Causes

Give Back With the K-Swiss Stand Up To Cancer Line

May 17, 2012 at 12:08 pm
By Karla Walsh

Many of us have been there: One of our family members or loved ones have been diagnosed with a chronic disease and given a grim prognosis. We feel an urgent desire to assist them, but can feel helpless against the powerful disease. Enter cause-based races, events and products, which offer an opportunity to support research and education so that future generations will hopefully experience fewer of these moments than we do.

One of our recent favorites? The K-Swiss/ Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) partnership. The new SU2C line from the brand is about more than cute gear (although that is surely included)—it focuses on accelerating research projects that hope to bring a cure. K-Swiss is donating $5 for each SU2C product purchased through the end of 2013. And if your spiffy sneakers have you ready for a new challenge, you can join Team SU2C, which helps individuals or groups raise money for the charity by participating in sporting events around the country, like Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathons and Ironman triathlon events.

To learn more, click here or watch the video below.

More from FITNESS:

• Run, Walk, Get Fit For a Cause
• Team NARS Completes Triathlon, Raising $100,000 For Charity
• 4 Charity Races On Our Bucket Lists

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World Lupus Day: One Woman’s Story

May 10, 2012 at 1:18 pm
By Christie Griffin

Aspiring to work at a major fashion magazine since she was a child, Lauren Finney saw her dreams almost crumble when she was devastated by the diagnosis of lupus about five years ago.

Within weeks of her moving to New York and pursuing a career in the fashion industry, Lauren developed a hard, painful, red and growing rash all over her neck and face—a horror for someone trying to excel in a field so focused on appearances! This first warning sign was followed by extreme fatigue, hair loss and a multitude of doctor’s visits.  But, after multiple opinions and doctors, two hospitalizations, a strict medicine plan, and—thankfully—the enduring support of her fashion colleagues, Lauren was finally diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that impacts the skin, joints, kidneys and other organs.

Lauren may have broken into the competitive fashion world, but not without simultaneously enduring a diagnosis that felt confusing, frightening and dream-destroying. But she is hardly alone; 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus, 90 percent of whom are young women. Lauren’s work with the SLE Lupus Foundation  has allowed her to help others cope and find hope through research that’s taking place. Here, she answers a few questions about her experience:

Q: Why do you think more people don’t know about lupus?

LF: Lupus is such a weird topic. Every time I told someone I have it, they say,” Oh, I know someone who has it…what is that?” People know it’s out there, but what manifests as symptoms and issues in one person is not necessarily the same for someone else. This makes lupus hard to spot, hard to diagnose, hard to treat and hard to understand.

Q: Is the difficulty you had in getting diagnosed with lupus typical?

LF: Yes, it’s entirely common for someone to have trouble getting diagnosed. The symptoms one sees with lupus are often symptoms of other disorders and diseases. It takes on average three years for someone to get fully diagnosed. I feel lucky it only took a year for me.

Q: In your experience, what did you find to be the most common misconception about the disease and how did you overcome it?

Read more

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Run the World (Girls)! 3 Ways to Celebrate the Anniversary of Title IX

May 9, 2012 at 3:27 pm
By Karla Walsh

Just 40 years ago, girls were often sitting on the sidelines while boys had fun on the athletic playing fields. Before the landmark Title IX legislation was passed in 1972, 30,000 women (or one in 27) participated in high school sports. Today, that number is more like 3,000,000 (or one in 2.5)! Another fun fact: The 2012 Olympic Games will be the first in which male and female events will be held in equal numbers.

So this summer, leading up to the official 40th anniversary of the law on June 23, here are three ways we’re celebrating the fittest females we know.

1. Relive all of the greatest women’s sports moments and superstars with espnW‘s Power of IX. They are counting down the Top 40 Female Athletes of the Past 40 Years, revealing a new selection each weekday. Click on over to see a video and details about each winner as they are counted down.
2. While you’re at espnW, add your photo to the mosaic of female athletes! You’ll join the ranks of pros from Billie Jean King to Serena Williams as well as “everyday” women who love to golf, play frisbee and swim. Simply upload your image and explain why “Title IX is mine.”
3. To take the Title IX celebrations to the gym, we’re wearing adorable tops by the aptly named company Title Nine. Their Power of 9 line includes eight tees which will be rolled out throughout the summer. As an added bonus, nine percent of sales will benefit Starting Block, a non-profit that helps girls across the U.S. get involved with sports. Our favorite designs so far: Champion Girl (seen above) and Determination.

Now tell us: What does Title IX mean to you and how has the women’s sports landscape changed since you started playing?

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Spring Clean Your Pantry to Help Stamp Out Hunger

May 9, 2012 at 12:23 pm
By Karla Walsh

The words “spring cleaning” conjure up images of scrubbing floors, washing windows and maybe tidying up the garden so it’s ready for a new batch of plants. But while you’re accomplishing all of these things, why not tidy up your kitchen too? As an extra dose of motivation, if you do so this week, you can help a good cause at the same time (and who doesn’t love to multitask?)!

