BuzzSugar

Nighttime Fasting: A New Way to Lose Weight?

Shape — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:09:52 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

If you couldn’t let anything cross your lips from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., but you were allowed to eat anything you wanted for eight hours a day and still lose weight, would you try it? That’s the apparent bottom line of a rat study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, which recently stirred up the weight loss pot.

Top 50 Summer Diet Foods for Weight Loss

Scientists put groups of mice on different diet regimens for 100 days. One group of rodents ate healthy food while animals in two of the groups chowed down on high-fat, high-calorie feed. Half of the junk food eaters were allowed to munch whenever they wanted to while the others only had access to feed for the eight hours they were most active. The conclusion: even though they ate a fatty diet, the mice who were forced to fast for 16 hours were almost as lean as those who ate the healthy fare. Interestingly, the round the clock junk food eaters became obese and developed health problems, even though they consumed about the same amount of fat and calories as the time-restricted junk food fed mice.

See if a nutritionist thinks nighttime fasting works after the break!

Tina Fey Shares Memories of Her Skinny and Chubby Years

Susi May — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:56:14 PDT

Happy Birthday to our fave funny lady! Tina Fey turns 42 today. We've been fans of the actress, writer, and comedienne since her early days on Saturday Night Live. Like many of us, Tina's weight has fluctuated over the course of her career, and to mark her birthday, we're sharing some of her funny quotes from juice cleanses to body image.

Before making the leap from writers room to on-camera talent, Tina followed the pragmatic Weight Watchers program to drop pounds. But that doesn't mean she hasn't dabbled in more extreme techniques to lose weight. She explained to Jimmy Fallon, "I don't really believe in those [cleanses] - your body's not like a purse. You're not supposed to turn it inside out and shake it. But I was like, 'Oh, I don't care. I just need to jump-start this.' So I tried it." After an allergic reaction caused her lips to swell, she abandoned a juice cleanse. Go figure.

These days, Tina works out with trainer when she can fit a session into her hectic schedule, and if she can't, she takes a walk. She's even become a fan of yoga and the superfood kale.

Before settling into her healthy weight, Tina experienced both sides of the weight equation and shared her memories of these phases in her book, Bossypants. In two short, consecutive chapters, she explains the positive and negatives of the different times. Keep reading for a brief excerpt after the break.

Potato Galette

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:02:16 PDT

Like the perfect handbag, a well-constructed potato galette is perfect for any time of day or occasion. Just ask Fresh Tart!

A potato galette is simply thin slices of potatoes, fat, and seasoning layered into a shallow pan and roasted until crusty and browned. It's traditional to serve alongside a roast of some sort, and definitely do that, because you can imagine crusty, buttery potatoes do a fine job of soaking up meaty juices of almost any type.

But a potato galette also makes a killer meal all on its own, particularly alongside (or underneath!) a tart arugula salad. In fact, invite people over if you make one, otherwise . . . you will eat the whole thing by yourself. As healthful as a tart arugula salad is, it will not offset the regret of eating an entire galette on your own; I know this from experience.

Learn more about the art of the potato galette.

4 Coffee Break Tips to Boost Your Energy (It's Not Just About Caffeine!)

Self — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:15:34 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Are the words "coffee break" kind of an oxymoron to you? Probably so if you are just guzzling your grande while you are still at your desk and barely even looking up from your work. While it's true that caffeine can provide you with a jolt of energy, taking an actual break to enjoy your coffee could be the key to getting a better energy buzz from your cup of joe.

The folks at Gevalia introduced me to the idea of fika, the traditional Swedish coffee break that Swedes take two times per day to enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack. Self has reported that taking a true coffee break can leave you feeling happier and more sociable. I thought the idea sounded interesting and I gave it a try for myself and found that I felt more energized from the combination of stepping away from my work and drinking the coffee than I normally do from just downing my java on the go. Read on for some ways you can enjoy a fika of your own.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Dark Shadows"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:44:57 PDT

It feels like just yesterday it was summertime in Mad Men world, but alas, we've already arrived at Thanksgiving. It's not exactly a celebratory episode: Betty's cranky about both her new diet and Don's new wife; Pete's still struggling to figure out his life; and Don and Ginsberg have a showdown at work.

