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Presidential Fitness Challenge

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:30:00 -0800

When was the last time you took the Presidential Fitness Challenge? I like home fitness tests, this one the only test approved by the leader of the western world. Regardless of how you feel about the man holding the office, take the Presidential Fitness Challenge and see how you stack up against school age children! It is President's Day after all.

Here are the details of the challenge.

Curl ups: Lie on back with knees bent and feet about 12 inches from booty. Have partner hold your feet (or put them under your couch). Arms are crossed with hands placed on opposite shoulders and elbows held close to chest. Curl up touching elbows to thighs and then lower the back to the floor so that shoulder blades touch the floor. That's one rep. Count how many reps you can do in 60 seconds.
Measures: Abdominal strength and endurance
Shuttle Run: Mark two parallel lines 30 feet apart and place two blocks of wood or similar object behind one of the lines. Start behind opposite line. Run to the blocks, pick one up, run back to the starting line, place block behind the line, runs back and picks up the second block and runs back across. Don't forget to time yourself.
Measures: Speed, quickness and agility

There are three more elements to the challenge so read more
Endurance Run/Walk: Run or walk a mile as quickly as possible.
Measures: Heart/lung endurance
Pull-ups
Pull-Up: Hang from a horizontal bar at a height the student can hang from with arms fully extended and feet free from floor, using either an overhand grasp (palms facing away from body) or underhand grip (palms facing toward body). Raise body until chin clears the bar and then lower body to full-hang starting position. See how many you can do.
Measures: Upper body strength and endurance
"V" sit: Mark a straight line two feet long on the floor, this is your baseline. Draw a measuring line perpendicular to the midpoint of the baseline extending two feet on each side and marked off in half-inches. The point where the baseline and measuring line intersect is the "0" point. Sit on floor with measuring line between legs and soles of feet placed immediately behind baseline, heels 8-12" apart. Clasp thumbs so that hands are together, palms down and places them on measuring line. Reach forward as far as possible (have someone hold your feet if you can), keeping fingers on baseline and feet flexed. Hole for three seconds and that is your distance.
Measures: Flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings

To be presented with the Presidential Fitness Award you need to be in or above the 85th percentile. For a 17 year old girl they are as follows:

Curl ups: 44 in 60 seconds
Shuttle run: 10 seconds
One mile run: 8:15
Pull ups: 1
"V" sit: +8

So how did you do?

Take the President's Fitness Challenge Today

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

When was the last time you took the President's Fitness Challenge? I like home fitness tests, and this is the only test approved by the leader of the western world. We all know that working out is important to Obama, but I wonder if he will update this test while in office. I think one healthy way to celebrate presidents is to take this challenge. Plus, you can see how you stack up against school-age children!

Here are the details of the challenge.

Curl-ups: Lie on back with knees bent and feet about 12 inches from booty. Have partner hold your feet (or put them under your couch). Arms are crossed with hands placed on opposite shoulders and elbows held close to chest. Curl up touching elbows to thighs and then lower the back to the floor so that shoulder blades touch the floor. That's one rep. Count how many reps you can do in 60 seconds.
Measures: Abdominal strength and endurance
Shuttle Run: Mark two parallel lines 30 feet apart and place two blocks of wood or similar object behind one of the lines. Start behind opposite line. Run to the blocks, pick one up, run back to the starting line, place block behind the line, run back and pick up the second block and run back across. Don't forget to time yourself.
Measures: Speed, quickness, and agility

There are three more elements to the challenge so read more.
Endurance Run/Walk: Run or walk a mile as quickly as possible.
Measures: Heart/lung endurance
Pull-ups
Pull-Up: Hang from a horizontal bar at a height the student can hang from with arms fully extended and feet free from floor, using either an overhand grasp (palms facing away from body) or underhand grip (palms facing toward body). Raise body until chin clears the bar and then lower body to full-hang starting position. See how many you can do.
Measures: Upper body strength and endurance
"V" sit: Mark a straight line two feet long on the floor, this is your baseline. Draw a measuring line perpendicular to the midpoint of the baseline extending two feet on each side and marked off in half-inches. The point where the baseline and measuring line intersect is the "0" point. Sit on floor with measuring line between legs and soles of feet placed immediately behind baseline, heels 8-12 inches apart. Clasp thumbs so that hands are together, palms down and places them on measuring line. Reach forward as far as possible (have someone hold your feet if you can), keeping fingers on baseline and feet flexed. Hold for three seconds and that is your distance.
Measures: Flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings

To be presented with the Presidential Fitness Award you need to be in or above the 85th percentile. For a 17-year-old girl, the standards are as follows:

Curl-ups: 44 in 60 seconds
Shuttle run: 10 seconds
One mile run: 8:15
Pull ups: 1
"V" sit: +8

So how did you do?

Obama Buys $4,800 Recycled Chandelier For Daughters' White House Bedroom

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:56 -0700

In last night's episode of Man Shops Globe, Keith Johnson traveled to South Africa, where he was on the hunt for not-so-typical African crafts. After stumbling upon some unusual pottery and a handmade wooden dining chair straight out of a Van Gogh painting, he wandered into a magical art collective shop called Magpie , which sells knickknacks and décor made entirely from recycled objects. Be it a lid to a dog food can, a wine cork, or a Barbie, the eco-conscious craftsman turned the disposable into the extraordinary. Johnson was blown away by a tall, dramatic chandelier made from found objects, trinkets, and castoffs, and ordered one for Anthropologie.