Just like FITNESS, Stamp Out Hunger, the nation’s largest one-day food drive, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. In 2011, Americans cleaned out their pantries or shopped for nonperishable goods to donate 70.2 million pounds of food to Feeding America through the program. We talk quite a bit about obesity here, but it’s important to remember that more than 1 in 5 kids in the U.S. may go hungry today.

Helping out is easy: Simply leave a bag of non-perishable foods (soup and other canned items, pasta, juice, cereal, etc.) next to your mailbox before the USPS carrier arrives on Saturday. Your donation will then be dropped off at a local Feeding America or other food bank to help those in need in your community.

Find out more on the Stamp Out Hunger Facebook page.

More from FITNESS: Learn how to spring clean your life—physically, emotionally and financially.

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FCancer: Not Your Average Non-Profit

May 7, 2012 at 11:28 am
By Colleen Moody

Warning: Once you hear about Yael Cohen, 25, you’re probably going to feel a little lazy. In 2009, after watching her mother recover from breast cancer surgery Cohen heard the phrase “F Cancer” in passing, except it really stuck with her. “It’s just a sentence, but the sentiment is so natural and brave at the same time,” she told us at a visit to the FITNESS offices last week. In witnessing her mother’s experience with cancer she was shocked to find out that 90 percent of cancers are curable if caught in Stage 1. So she set out to found FCancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Generation Y to learn and teach their parents about early detection. You read that right, the kids teach the parents this time around. “All kids think they know more than their parents,” said Cohen, “and with our site we give them the tools so that in this instance, they actually do.”

Cohen’s site, letsfcancer.com uses social media (which 99.9 percent of Gen-Yers are already on) to spread their digital campaigns like The Cancer Talk, where celebrities from Sophia Bush to Adrian Grenier made YouTube videos of their experiences of having The Sex Talk with their parents, how to give your parents The Cancer Talk and the importance of early detection.

Read more

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4 Ways to Go Green For Earth Day This Weekend

April 20, 2012 at 10:08 am
By Karla Walsh

Living an eco-friendly lifestyle has become a year-round affair. However, the environment gets a little extra love in April, and on Sunday in particular for Earth Day. Here are four fun ways to mark the holiday this weekend…no composting required (unless you want to, of course)!

1. Make a pledge to go green. Plant a garden, unplug appliances you aren’t using, cut a minute off your shower time…it all adds up. Do an “act of green” this weekend and log it at earthday.org to be a part of the Earth Day Network’s Billion Acts of Green.
   
2. Find earth-smart family entertainment at your IMAX theater. Step into the polar bear-filled world—you’ll feel like you should have brought your winter coat to the theater the 3D is so real!—for a virtual trip To The Arctic. The 40-minute film narrated by Meryl Streep shows the struggles animals and wildlife are having in the region as global temperatures rise. It’s sure to spark some interesting family discussions!
3. Head to Target for a free reusable shopping bag. On Sunday, the superstore will be handing out 1.5 million totes across the country to encourage visitors to shop more sustainably. Grab one near guest services, and while you’re there, snag a booklet for savings on Earth Month products. For more details, click here.
4. Check out page 24 of our April issue for our favorite eco-friendly finds. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your garden, wardrobe or walls, we selected six of our favorite environmentally-conscious and wallet-friendly goodies to feature. Take a look and treat yourself or a pal!

Now tell us: How will you be celebrating Earth Day this weekend?

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Embrace Your Belly! S.E.A.K. Can Help With That

April 19, 2012 at 11:41 am
By Jenna Autuori

Are you that girl that wants to rip off your tank during a grueling Tabata class or during an extra hot and sweaty indoor cycling class, or maybe the heat in Bikram yoga just makes you feel so free that you want to…? Are you thinking how great it would be to lose the shirt and sport that pretty Lululemon sports bra, but you’re wondering is everyone else OK with me being OK with this? Wonder no more. Embrace this feeling, love your body, feel the sweat and let it all out!

Sometimes there is one moment that has more of an impact than you even thought it could—that’s what happened when SoulCycle instructor Jenny Gaither expanded a one-time sports bra challenge class into an entire movement. She wanted to empower more than a single classroom to push past their insecurities and really love their lady curves—and show the world they can rock it in a sports bra. So next month on May 17, Jenny’s nonprofit organization, the S.E.A.K. (Strive Embrace Achieve Know) Foundation will host it’s debut event in Union Square Park. This can’t-miss movement called the Sports Bra Challenge will be an outdoor workout, packed with back-to-back turbo-charged 100 seat SoulCycle cycling classes and a group yoga session led by popular yogi Halle Becker. All proceeds raised on this day will go to the S.E.A.K. Foundation, which will initiate and support after-school programs to help young girls face body image issues and promote positive self-esteem when it’s needed most; and the City of Hope, an organization which supports women going through chemotherapy and rehabilitation during medial treatments.