Roger, on the other hand, is still using his money to get everything he wants, which includes using Jane for some help landing a new client and paying off Ginsberg. And Ginsberg's success is Peggy's lack thereof; with him cleaning up, she has less and less to show for her work. Ready to break down the big moments? Just

Carry that weight: Betty's already looking noticeably thinner than the fat suit episode, and it's because she's joined Weight Watchers. Her weekly meetings seem to be helping with her portion control, but despite measuring her sad little grapefruit dinners on the scale each night, she still can't resist sucking down a little whipped cream every now and then. As much as Betty irritates me, my heart went out to her at the end of the episode when she eats her tiny Thanksgiving dinner and seriously savors her one allotted bite of stuffing.
Green-eyed monster: While Betty's picking up the kids, she gets an eyeful of Don's swanky new apartment - and his new wife. Clearly shaken up by the incident, she retaliates by spilling the beans about Anna to Sally while Sally is in the midst of making a family tree. Betty easily manipulates Sally into thinking that Megan is a liar, but the joke's on Betty in the end. After a squabble, Don explains the Anna situation to sassy Sally and Sally reports back to her mother without even mentioning the argument. Betty proceeds to freak out. I've got to hand it to Megan for convincing Don not to call Betty in a rage; not only is Megan spot-on about giving Betty what she wants, but she also diffuses the argument pretty quickly.
Fantasy land: Pete is particularly smug because he's been chatting with a reporter from the New York Times Magazine who's doing a piece about ad agencies. Once he's done bragging about his connection with Roger and Don, he assures them that he'll be the only one contacted for the interview. Pete then proceeds to have gross sexual fantasies about how the article will help him win Beth back, but - surprise - he doesn't even make it into the article! He calls Don enraged, but it's clear that Pete's really just mad at the world since, once again, things are not going his way.
Wine time: Bert asks Roger to court a potential new client, and since it's Manischewitz wine, he suggests that Roger's Jewish wife could be of service. Though Bert is a bit behind on his interoffice gossip, Roger still takes the client and asks Jane for help. In return, she asks for a small favor, and by that I mean a brand-new apartment. Roger agrees, and then proceeds to um, christen the new apartment with Jane after dinner. She's angry that he's tainted her new place, but there's a much bigger concern at play here than Jane's whining: when is all the money that Roger's been throwing around going to catch up with him?
Still got it: While Don's putting in a little overtime at the office, he comes across Ginsberg's folder of sketches, and is inspired to get back to basics. His idea is a little dark (you know, because it's based in hell and all), and he puts it head to head against Ginsberg's childlike pitch for the same product, SnoBall. The rest of the team likes both ideas, and agrees that Ginsberg should be the front-runner. Too bad Don conveniently leaves Ginsberg's pitch in the taxi, and sells his snowball's chance in hell idea to the company. Ginsberg obviously isn't in a celebratory mood, but when he confronts Don about what happened, Don just shuts him down. Now that both Don and Peggy feel threatened by Ginsberg, might we see them teaming up against him?

There's also more death omens in this week's episode, including Megan teaching Sally how to fake cry by focusing on something sad, and of course, the mysterious toxic smog that invades Thanksgiving. How'd you feel about the episode overall?

Photo courtesy of AMC

Zoe Saldana on Her Style Guru, Not Being a "Pink Girl", and More at the Cosmo Latinas Launch

Chi Diem Chau — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:43:50 PDT

With her supporting family in tow, Zoe Saldana celebrated her cover on the first issue of Cosmopolitan Latinas last night at the Press Lounge in NYC looking gorgeous in a frothy mauve Elie Saab Couture dress, Bottega Veneta clutch, Brian Atwood pumps, and Irit Design jewels. Between her infectious smile and down-to-earth personality, it was hard not to fall in love with the beautiful actress. At the event, the actress let us in on her style secrets, not being a "pink girl," and why she loves being in her 30s:

