FitSugar

Get in Gear: Cardio Canine

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:01:14 PDT

I am always on the lookout for ways to exercise with my dog, which is why I was pleased with the Walky Dog bike attachment, however many of you were not thinking it would work with your pooch.

An alternative to biking with your dog could be this Cardio Canine human harness and dog leash system ($55.00) for running with your K9 companion instead. This little contraption attaches to you (at the waist) and to him (at the neck/collar), so you can run with Fido without having to hold the leash the entire time. There is even a water bottle holder and a small pouch to put necessary items (keys and doggie treats). To get started running with your dog, buy one directly from CardioCanine.com.

What It Takes to Buy a Home

Kiplinger — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:14:47 PDT

Do you have what it takes to buy a home? Consider this exhaustive guide from Kiplinger.

Tired of renting? It could be a great time to buy your first home. In many cities, home prices have bottomed, and rents have risen. Mortgage rates are still superlow. In fact, homes haven't been as affordable since 1971. On the downside, in many cities, buyers have fewer homes from which to choose and more competition for the best houses.

In Austin, TX, newlyweds Mark and Ariane Corcoran bought their first home in March. They were renting in a popular downtown neighborhood, where they paid $1,200 a month for a 500-square-foot loft apartment, when they inherited enough money for a down payment. When they began shopping, they expected to buy a classic 1930s Austin bungalow. They found lots of prospects online but drove by most of them. "Agents are really good at taking photos that exclude what they don't want you to see, like the used-car lot out back," says Mark.

They put in an offer on a $225,000, 800-square-foot home. But after the home inspection, they realized that it needed $20,000 to $30,000 in renovations and repairs and that they'd quickly outgrow it. They walked away during the state-mandated rescission period (during which a buyer can back out for any reason and get back any earnest money deposited).

Ariane identified their next prospect within an hour after the listing appeared online. It was a newly built, 1,600-square-foot home with three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a yard for the dogs. The builder asked $270,000, the couple offered $260,000, he countered, and they paid $268,000. They put down 20 percent to avoid private mortgage insurance and snagged a 30-year fixed rate of 3.75 percent from a credit union. Their monthly mortgage payment is $1,524.

Before you take the plunge, consider the answers to questions often posed by first-time buyers. Read on for what to ask yourself.

16 Weird Reasons People Quit Their Jobs

Emily Co — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:28:26 PDT

Although common sense dictates a graceful exit when you're leaving a company, there are always going to be some who slip up. Staffing agency OfficeTeam recently conducted a survey among more than 1,300 employers who divulged some of the strangest reasons former employees have given them when resigning from their jobs. Here are a couple of doozies:

"A guy said he was making too much money and didn't feel he was worth it."
"The worker told us he just couldn't get up in the morning."
"He quit because he didn't like the way the office smelled."
"An individual did not like the sound of file cabinets being slammed."
"One person quit to watch a soccer tournament."
"We had someone leave because he had to stay home to feed his dog."
"An employee left because he wanted to watch a movie with his girlfriend during work hours."
"A person quit because he hated the carpet."
"He just walked out without a peep. We have no idea why he left, and we were not able to contact him."
"One worker left to become an apple farmer."
"A staff member quit to climb Mount Everest."
"There was an individual who left to play the trombone."
"Someone left because her boss lost the dog she had given him."
"Our employee said he was joining the circus."
"One person left because she lost her cell phone too many times at work."
"An employee said it was his routine to change jobs every six months."

Although you may be tempted to leave a job in a manner of your choosing (especially if you harbor negative feelings), it's best to reconsider your approach.

"How you leave a job can be just as important as what you did while you were there," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Regardless of the reason for resigning, making a graceful exit by tying up loose ends and thanking colleagues shows your professionalism and can help you down the road in your career."

For those who are contemplating an exit, here's a quick guide to leaving your job with grace.

What to Expect Director Kirk Jones Shares the Personal Stories He Worked Into the Upcoming Film

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:19:39 PDT

Chances are you probably have a dog-eared copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting laying around your house. The "pregnancy bible" has been the first stop for information for expectant mamas since 1985, and while the nonfiction book has undergone four significant updates since its debut, few readers probably foresaw it being turned into a movie - unless it was a film being shown in childbirth classes. But under the direction of Kirk Jones, himself a father of three boys between the ages of five and 21, the book makes the feature film transition, telling five interconnected story lines about couples trying to start their families. With stars like Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, and Brooklyn Decker all part of the ensemble, the movie is getting significant buzz prior to its May 18 opening. I sat down with the director to discuss his interest in the project, and what it was like directing so many stars who aren't parents themselves.

