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Healthy Tips Straight From the White House

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:00:23 -0700

It's no secret that Michelle and President Obama are one fit couple. If you're wondering how they stay in shape with such a demanding lifestyle and with a personal pastry chef living under the same roof, the first lady has offered some tips in a recent issue of Prevention magazine.

Include exercises in your routine that offer immediate results. Michelle says, "I enjoy arm exercises because you can see what it's hitting." So make sure your workouts target a specific area every time you work out, and the consistency will pay off. Now we have more information on her famous arms.
Don't skip out on workouts. If the wife of the president of the United States can make time to work out, so can you. She wakes up at 4:30 every morning so she has time to fit it in.
Cross train and mix up your routine. Doing the same types of workouts over and over again is boring and a great way to injure yourself. So Mrs. Obama varies her workouts with Pilates, cardio, stretching, and weights.

To see the rest of Michelle's advice read more.

Have no absolute "nos." The first lady admits, "I love French fries, I like a good burger, and I like pie. And that's okay. I would be depressed if I felt I could never eat the things that I love."
Practice moderation. The presidential couple encourages their daughters to make healthy choices when it comes to not-so-healthy foods, and to not be obsessed. So if one asks, "Can I have pie?" Michelle will answer, "Did you have pie last night?" It's all about making healthy choices and finding the balance between indulging in what you love and not overdoing it.

At my house, the girls are always asking for ice cream; I'm going to try the first lady's answer.

Gift Guide: Serving Trays For the Party Girls

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:24 -0800

Since I'm a design fiend, I think my friends expect to receive decorating gifts from me. But it really can be just as hard to shop for décor gifts as it is for clothes. Year after year, I struggle to find something that appeals to their tastes and lifestyles.

I think I'm onto something, though. A few of my friends are big party girls, in the sense they that they are constantly hosting get-togethers and cocktail parties of all sorts. I've decided that a serving tray would be a great gift for these ladies. It's obviously great for entertaining, but can also be used as wall art or to organize knickknacks day to day. I've rounded up a wide range of serving trays to fit the aesthetic of every party girl you and I know. Take a look!

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Seems like Demi Moore has lost her hip on the cover of W - Never Say Diet
Meet Gwen Stafani's trainer Mike Heatlie - Fit Bottomed Girls
Going for the fastest marathon time . . . pushing a jog stroller - That's Fit
A little blue pill for the ladies is on the way - Vitamin G
Workout starved? Try the kitchen boogie workout - Fresh Fitness Tips
A 500 calorie Thanksgiving Day meal. How can that be? - Daily Spark
Tame your hunger with these five healthy snacks - Health

Gear Review: slotRadio by Sansa

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:20:25 -0800

I love my iPod, but there is a new music player vying for my heart: the slotRadio ($79) by Sansa.

The two-inch-by-two-inch clip-on music player comes with a data card with 1,000 songs from the Billboard music charts, with prearranged playlists by music genre. I tried the additional Health and Fitness mix, which includes the mixes for warmup, cardio, roadwork (cycling), power (lifting), yoga, cooldown, and the even more mellow spa mix.

To see what I thought of this music player, just read more.

I must admit I am a bit technically challenged - ironic since I am a blogger, I know. Even with my latent Luddite ways, I found the slotRadio super easy to use. The instruction manual was simply written with helpful graphics. Open the box, charge the radio, which took about an hour, put in your music card, and go. My inaugural run with the slotRadio was great. It clips onto your clothes and is so small and light you don't even notice it. The volume button is easy to find, as is the skip button. You can easily skip genres, too. I warmed up with Lady Gaga and Nelly and moved onto cardio with a few bands I have never heard of, like VHS or Beta. The slotRadio feels like a pop music education in a good way. This little player is a great way to introduce yourself to new music. However, I had to remove the foam covers from the earbuds to keep them from falling out of my ears.

The video screen features graphics of exercises and lets you know the next song up on the playlist so you can advance easily to find motivational music. The slotRadio is also a real radio. As an NPR junkie, I love that I can switch over to radio and catch up on news or Fresh Air while working out.