On where her style comes from: "My stylist Petra Flannery, she is my must have. I work so hard and I am nonstop that sometimes taking time to think about what I am going to wear is overwhelming. She is one of my closest friends and her taste is exquisite. I literally just show up at her door and if I have time, I love just staying with her one entire afternoon and see what I've been missing, like all of the collections in Paris, New York, or London. Petra Flannery is my go-to, my must."
On her organic style process: "I will say no to certain things; I am not a pink girl. This [dress] took years for Petra to get me to wear - feminine, pretty colors, and pastel. I always want things to be hard and poignant and sometimes, you need these things because they mellow you out, you know? They really help you feel so great."
On three words that describe her style: "Unexpected, emotional, and weather-oriented."

See pictures of Zoe Saldana on the cover of Cosmopolitan Latinas, plus read what she has to say about her Oscars dress debate, and why she loves being in her 30s.

Cosmo For Latinas Cover Girl Zoe Saldana on the Perks of Being in Her 30s

Meghan Rooney — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:28:26 PDT

Zoe Saldana looked radiant in a lilac Elie Saab number at the Cosmopolitan for Latinas launch party last night in NYC. The 33-year-old Avatar star covers the premiere issue of the magazine, which hit newsstands on May 1. Zoe has another reason to celebrate, as she's also nominated for best Latino actor at the upcoming MTV Movie Awards for her work in Colombiana.

Zoe is currently wrapped up in three new projects, shooting two thrillers, Blood Ties and Out of the Furnace, as well as a Star Trek sequel. She may once again don the tight blue suit as Neytiri in Avatar 2, but for last night's launch, Zoe was all about being herself. Having split from boyfriend of 11 years Keith Britton in November of last year, Zoe reflected on her new life. She also spoke about body image, NYC, and how it feels to be in her 30s. Zoe said:

On following her heart: "The reality is, I have gotten this far because I don’t pay attention to anything but my heart and what I want to do. And if it's a hit today, or if it’s a miss tomorrow, seriously - no regrets because if I follow my heart I can never be wrong."
On body image: "I have always been on the slender side, and I am the only one in my family! Trust me, they hate that I can eat! And I am not saying because I got it like that, but the older you get, you to have to be more conscious about your body. Not the image things that might suffer, but it's internal - your heart with cholesterol and fats, or depriving your body of certain nutrients you need just because you want to look good."
On being inspired by her hometown: "There is nothing more beautiful than coming here to New York because this is my native home. Seeing the fashion in the streets, even going into the deli or the bodega, it makes me miss New York so much. But LA is like that too. I just love art, and I don’t care if it comes in a pair of sneakers, a painting, or a Givenchy dress."
On her 30s: "I am very happy now that in my early 30s the pressure of wanting to please others dissipates more and more. And now, it's about being me. There have been a lot of changes in my life over the past year. But I am happy that through all that, the biggest gift I have been receiving every day is getting to know myself not through anybody else and not through another entity or another organization that tells me who I am but me. And it feels kind of fu*king cool being in your 30s, I have to say."

"Sometimes I Feel Like I'm Not Good Enough"

Tres Community — Sat, 05 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I'm going to warn you now, that this may end up being a rant.

OK, My boyfriend and I have been together for a year, and I've been living with him for several months, instead of having sex or doing sexual things with me, he waits till I walk out of the room, take a shower, or go to sleep, and then watches porn. And sometimes bookmarks it, and everything he watches has girls that are prettier and skinnier then I am. I'm big, like fat, (5'4" and 145 lbs) but I've lost a lot of weight for him, like 30 lbs, and I still weigh more than him,(5'8" 134 lbs) but about 10 pounds compared to 40 or so, and he likes skinny girls, he plays with my fat all of the time, and tells me I don't need to change, but then bitches when I say okay, I won't. Even though I really plan on changing, I just want to see if he's still going to bitch about me saying no. He also doesn't like my boobs, or my vag, he says he wishes I was skinny, and had perky boobs, and I guess a bony vag so he can break his hips and my hips when he humps me. My boobs were all the way up to a DD when I was at my fattest, and with that and losing so much weight, they do sag. Not bad, but a little, he also talks shit about my teeth, hair, and nipples.