LilSugar: What attracted you to a movie about pregnancy and babies?
Kirk Jones: For 27 months of my life I've been attached to my wife who was pregnant. One of the things that attracted me to the movie was explaining what that journey is like for guys as well as girls. Understandably, over the years women have been the focus of pregnancy subjects in movies because they're the ones physically going through the changes and all that. Some of the language and comedy in the park with the dudes was raw and fresh.

LS: Did What to Expect When You're Expecting impact you at all when you were expecting your first child?
KJ: When you have that first one, everything is so scary! If you bought a refrigerator from a store, you get more instructions on how to work it than you do a baby when you come out of hospital. Its like bye-bye; good luck!

LS: Did you bring any of your personal experience with your wife's three pregnancies into the film?
KJ: I did. Unfortunately, it was the slightly more tragic one. As is really common, my wife and I, as have a number of our friends, experienced a miscarriage. So when I first saw the script I don't think that story was in [it]. So one of the contributions I made was asking if that story could be included, because I thought if we're presenting pregnancy, we should present the whole story and not just sweet, happy bits. And then just being on set, because I've been there and I just remember the funny little things that happen. Having been through it, I felt kind of qualified to add things here and there.

Keep reading to see what Jones says it was like directing Cameron Diaz with a prosthetic belly.

Molly Sims on the Most Surprising Thing About Pregnancy, Her Glam Maternity Style, and More

Lisa Horten — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:12:58 PDT

She may be 34 weeks pregnant, but that didn't stop mom-to-be Molly Sims from squeezing time into her hectic schedule to chat with us. In addition to her acting and modeling work, Molly was recently named the Global Ambassador for Population Service International (PSI)'s child survival program, Five & Alive, and she's counting down the weeks until the birth of her baby boy.

LilSugar: Congratulations! How are you feeling?
Molly Sims: I'm coming into the end of my third trimester, and there's been a lot of swelling. I've been putting my feet up and soaking them in freezing cold water. That seems to work. We just went on the hospital tour and that made me a little nervous. I kept asking, "What's that?" and Scott [Stuber, Sims's husband] was taking notes on his BlackBerry. I said, "Can you tell we're first-time parents?!"

LS: Any other pregnancy tips and tricks that have worked for you?
MS: My back has been bothering me the whole time and the best investment I made was the Sleep Number bed. You can sleep with your feet up! It's great for my husband and I, and it means that he can rest without my waking him all throughout the night.

LS: You just had your baby shower - how was that?
MS: It was so great, just so much fun. We didn't really have a theme, but afterwards, we had a Cinco de Mayo party with everyone.

LS: Any favorite gifts?
MS: I love [online retailer] Layla Grace, and they sent me this supersoft rocking horse. I also got three great strollers - a Bugaboo that I'll use in New York, the Orbit System, which is supposed to be really easy to take apart, and then Baby Trend sent me a custom one - it's the coolest thing! I walk and hike a lot, so it was important to me to have a really good jogger. What's been great is that all of my friends have been giving me the products that they found really worked. There's so much out there, so that's been really helpful. I've also been working with Margot Stuart at Ready Me Baby. She helped me narrow down my Amazon Wish List to the 15 or so things that I really need.

Keep reading to see what's been the biggest surprise in Molly's pregnancy and her cravings.

Energize Your Morning with 4 Wake-Up Moves

Self — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:28:59 PDT

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

Can't get through your morning without your daily java fix? You're not alone. According to a survey conducted by the National Coffee Association, Americans spend an average of $164.71 on coffee per year. That's almost enough for a monthly car payment or a couple of weeks worth of groceries!

Want to wean yourself off of overdoing the caffeine without sacrificing your sanity? Then look no further than your local yoga studio. Warming up your body in the morning helps the natural release of endorphins, says Desiree Bartlett, a Los Angeles-based yoga instructor.

Not only does yoga do the body good, the energy you cultivate in a yoga class stays with you all day long. "There is a natural gauging of energy and we release old thoughts or judgments we no longer need," says Bartlett. "Through this practice of steadying the mind and observing the breath, the mind stays present, sharper and clearer because it is no longer reviewing the past or making to-do lists for the future."

Incorporate these four moves into your regular routine five days a week to start each day "with strength, clarity and a sense of empowerment." Desiree may have shot these on the beach (we're jealous!) but you can do them on your bedroom floor!

Get the moves after the break.

How a Determined Desiree Davila Won a Spot on the US Olympic Marathon Team

espnW — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:25:02 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar! This week's is an inspiring story about marathoner Desiree Davila, who will be representing the US in the Olympics for her first time. The following is an excerpt; read the entire story here.