I enjoyed the Health and Fitness music card much more than the standard Billboard artist music card. Thankfully, the data cards are easy to change, and there are many options to choose from, including Christmas tunes, '80s and '90s music, Latin, and classical. The extra data cards cost $40. The slotRadio bundle comes with headphones, charger, and Billboard music card. These make a great gift for the musically impaired fitness fanatic in your life.

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Link Time!!!

PopSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Did Carrie cut off Brad's Taylor praise on purpose at the CMAs? - E Online
Padma Lakshmi cooks at home to stay fit - FitSugar
Ugly Betty's Ashley Jensen welcomes a baby boy! - PopEater
Chelsea Handler does Playboy - JustJared
Jared Leto releases his newest masterpiece - Pink Is the New Blog
Happy birthday Ryan Gosling! - Lainey Gossip
Ashlee Simpson wants to be a clothing designer? - D-Listed
Aubry O'Day is modeling more than singing - Egotastic
Josh Duhamel can't keep his shirt on - The Superficial
Emma Roberts shows off her hot pink bag - Hollywood Tuna
Lindsay Lohan wants to team up with Lady Gaga - Hollywood Rag
Before and after, celebrity photos get a touch up - cityrag
Amy Winehouse goes a little wild with her makeup - popbytes
Shaq and his wife were looking for a reality show - TMZ

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:38:24 -0800

T.G.I. Tuesday! I've already sorted through the big DVD releases of the day, but now I have new songs to revive your iPod, Just take a look at these three albums. (And if you want to see your own music reviews featured on Buzz, submit them in the Music Review Group in the community!)

Music mash-up: Seems like everyone is releasing a holiday album lately - remember Bob Dylan's? Now, Tori Amos is trying her hand at the genre with Midwinter Graces. It's a big risk for Amos, who puts her own spin on classic carols. Traditionalists might cry foul when she mashes up "What Child Is This" and "The First Nowell" for "What Child, Nowell" or re-purposes "Silent Night" into a love song, but at least Amos is thinking outside of the box. The quieter songs work best, thanks to Amos's ethereal voice. I recommend "Emmanuel" or "Winter's Carol."

All over the place: Wale references Kanye West in the first track on his big studio debut Attention: Deficit, and the mention is fitting. Wale seems like a Kanye in the making, mixing in sparkly, bragadocious tracks with songs that raise controversial social issues (like "Shades," which tackles racism). He also brings in a long list of collaborators, including Lady Gaga (on the already-released "Chillin'") and Mark Ronson. As a result, the album jumps around like, as the title hints, a kid with ADD. You may recognize Wale from this year's VMAs, and he's undoubtedly one to watch. For now, download "Pretty Girls" and "Diary," which samples from one of my favorite films, Amelie.

See one more release when you read more.

A classic formula: Bon Jovi fans really love Bon Jovi, and on the band's newest release, The Circle, the rockers aren't afraid to deliver exactly what their followers want - even if it feels recycled. "Working For the Man" should appeal to those who enjoy pumping their fists along to songs like "Living on a Prayer," and "When We Were Beautiful" almost feels like a U2 copycat. The guys cover the regular themes there - love, leadership, the highway of life, etc. - so there are no big surprises. Still, as far as guilty pleasure Bon Jovi goes, it doesn't disappoint.

Who Was Most Fab at the 18th Annual Britannia Awards?

FabSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:33:22 -0800

The 18th Annual Britannia awards brought out a gaggle of classy ladies. From fitted to voluminous, the following ladies radiated in their red carpet looks. Amy Adams (in Azzaro) and Minnie Driver went down the noir path, Freida Pinto showed sheer Valentino love, Emily Blunt dazzled in burgundy Basil Soda, and Claire Danes worked a classy black-and-white Oscar de la Renta number. All of them are spotlight-worthy, but who's most Fab?

Join the FitSugar Women That Rock (Climb) Group

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:30:41 -0800

Are you looking for a place to talk to other women who climb or who are involved in mountaineering sports? Are you thinking about giving climbing a try and want to learn more about the sport? Even if you just like hanging out at an indoor climbing gym, FitSugar has created a group just for you - Women That Rock (Climb).