As it turns out, President Obama bought the $4,800 recycled chandelier for Sasha and Malia's bedroom in the White House. We did learn back in January that the Obamas planned to decorate the girls' room with Pottery Barn and Anthropologie, and that they already have a large collection of African and Asian art, so it's quite fitting actually! While the purchase is certainly expensive for young girls, as is the family's celebrity decorator Michael Smith, Barack and Michelle did decide to pay for their White House renovations personally, and forgo the allotted $100,000 presidential decorating budget, so you can't blame them!

Exercise Your Political Power and Walk the Vote

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

It is election day here in the US, and it is time to exercise your political power. I suggest walking to your polling station to exercise your body a bit too. If you have to stand and wait in a long line, the walk will be good for your metabolism, since being sedentary slows down your calorie burning potential. The A-Listers of Hollywood urge you to get out and vote, too.

Anxious about the results? Don't just sit around glued to the TV this evening. Calm your body with a good cardio session or at least use your TV time to stretch.

Did you walk to your polling station? Let me know in the comments section below.

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All the News That's Fit to Eat - Oct. 29, 2008

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0700

Celebrate the Day of the Dead with a vivacious feast. - Los Angeles Times
One writer's campaign to create election-night food traditions. - Washington Post
Opt for chicken thighs over breasts for a cost-effective, versatile alternative. - San Francisco Chronicle
Mustard isn't just a condiment; it also makes for the ultimate flavor enhancer. - Chicago Tribune
Forget the kitchen: The laboratory's the new testing ground for experimental food. - New York Times
Italian cooking pioneer Marcella Hazan on her latest memoir. - Boston Globe
Consider stocking up on wine during tough economic times. - Star Tribune
Filming is complete on the movie Julie and Julia, about the late cooking star Julia Child. - New York Post

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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.

President's Physical Fitness Test

FitSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:15:00 -0700

In preparation for Shaq's Big Challenge season finale tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to join in the fitness games and see how you measure up by taking the, duh duh dum, President's Physical Fitness Test.

You're going to need to time yourself (or have someone else time you). If you don't know how to do any of the moves, download a description here.

The Move	The Challenge	What the Kids Can Do? (ages 10-17)
Curl-Ups	How many did you do in one minute?	Girls: 30-35/Boys: 35-45
1-Mile Run/Walk	How fast did you do it?	Girls: 10-11 mins/Boys: 7-8 mins
Pull-Ups	How many did you do in one minute?	Girls: 1/Boys: 2-8
Push-Ups	How many did you do in one minute?	Girls: 10-16/Boys: 14-37
Shuttle Run	How fast did you do it?	Girls: 11-12 secs/Boys: 9-12 secs
The V-Sit	What mark did you reach?	Girls: 3-5.5 inches/Boys: 0.5-3 inches

Try it out -- If nothing else you'll get a mini workout in the middle of the day. I got 37 curl-ups, 20 push-ups and 11 seconds for the shuttle run! There's not enough space in here to test my skills at the others, but I am pretty sure I'd be getting an A+ in gym class. So what did you get?

Wonder Woman: Amy Poehler

LilSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:06 -0700

She's had us rolling on the floor with her dead-on impression of Hillary Clinton during the presidential election and cracked us up as the junk food-eating, karaoke-singing surrogate mother to Tina Fey's baby in last year's Baby Mama. Now, Amy Poehler is back on our boob tubes as a public servant in Parks and Recreation.

The new mama - Poehler and her funny man husband Will Arnett welcomed son Archibald "Archie" William Emerson last Fall - went back to her Saturday Night Live Weekend Update chair just a weeks after giving birth to help have fits of hysterics through the final pre-election weekend. Shortly after, she announced her departure from the show in order to play an idealistic bureaucrat who is opening our eyes to the world of local public service.

When we spoke with Poehler during the Baby Mama press tour, she joked that, "I’m just gonna name my kids numbers. New Dude, Little Dude, and eight George Foremans." It looks like she took a different route, but we are loving her just the same.

View 5 Photos ›

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PopSugar — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:46:00 -0800

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Make It Work! White House Adjusts to Outdated Tech

CitizenSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:00:19 -0800

Between President Obama's struggle and sort-of triumph to keep his BlackBerry and the West Wing's faltering email system - yesterday Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said it was down - it's a hardly a surprise to learn the White House is mired in cords and cables and 6-year-old computers.

Staff has traded in campaign MacBooks for desktops fitted with outdated Windows software, and the few laptops available are being rationed to very select staff. No Facebook. No IM. No Twitter. Not even wireless!

For a staff that relied on technology and social networking to win an election, White House employees will have to begrudgingly adjust to the loss of mobility. While it's done partly out of tradition, restrictions also ensure information is protected under the Presidential Records Act. Obama spokesman Bill Burton admitted, "It is kind of like going from an Xbox to an Atari." And that's the official line!

If America is going to lead the world, should its government have access to leading technology?

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