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You Know You're A Mother When: Walking Instead of Resting

babysugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:00:56 -0700

I was chatting with a friend the other night, when she recounted her most recent toddler travel story with me and had me in hysterics. Her two-year-old son was obsessed with trains and everything Thomas related, so rather than fly to visit her parents, she took him on his first train ride. To prepare for the three and a half hour ride, she packed coloring books, magnetic games, a few new books and enough snacks to feed all of the passengers in her car.

At first, her son was mesmerized by everything on the train - the doors that slid open and shut, the conductor coming by to claim the tickets, the whir of the engine, etc. But after 45 minutes, he had had enough. He wanted to run up and down the aisles, press the buttons on the doors and explore. That's when she realized the generally relaxing train ride - that was supposed to help alleviate the stress of the airline terminal with its security line and beverage restrictions - would not be as picturesque as she had envisioned. She and her husband spent the next two hours walking from one end of the train to the other as their son did not sit down for even a minute By the time they arrived at the station, she handed her son over to her parents and told them she needed a nap since she had gotten plenty of exercise!

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Cool Idea: A Converted Train Car

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:00:29 -0700

I never thought I'd want to live in an old boxcar, until I saw this cheerful cafe built into a converted train on Treehugger. Located in Deptford, London, the pop-up shop is selling sustainably farmed coffee while the nearby train station, originally built in 1836, is being renovated.

I'm surprised how sunny and spacious the space is. It makes me want to park an old train car outside my house and use it as a guest quarters. With so many old railway cars around, I wonder why more people don't do this. What do you think of the idea?

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Oscars Trend: Jump on the Oscar Train

FabSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:30:22 -0800

Jump on the Oscar train! All you have to do is show up in a dramatic gown that has a train, big or small. A gaggle of gorgeous actresses did just that last night. They left the subtle behind and stepped it up with grandiose gowns. And, when they strutted the red carpet, their trains followed. After all, they are born leaders, always attracting followers. Get a look at the ladies, like Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (congrats!), who rode the glamorous choo choo train.
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Headline Of The Day

GiggleSugar — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Train Cancelled After Conductor Succumbs To Diarrhea

When ya gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now, you gotta go, gotta go, gotta go! But it gets even more awkward when your need to evacuate your bowels ends up evacuating an entire train--and then making headline news. Now that wouldn't sit too well with anyone! To read more, click here.

Monkey & Dog Team Take The Train

GiggleSugar — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 01:00:00 -0700

We encountered this monkey and dog team a while ago when they were engaged in a little interspecies physical fitness. This time around, the two are taking the train to who knows where. The question is: can the monkey get them there? This will not only amaze, but amuse you. C'mon, a monkey dressed in jeans trying to hitch the next train out of town while walking a pit bull on a leash-- now that's entertainment!

How Long Did It Take to Potty Train Your Pet?

PetSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:10:40 -0700

While most felines aren't trained to do their duties on the loo, it's essential to our home and health that furry friends are properly potty trained! For kitties, it can be as easy as showing them an appealing litter box option and encouraging them to go inside (literally) but, for dogs, this task can require more patience . . . and newspaper. Sigh.

After you answer the question, I'd love to hear about your struggles and successes in this stinky arena in the comments below!

Do You Believe Parents Can Influence Babies' Sleep Habits?

babysugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:04 -0800

Some parents would give their right arm just to get their lil one to sleep through the night. They read books, consult the web, and even hire trainers to come in and coach their nocturnal tykes. While there are various philosophies when it comes to coaching your wee one to sleep through the night, Dr. Richard Ferber's self-soothing techniques continue to prevail among sleep-deprived parents.

A new study conducted by Canada's Today's Parent found that 69 percent of parents believe that controlled-crying techniques work if parents implement them properly, but more than half of the parents surveyed said it didn't work for them, meaning most parents don't believe they are implementing the philosophy correctly. A further look at the study showed that parents who enter sleep training with the belief that they can influence how their tot gets his shut-eye were more likely to be successful with the process.

Do you believe that mom and dad can train a baby to sleep?

A Reader's Countdown to Competition: 12 Weeks Out

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:48 -0800

Check out the latest progress report from Figure Princess, who is training for several National Physique Committee figure competitions. You can read about her entire journey on the OnSugar blog Live. Laugh. Love. Lift.

OK, this last Saturday was the 12 week mark. I was really happy with my progress pictures this week and can see my glutes and hamstrings starting to catch up. Like many women, this area is typically the last place I lose fat from and the first place it comes back. Thankfully some modifications in my cardio routine have jump started the slimming process!

The big changes for this week are that my two steak meals are gone and have been replaced with three meals of tilapia. This of course happens the day after I buy up all the flank steak at the grocery store, but hopefully it will be back in the plan at some point. Until then, I'll just bury it in the back of the freezer so I don't miss it so much. Aside from that, things are staying consistent. I'm still getting ample amounts of protein along with oats, sweet potatoes, and fibrous green veggies every day. Training sessions are still solid and I'm continuing to see some strength gains week to week. Also, it's FINALLY starting to warm up outside so I'll be able to do my morning cardio with my dog outdoors. It's hard to drag myself to the gym alone at 4:45 each morning when I have to see this:

This little guy is in for a big surprise!

Every day is what you choose to make it, so make it a great week everyone!

To find out what comes next for Figure Princess, start following Live. Laugh. Love. Lift. Or if you've got something to say, start your own OnSugar blog. Maybe we'll post your story here on FitSugar!

7 Reasons to Strength Train

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:50:40 -0800

Have you starting lifting weights yet? As a reformed cardio junkie, I have learned that a little strength training goes a long way. Weight training just twice a week is all it takes to help change your body inside and out. If you still need some convincing, here are seven reasons to get pumped up about strength training.

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Specificity in Training

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:00:03 -0800

Here's a strength training tip from the OnSugar blog Coach Lark Says.

Watching the Superbowl, I was struck by how big and strong and fast these guys are. It reminded me of the crucial importance of specificity in training.

If you want to be powerful and quick for 10-20 seconds at a time, then lift that way. Lift heavy and explosively for 10-20 seconds, then rest before the next round.

If you want to be more like a distance runner, with the endurance to sustain long bouts of low-level output, make your weight training routine reflect that by lifting long sets (18 or more reps) with little rest in between. Aim to target the muscles that fatigue and cause your form to break down in running. This will help you build that endurance.

In theory it's really quite simple. You can target your strength accordingly by working certain muscles and adjusting the weight and reps to reflect power, speed or endurance.

Have fun, make sure your progressions make sense, and knock your workout out of the park!

Learn more tips and start following Coach Lark or start your own OnSugar blog. Maybe your story will be posted here on FitSugar!