BuzzSugar

10 Big Screen Best Friends Who Turned Into More

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:54 PDT

In this Friday's Friends with Benefits, two pals decide to use each other for sex, until deeper feelings get in the way. Not that they should be surprised; if they had watched any of these films, then they certainly would've known the outcome to their little experiment. May we present exhibit A: onscreen buddies who went from platonic to romantic. Take a look!

Buzz Gift Guide: Awesome Teen Girl

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:30:26 PST

I'm kicking off my holiday gift guide with some suggestions for all the clued-in teenage girls in your life.

If the awesome teen you're shopping for is a fan of the sudsy TV series Gossip Girl but hasn't gotten into the book series, you might want to pick up this boxed set of the first three books. (If they're already rabid fans, consider the recently released prequel).

I am well out of my teen years, but still completely entertained by 13 Going on 30. It's adorable and funny and has a pretty good message for the teens: be yourself, and the rest will follow. Also, I'm not ashamed to admit that I checked out the special features on this DVD and re-discovered the greatness that is the video for Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield." Seriously, you have to check it out because really, sometimes the best self-defense a girl has is a good hard shoulder shimmy.

And even though it was on TV more than a decade ago, I don't think you can go wrong with the new My So-Called Life boxed set. After all, the joys and pains of high school are much the same in any era.

Jane Krakowski Says Jenna Would Play Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey

Annie Scudder — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:10:25 PDT

30 Rock's season finale aired last week, and it's official that the next season will be its last. We caught up with Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney, the narcissistic actress engaged to her male impersonator. In addition to her work on 30 Rock, Jane's using her comedic talent for Best Night Ever, an upcoming vignette series for NBC. She'll star alongside Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic. We had a chance to talk to Jane, and she reflected on what she's learned from 30 Rock and even took a guess at what Jenna would make of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. Read on.

TrèsSugar: The S&M erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey is a bestseller and being made into a movie. Do you think Jenna would find it tame?
Jane Krakowski: I'm sure Jenna is buying the rights already to play the role. Everybody's reading that book. I haven't read it yet, but I see it in everyone's hands.

TS: Have you learned anything from your 30 Rock character over the years?
JK: I think my big lesson is to probably not do anything that Jenna does. So whatever she does, do the opposite. You might be better off. But that's the fun part about playing someone like her. You can be as outrageous as possible and get away with it within our structure that is TGS and 30 Rock, so there are so many things that the character has done over the seasons where I'm like, "Really? Are you sure we're going to be able to do this and get away with this?" And in that world and the blanket that is Tina Fey's genius it always seems to be alright. I will trust her wherever she sends me.

TS: Who is your favorite couple on the show?
JK: Well of course I'm thrilled Jenna has taken one step toward being humane by getting engaged. Although, Paul being a wonderful man it's (still) the most narcissistic wedding that could possibly happen, because she's marrying a male impersonator of her. I've always enjoyed Liz Lemon's relationships. I loved when Michael Sheen was on the show. I really adored him. I think her current relationship with the character of Criss is really a great one.

TS: In your latest role in NBC's TV vignettes series titled Best Night Ever, you play a tarot card reader. What would you hope the cards hold for Jenna?
JK: Wow. I sort of wish the tarot card reader would tell me that 30 Rock is not ending after 13 episodes next season. We found out that it's official that we're only going to be doing 13 more. It's been the greatest experience.

You can watch our interview with Jane below and also find out why she's excited about her new role in Best Night Ever.

12 Chores You Can Pay Someone Else to Do - and What They Cost

Emily Co — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:20:31 PDT

We can't all be celebrities and pay personal assistants to do mundane chores we dread doing. However, you can hire someone to do one-off tasks: the website TaskRabbit hooks up those looking to pay for assistance with people who want to earn money for chores. When I was looking through the website, I discovered pretty much every imaginable task you can think of. Here are some examples:

Ikea delivery: The most common recent Ikea delivery transactions have been completed for about $16 to $35.
Ikea assembly: One of the most tiresome things about Ikea furniture is putting it together. The most popular historical price according to TaskRabbit data is $45.
Grocery delivery: Recent listings have offered at least $12 for grocery delivery, but the most common asking price range seems to be around $20 to $30
Help moving heavy stuff: The most common task price for help with "heavy-lifting" moving is $40, according to TaskRabbit's historical data.
Transcription: A lister offered to pay $10 to $15 to transcribe a four-minute YouTube video.
Donation pickup: People have recently arranged for donation pickups for at least $11.
Selling stuff on Craigslist: Can't be bothered with listing items on Craigslist? TaskRabbit's historical data for Craigslist assistance listings show that the most common going rate is $45.
Research: One example offered to pay $42 to $58 to a TaskRabbiter to research a list of about 400 artists and their biographic information.

Read on for more.

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.

