindset of lack or want is not healthy. It's no good for you, and it's no good for your loved ones. So I'm going to get you started with a list of things you can do to add some fun and pampering to your life without spending the big bucks that so many of us just don't have right now.

Health and Beauty

Going to the salon and buying beauty products can really take a chunk out of your budget. Consider these ways of pampering yourself on the cheap.

5 Fitness Games to Help You Burn Off Holiday Bulge

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:22:56 PST

The family binging events are over, so now it's time to talk resolutions and fighting off some of that bulge you may have picked up during the holiday season. Good news is there are plenty of ways to burn some calories without spending half an afternoon in the gym. Fire up your favorite gaming console and pop in one of these titles that will have you working up a sweat in no time.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved ($34) - Working with the Xbox 360 and Kinect sensor, this game provides a personalized fitness program based on your skill level, but the Kinect actually senses where your joints are to give you proper form tips while you're playing. Add in special martial arts and weight loss classes led by actual celebrity trainers, and you have yourself a pretty amazing fitness game that really isn't a game at all.
The Fight: Lights Out ($20) - I like The Fight (which works in conjunction with the PlayStation Move), and in comparison to other fitness specific video games it doesn't feel like a workout; it just feels like fun.
Get Fit With Mel B ($) - Another PlayStation Move title, Get Fit With Mel B seems like it would be a good alternative to the gym; mostly cause Mel B is ripped, and if this helps her stay fit, it's gotta work for me, right?
Just Dance 2 ($34) - Like DDR before it, the Wii-compatible Just Dance 2 lets you work up a sweat with some awesome moves, and sing along to popular music. It doesn't get any better than that!
EA Sports Active 2 ($45) - I'm already a big fan of the EA Sports Active titles, so pairing it with the Kinect system is sure to give me an even better, more engaging workout experience.

Your Holiday Digital Music DJ Guide

Kelly Schwarze — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:30:56 PST

To save ourselves from listening to our mom's record collection on repeat during this weekend's family gathering, we're taking on DJ duties. Forget flipping discs on a boombox; hook some powerful speakers up to a laptop and sign into these online music services to keep the party moving with new and unexpected tunes.

Pandora - A classic, Pandora keeps us going through the work day with our curated stations. Due to copyright licensing, listening to songs by the same artist is limited, but the service does allow you to skip over song fails.
Turntable.fm - We're taken with discovering new music through this new online digital music service. Hop into a crowd-friendly room; the "I <3 the 80s" room is a good choice.
8tracks - Mixtapes make a comeback on 8tracks, which lets users listen to mixtapes created by the community. Listen to playlists based on artist or genre and follow users whose mixes you love.
Spotify - Check out what your friends are listening to and discover new tunes with this free music service. You can pay for upgraded and premium services to get wireless streaming on your iPhone too, which makes it easy to plug and play to whatever iPod dock your parents have lying around.

Click through for three more online music resources.