Fun Fitness Facts!

Happy November! I thought I'd kick off the month with some fun fitness facts, since, at least for me, winter often becomes a time when I slack on my usual exercise routine in favor of hibernating on the couch under a toasty blanket.

So here goes:

• There is only one type of exercise that requires you hold your breath--swimming underwater.
• If you had every single muscle in your body work together at the same time, you could lift about 50,000 pounds.
• If you can’t carry on a conversation while exercising, you may be pushing yourself too far--ease up a little.
• Bodies are creatures of habit. The more you exercise, the more your body learns to burn fat rather than storing it.
• No wonder your feet hurt - running puts four to seven times your body weight in pressure on your feet.
• Dancing is a terrific and fun form of exercise that can improve cardiovascular fitness just like any other more formal type of exercise.
• If you’re always in a bad mood, then getting fit just may help. Regular exercise can enhance mood and overall well-being.
• In spite of what you may have read, there is no “best time to exercise.” It turns out that the best time to exercise is when it works for you.
• Women’s top three recreational activities are walking, aerobics and working out, while men’s top three are golf, basketball and walking.
• Visualization can help to improve your workout. By visualizing yourself completing the exercise before you actually perform it, then you will be able to perform the exercise with more intensity and effectiveness.
• People who cross-train with a variety of exercise are more fit and less injury-prone than those who exercise using only one or two exercise modalities
• It's impossible to lick your elbow.
• Exercise helps reduce wrinkles. It increases blood flow to the skin that provides nutrients it needs to stay thick. Thick skin wrinkles less than thin.

(tips via http://exercise.lovetoknow.com/Fun_Fitness_Facts)

Walk as much as possible, always take the stairs, be sure to stretch a little every day, and dance when you're home alone and listening to music!

Lastly, wisdom from Legally Blonde: "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. "

Well, there you have it.

Great Gift Idea Under $50!

So often people bring the obligatory bottle of wine as a hostess gift. Well, we have a treat for all of you who are tired of the usual gifts. And, it comes already packaged up in a cute little box with a ribbon!

Our prepackaged gift tanks and leggings set are the perfect gift to break you out of gift-giving monotony.

Hate giving clothes because you don't know about sizing?

No problem. Our tanks and leggings are super stretchy, one size fits all, and so comfortable you'll never want to be without them again.

The tanks come three to a package or with one pair of black leggings and one tank. And there are a ton of great color options from neutrals to fun brights! Something to fit everyone's taste and needs.

At $45 what more could a girl want?

Seriously, this is the best gift ever. Try it for the next holiday party you attend.

Fashion's Night In

Fashion's Night In begins today, 5pm, in your home. Vogue UK is launching "Fashion's Night In" as the digital equivalent to the extravagant "Fashion's Night Out" that occurred last month and carried with it a lot of hype and excitement.

Huge designers and retailers are on board with exclusive deals, and exciting, new online shopping experiences.

AlexanderMcqueen.com is giving the first 30 shoppers to make a purchase at 8pm on Fashion’s Night In a free scented candle. Also, all shoppers will receive free shipping on their orders and 10% of the night's sales will go to KidsCo.

Similarly, Harrods.com is giving away the Ultimate Girl’s Night Out Party Pack, with the best pick of accessories, shoes and beauty in preparation for the holidays. Shoppers will also receive 10% off fashion and beauty purchases that evening and free shipping. The first 50 orders placed will receive an exclusive gift and a portion of proceeds will be donated to KidsCo.

(via Vogue.com)

This seems like a really great idea to create hype for brands via driving traffic to their websites. The amazing gift, percent off, free shipping, etc incentives can all be enjoyed by shoppers without ever having to leave their homes.

Plus, this could really reach the people who couldn't/wouldn't participate in Fashion's Night Out, and prefer the peaceful experience of shopping online, at home.

This could be a really great event, and hopefully will eventually catch on the way Fashion's Night In did upon its inception.

Personally, nothing could be more delightful than sprawling on my sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and some popcorn and browsing online fashions with great, one-night deals. The time limit adds a bit of thrill. Like a Giltgroupe.com sale on Louboutins.

I'd love to see a Fashion's Night In happening here! Hope this one lives up to its potential.

Good vs. Bad Candy just in time for Halloween!

Happy almost Halloween!! I saw these tips for candy to eat and candy to avoid on Halloween. Easier said than done when there is delicious, sugary goodness coming at us from everywhere! But, I thought this was interesting, and all of these candies are so good. Here are the top 5 candies to indulge in:

1. Sour Patch kids: You can eat 23 of these sweet 'n sour little guys for around 200 calories.
2. Hot tamales: Add a little spice to your night with this delish candy. You can eat 27 for just over 200 calories.
3. Reese's miniatures peanut butter cups: Who DOESN'T love peanut butter and chocolate? Five peanut butter cups for 220 calories...and if you freeze them, they take you longer to eat so you're more likely to slow down and enjoy them!
4. Junior mints: Keep these in the freezer too, for a mint chocolate chip ice cream-like experience. Twenty Junior Mints weighs in at 200 calories. Or, opt for a regular size Peppermint Patty, which has only 140 calories and comes in a portion-controlled individual package.
5. Gummy bears: You can eat 12 of these fruity and chewy little guys for just under 200 calories.

Avoid candies with trans fat. Here are some Halloween treats that contain the dreaded X: tootsie rolls, Pillsbury Halloween sugar cookies, and twix!

(via http://whitneyport.celebuzz.com/2010/10/weekly-guest-blog-halloween-tips.php)

I don't know where Candy Corn stands on this list...but I'm afraid I won't be able to avoid it either way.

Happy Halloween and Weekend to everyone! Eat lots of candy...the good and...maybe some of the bad....

What fun would Halloween be without a little of the bad?!

Free Yoga!

CorePower Yoga, which has studios in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, South Loop, Gold Coast, Bucktown, and more, is offering a free week of yoga for new students. And you can spread your week out, so that you don't have to go every day in a single week, but a couple times/week for several weeks.

These classes are great. At first, I was skeptical about yoga, and hot yoga even more so, since I'd find my mind wandering to annoying songs and making mental grocery lists in those quiet moments that were supposed to be relaxing.

But I'm addicted to CorePower now. Seriously. If I don't get my yoga fix, I feel like all fidgety.

All of the CorePower instructors are helpful and awesome in class. The various levels of classes assure that you'll find a practice you are comfortable with--I love the Yoga Sculpt and C2 Open Power.

Yoga just makes you feel so good, relaxed, and like you're really working your whole body, which is something so many other work-outs can't offer.

Print the coupon for the free week off of their site: www.corepoweryoga.com.



Pssss....Kate Boggiano's seamless tanks and leggings are perfect for yoga practicers. I always wear mine to class since they are stretchy enough to withstand all those downward facing dog poses.