Swap stories, share advice on training and technique, talk about your favorite climbing spots, and give gear advice. It's your place to share all of your thoughts and stories about climbing with other women who get it. Join Women That Rock (Climb) and be a part of the ongoing conversation.

I can't wait to see what you ladies post - some of your most inspiring stories and sound advice may just find its way onto the FitSugar homepage!

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 3: Gabourey Sidibe

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Precious begins rolling out in theaters this Friday, and we'll finally see if it lives up to its Oscar hype. One performance that the Academy will definitely be talking about comes from newcomer Gabby Sidibe, who carries the film as the title character.

Playing an abused, pregnant teen is the sort of responsibility and heavy subject matter that could make even pros crack under pressure - so how is she coping with her big screen debut? I've already showed you my interviews with Paula Patton and director Lee Daniels, but for this third installment in my Precious series, check out my chat with the actress who already has Oprah and the rest of Hollywood buzzing.

On landing the role: "When I got hired, I was pretty sure it was just a joke. I wasn't an actress - I was a receptionist before this. I was like, there's no way they're interested in me. Since then, I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this joke has gone pretty far!"
On how she handled the first-time pressure: "I was sure I would look like a complete novice, like I didn't belong there, or that I didn't fit in, but once I got there and saw all the people involved - grips, electric, camera operators - I thought, okay, there are a lot of people whose paychecks are on my back, so I can't spaz out. So immediately all of my nervousness fell away from me, and I had a job to do."

To hear more from Gabby (including her thoughts on Mariah Carey and the Best Actress gossip), read more.

On the award buzz: "It's weird, because I have no idea what it is to be a part of an Oscar-winning film or any kind of accolade-winning film, because this is my first go-around. So I just take every day as a gift! I'm thankful that anyone sees the film and feels something - and if the awards come, they come, or if they don't, they don't. But what I've done so far, I'm absolutely proud of myself."
On working with Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz: "It was insane. They're all people that I absolutely idolize. The first time Lenny Kravitz came on set, I was standing very, very still, and I knew he was around, and I couldn't wait for him to come upstairs. Then he did, and it was like, well, there is Lenny Kravitz. There was nothing to be scared about, because he was very cool. And Mariah, I met her the night before we started shooting. She was like the last to be hired, so we had done most of the movie. I kind of felt like a veteran - Mariah is stepping on to my turf. [laughs]"

On her next project: "It's a Sundance Lab Film [Yelling to the Sky], and it stars Zoe Kravitz. I play a girl who is really loud and obnoxious, the queen of the school. It's really fun because it's so far from Precious - I like playing the bad girl! And the film has a first-time director, Victoria Mahoney, who's a lady. The DP is a female, the camera operator is female, so it's all females. It's empowering in a weird way. I've never been all super feminist, but it's really cool."
On her new career: "It's so weird to have a 'Hollywood career.' I just want to do things that make me happy. There are so many people that I look up to as far as actresses go, but I just want to go as far as I can."

Love her! I'll be keeping a close eye on Gabby when the film opens, especially once award nominations start flowing in. Will you be checking out Precious?

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

Reese Leads the Carpet of Champions For Avon

PopSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Lots of lovely ladies stepped out in NYC last night for the Avon Foundation's Champions Who Change Women's Lives benefit. Brand ambassador Reese Witherspoon was front and center on the carpet in a strapless number, joined by a fresh-from-LA Lauren Conrad in a fitted dress. Courteney Cox posed for photos alongside pal Fergie, though the Cougar Town star is set to have another friend, Lisa Kudrow, make a cameo on her show. Reese played host at the event that was held to honor those who fight against breast cancer and domestic violence, and the whole crowd was treated to a performance by Fergie and a special appearance from Patrick Dempsey.

To see more from the bash, including Patrick Dempsey and David Arquette, just read more.

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Images include: Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Fergie, Jillian Dempsey, Patrick Dempsey, Lauren Conrad, Reese Witherspoon

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