By Bonnie D. Ford

At last January's Olympic trials in Houston, Texas, four top women had distanced themselves from the field: Desiree Davila, fellow favorites Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher, and Amy Hastings. Davila increased her tempo. Hastings dropped back. Davila forged on with Flanagan and Goucher, her five-foot-two, 98-pound frame dwarfed by her taller rivals. Then, with two miles to go, Flanagan kicked into a higher gear, and Davila was faced with another decision: should she try to match the surge and bid for the win, taking the chance that her cramping calves would betray her, or maintain her pace and protect her spot on the team?

Davila weighed the situation and decided not to risk it. Flanagan soloed to the line, and Davila secured her Olympic spot by finishing second, 17 seconds back, in 2:25:55. It was a tough, savvy race, and the latest evidence that Davila's gradual climb to the top is peaking at an ideal juncture.

After a largely anonymous high school and college career in the arid heat of Southern California and Arizona, she migrated to Michigan to join the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in 2005. The elite training environment in a harsher climate helped her transform herself into "a contender, not just someone who's on the line and might have a good day," as she put it.

The Lesson Learned From Second Place

Davila debuted at the marathon distance in Boston in 2007 and ran 2:44.56 in a raging northeaster. A year later on the same course, Davila thought she had progressed enough to make the Olympic team. At mile 21, running fourth, it looked as if she'd been right. But Davila, who hadn't hydrated and eaten enough before the race, ran out of gas and faded to 13th.

She was devastated. Fellow marathoner and friend Amy Hastings was there to comfort her, and so was sister Natalie Davila. "If I'm investing my money in someone right now, it's you," the older sister said. "You're going in the right direction - you're going up."

Read on for more of Desiree Davila's road to the Olympics after the break.

Everyday Activities That Make Your Allergies Worse

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:45:18 PDT

Most of us are psyched for warmer weather, but allergy sufferers are cursing runny noses, congestion, red eyes, and itchy throats. You may not realize it, but here are the everyday things that can aggravate your symptoms.

Exercising outside is a no-brainer when temps start going up, but not so for those allergic to pollen. If you can't bear to skip outdoor workouts, try to exercise early in the morning when pollen counts are lowest. If you decide to exercise outside, be sure to wash your clothes to get rid of pollen and take a shower to rinse allergens out of your hair. If your allergies are really bad, invest in a gym membership or equipment for your home gym - exercising in the AC will make you breathe much easier.
Opening the window to get some fresh air? Don't you dare. Pollen and other allergens blow in where they come in contact with your eyes and nose. Keep the windows in your home, office, and car closed, and definitely don't use a window fan. If you're hot, turn up the air-conditioning.

Keep reading to find out other common things you're doing that can worsen allergies.

8 Ways to Make Your Own Career Luck

LearnVest — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:15:52 PDT

People often say that you make your own luck, but how do you make your own career luck and get the job of your dreams? LearnVest shares how you can do so.

You sit next to someone on an airplane who later helps you land your dream job.

Your dentist’s daughter is a book editor, and wouldn’t you know it, she’d just love to publish your memoir.

You have a role model in your industry, and your roommate’s fiancé just so happens to be her best friend.

OK, chance doesn’t always work out as we might wish . . . but a few travel apps, a weak economy, and plenty of gumption got us thinking.

Cajoling Lady Luck may be easier than ever, with new services like Planely, a Danish start-up, and Satisfly, a Hong Kong-based start-up. Both apps connect passengers before their flights, so they can see the Facebook profiles of fellow travelers and choose seats by people they’d like to meet. Airlines like Dutch carrier KLM and Malaysia Airlines are getting in on the act with similar services of their own. Sharing and viewing this social media info is, of course, optional all around.

Read on for more.

The Lucky One: Take This Schmaltz

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:30:28 PDT

The premise of The Lucky One is a little convoluted, but the basics of the story are not: boy meets girl, they fall for each other, and then must overcome some obstacle to be together. If that simple formula is enough for you, you'll enjoy watching the romantic drama, but if you're looking for more than a cheesy love story, you won't find it here.

Zac Efron stars as Logan, a former marine who avoids death a couple of times in combat, and attributes his survival to a good luck charm: a photograph he found in the rubble. When he returns home from overseas, he's determined to find the woman in the picture to thank her. After walking for days across several states, he reaches his destination and finds the woman, Beth (Taylor Schilling), a single mom who runs a dog kennel. Tongue-tied, Logan fails to tell Beth why he's there, and instead accepts a job working for her. As they get to know each other, Beth and Logan slowly fall for each other, but Logan keeps his secret under wraps, to the point that it threatens their relationship. The fact that a secret about a picture is what builds suspense in the film is more than a little silly, but Efron makes up for in eye candy what the movie lacks in substance.

To find out what else I thought about The Lucky One, just keep reading.