The Sports Bra Challenge asks you to take a look at yourself and be proud of where you are with your body—so pull out that best sports bra and hop on a bike or hit a mat this May during Women’s Health Week. You don’t have to be there on May 17th to participate—ask your favorite gym class to host a sports bra only day and raise money to donate to these charities.

I scored a coveted seat at last week’s kickoff event at SoulCycle Union Square and a sampler of instructors brought out their best tunes and tricks—a little taste of what I know is to come! Registration for seats are open now and although prices aren’t cheap—get your charity sites up (set up your own and create a PayPal account)—you’re sure to feel good about being part of this day.

Bonus: Hosted by the girls who got their groove back, Biggest Loser winner and runner-up Olivia Ward and her sister Hannah Curlee, and a surprise guest (Lady Gaga is that you!?) who will be motivating you to move!

Check out this movement that’s sure to touch anybody who’s ever thought about rocking it in a sports bra! (Need some inspiration? Check out our favorites!)

SPORTS BRA CHALLENGE REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!

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Models Who Score Points: A Look at the 2012 MBVT

April 17, 2012 at 8:42 am
By Christie Griffin

There are modeling competitions…and then there are models who compete.

We prefer focusing on the latter, and the athletic, crazy-cool Ludus Athletics Model Beach Volleyball Tournament in South Beach a few short weeks ago is a prime example of model behavior that may motivate you to start getting summer-ready! Pictures worth being jealous of:

Read more

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Don’t Throw Out Those Used Sneaks! How to Recycle Old Fitness Gear

April 10, 2012 at 7:00 am
By fitsugar

Exercising regularly means going through lots of fitness gear. Instead of just tossing out old kicks or a worn-out yoga mat, do something good for the Earth. Here are ways to recycle or reuse old workout gear.

Sneakers

• Donate: You can toss them in a Goodwill bin, or send them to an organization that’ll put them to good use. Soles4Souls‘s tag line is “Saving the world — one pair at a time.” This organization takes your tired, but “gently worn,” sneakers and finds needy feet to fill them. They strongly suggest organizing shoe drives and mailing all the pairs to one of their three warehouse locations. Another organization, One World Running, has been serving runners around the world since 1986. Through collection programs, they are able to provide shoes for needy runners across the world. Check here for drop-off locations.
• Recycle: Turn your old shoes into something new. Nike Reuse-A-Shoe takes all brands of sneakers that are beyond “gently worn” and turns them into a recycled product known as Nike Grind, which is used to make tracks, indoor basketball courts, fields, and playgrounds. Just drop off your retired sneakers at any Nike store, or check here for drop-off locations.
• Reuse: Keep an old pair of sneakers around for days when you’re running or walking in the rain or on muddy trails. Some people even use old shoes as plant potters. Fill a disinfected shoe with soil and grow some basil or cilantro on your deck or windowsill.

Clothes

• Donate: When you buy newer gear, pass on your old gear to friends or siblings, or donate them to Goodwill, a homeless shelter, or other charity store.
• Recycle: Patagonia accepts all its products back for recycling. Either mail them to Patagonia or drop them off at a retail store.
• Reuse: Used fitness clothes make excellent old rags for cleaning. Cut them up and store them in a bag under the kitchen sink.

Keep reading to find out what you can do with your old fitness equipment and yoga mats.

More from FitSugar:

Put a Spring in Your Step With These Seasonal Running Essentials
3 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With Your Workout
This Shoe-Tying Technique That Will Change Your Life

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Models Making a Difference

March 21, 2012 at 9:35 am
By Christie Griffin

In 10 days, the 2012 Ludus Athletics Model Beach Volleyball Tournament will hit South Beach—and give us a motivational kick in the butt to get ready for bikini season. But the two-day event will also give us a little boost of hope, too, thanks to its charity partnership, Models 4 Water.

Co-founder models Georgie Badiel (runway stunner) and Heide Lindgren (face of Guess by Marciano) started M4W last year, with the goal of raising money to bring sustainable, clean water to the people in Burkina Faso, Georgie’s homeland. The country is one of the poorest in the world and about 85 percent of the population doesn’t have clean drinking water. And as you may suspect, most of the burden of finding usable water falls on the local women.

“We want to use our level of exposure to give back and work (as an industry) together to make a difference,” Heide says. “But this isn’t about being a ‘rewarding experience.’ It’s about fulfilling your duty as a human being to use your blessings to help bless others.”

M4W works with The Water Project, which also hosts the donations. (They’ll accept as little as $1, so go for it!) But the Model Beach Volleyball Tournament will also have an area dedicated to M4W, and additional Global Ambassadors will lend their image and connections to the cause in the future.

Until then, Heide says the dream is simple: “Water is one of the few things the body requires to live, and we don’t want access to clean water to be an issue or concern for anyone.”

Stay tuned for more updates about the exciting 2012 Ludus Athletics Model Beach Volleyball Tournament, an event FITNESS is proud to partner with!

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