He gets mad at me super easily, and I'm pretty sure when he's mad, is when the truth comes out, he's talked to other girls before, like while we have been dating. But not the way he talks to me, or anything that could be considered cheating, but when I confront him about being sneaky, he says it's nothing, that I'm just paranoid, but when I say I know it isn't that, he yells at me and says it's because he found someone he likes to talk to more than me, he also calls me a fatass and a whore everytime he gets mad at me. And, I'm pretty sure this is all because I bought a car from a dude I dated, for like a week, years before I met my new bf. So I asked him to quit talking to the girl, he says okay, and doesn't. So finally months later I asked him to delete her number, and he did. But since then things haven't been the same, he doesn't ever hold me anymore, or kiss me. We still have sex, but that's all. I honestly don't feel like I'm good enough.

On another note, sometimes when he's being really sweet, he said on a scale from 1-10, I'm a 9, and my weight is the only bad thing, so I really just don't get it. If I am good enough, why would someone act like that??

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Tracy Anderson's Weight-Loss Tips For Brides-to-Be

Leta Shy — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:39:22 PDT

It seems like Tracy Anderson has trained half of Hollywood, and one of her biggest fans, Nicole Richie, even enlisted her to help her get in shape for her 2010 wedding. "Nicole worked out six days a week, she learned dance aerobics, she did her muscular structure work, and she did it in such a healthy beautiful way," Tracy says of her client's devoted wedding prep. If you want to look like a starlet on your wedding day, here are a few tips Tracy Anderson shared with us for brides-to-be who want to get in shape.

First, start early: Don't wait until the last minute to try and lose weight and then expect miracles, Tracy warns. "The thing that is most unfortunate is when a bride comes to me and has never done anything before and is like 'Oh my god, I have to lose 30 pounds in a month,'" Tracy says. She recommends you figure out your diet and exercise plan as soon as you start looking for venue locations, at the beginning of your wedding planning, so you don't end up resorting to juice cleanses or feeding-tube diets to lose pounds weeks before your big day. (Tracy jokes, "If I were the husband-to-be, I can think of nothing less sexy than my fiance installing a feeding tube to look 120 pounds thinner on the wedding day. I'd probably call it off!")

Read on for Tracy's diet and exercise recommendations for brides!

5 Fitness Myths That Mess With Results

Prevention — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:31:20 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Jenna Bergen, Prevention

With so many people offering advice on weight loss, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. All too often I’ve overheard a hardworking gym-goer sharing a well-meaning but ill-informed tip with another exerciser. And I’m not the only one who’s heard fitness folklore being swapped on the training room floor. I spoke to top experts in the field to find out the common fitness myths they hear from clients. From the pseudo miracles of the "fat-burning" zone to the misguided magic of working out on an empty stomach, these fitness falsehoods should never be followed.

Nine Exercise Moves You're Doing Wrong

Myth No. One: Keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone

If you've been exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to shed flab faster, you could be slowing your slim down. "The fat-burning zone is a complete myth," says Wayne Westcott, PhD, Prevention advisory board member and fitness research director at Quincy College. "While it's true that you burn a higher percentage of fat calories when exercising at a moderate pace, you burn fewer calories overall." For instance, if you get on a treadmill and walk at a 3.5 mph pace for 30 minutes, you might burn 250 calories. If you raise the speed to seven miles per hour, you’d burn 500. Bottom line? "It’s much better to go at the faster speed." Prefer the elliptical trainer? Make sure you're not making one of the top 10 elliptical trainer mistakes.

Myth No. Two: Boosting cardio is the best way to bypass a plateau

"The most effective way to lose weight is to include both cardio and weights in your routine," says Jari Love, star of the Get Extremely Ripped: 1000 Hardcore DVD. "One study found that when individuals cycled for 30 minutes a day, they lost three pounds of fat and gained a half pound of muscle in eight weeks. But individuals who cycled for 15 minutes and weight trained for 15 minutes a day lost 10 pounds of fat and gained two pounds of calorie-burning muscle."

Try This Workout to Drop Two Sizes by Summer!

Keep reading! We bust three more myths after the break.