Skip Fad Diets and Make Healthy Eating a Habit Instead

Leta Shy — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:24:52 PDT

There's a reason why they're called yo-yo: those diets that have you subsisting on just a few calories a day inevitably lead to ups and downs on the scale. A recent study backs up what many people who've struggled with weight loss already know: when researchers put dieters on a deprivation diet of about 500 calories, it worked at first, with study participants losing an average of 30 pounds over eight weeks. But it wasn't sustainable: most participants ended up gaining, on average, 11 pounds back within the year of the study, even with continued dieter's counseling, and reported that they felt "hungrier and more preoccupied with weight."

So why is it hard to maintain weight loss on an extreme diet? It's not just because of all the temptation out there; deprivation diets cause the body to go into starvation mode, making you feel even hungrier while your body holds onto pounds instead of shedding them.

Instead of trying the next fad diet that alters your hormones, start a program you know you'll be able to stick with. Plan meals so you can cook more of them at home, make healthier but still tasty choices when dining out, and allow yourself small indulgences every day. For more ways to turn "dieting" into a lifestyle, read these 13 essential eating tips for weight-loss success.

Brides: Would You Pay $30 For a Name Change Service?

Annie Scudder — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:15:04 PDT

For newlywed couples, the honeymoon is a much-needed chance to relax after all the stress and excitement of the big day. But once you get back from the romantic getaway, there's one last task some recent brides have to deal with: changing their last names. Services like MissNowMrs.com promise to save you 13 hours of name-change stress.

For $30, the company says it will help you complete all the name change forms you need, provide simple directions for filing them, and help you avoid time-consuming mistakes. And right now there's actually a MissNowMrs.com Groupon deal going on for half off. Do you think it's worth the expense?

Tracy Anderson Talks Pregnancy and Postpregnancy Fitness Tips For Celebs and Real Women

Kate Stahl — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:02:03 PDT

We recently sat down with celeb trainer Tracy Anderson to talk all about her new pregnancy DVDs, which are set to be released next month. (Stay tuned for some exclusive exercise routines Tracy created for FitSugar and LilSugar.) Tracy, who's expecting a daughter in May, opened up to us about her own pregnancies, her celeb clients, and how real women should approach pregnancy before, during, and after it. Check out the highlights of our intimate talk below.

On her pregnancy weight gain: "I gained 60 pounds with my son, and I've only gained 20 pounds during this pregnancy. I was 22 years old when I was pregnant with my son, and I actually discovered my method while I was pregnant. For the last 13 years, I've been giving birth to a business! My body is so tightly knit and so much stronger from 13 years of doing my method. It's so important that you get into good shape before you get pregnant, if you're lucky enough to plan it. Your chances of staying put together are better, and it's so much easier to get it back."

On her pregnancy diet: "With my son, I ate what felt natural, and that was cheeseburgers and milkshakes! I still eat what I crave, but I learned with my son, pregnancy is not the time for a total gorge fest. But even with this pregnancy, sometimes the only thing I can get down is a doughnut or an Arby's sandwich - and I don't even eat Arby's. I've had a lot of food aversions."

On her teenage son: I don't recommend waiting 13 years between children, but my son is so excited about the baby. One thing that's been really great about the age difference is that I've been able to see that my son is going to be a great man because he's been so sweet, nurturing, and protective during my pregnancy."

Keep reading for more on Tracy's celeb clientele and her tips for real women!

A Reader Recipe: Cereal Banana Bread

Fit Community — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 01:28:03 PST

OnSugar blogger Sophie's Sweeties has a healthy banana bread recipe that cuts calories by using Kashi cereal, apple sauce, and yogurt.

My mom used to eat a slice of homemade banana bread every morning for breakfast. She would make 10 loaves at a time and freeze them until the last loaf was purely a delicious memory. She made a few loaves with chocolate chips, some with walnuts, and a couple were made plain for my picky brother. No matter the preference, I think everyone would agree that my banana bread is a healthy alternative to my mom's famous staple.

Get the recipe after the break!

Breakfast Time: Calories in Muffins, Bagels, and Coffee Cake

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:05:42 PST

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but sometimes, the art of eating a balanced meal before starting the day isn't as easy as it seems. Whether you're running late and need a quick eat to go or a box of donuts is calling your name in the office kitchen, breakfast indulgences sometimes happen.

When they do, it helps to know what exactly is lurking in those tasty-looking breakfast baked goods. Want to know if your favorite breakfast pastry has the least calories? Check out the nutritional breakdown of popular baked breakfast items below.

Baked Good	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sat. Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Einstein Bros' plain bagel	260	1	0	460	56	2	9
Einstein Bros' honey whole wheat bagel	270	1	0	480	61	3	9
Einstein Bros' everything bagel	270	2	0	610	56	2	10
1/2-inch slice banana walnut bread	140	6	2.5	160	20	1	3
Cinnamon bun	460	15	9	470	74	2	9
1 slice cinnamon raisin bread	80	1.5	0	100	15	.5	2

Continue reading to see the rest of this baked goods breakdown.