How Stacy Keibler Squeezes in a Workout…No Matter What
Keibler has learned to fit in exercise any time, any where! (Photo courtesy of Valspar Paint)
Actress and former WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler has a busy social schedule. (But at least she’s got George Clooney as arm candy to go with her dress!) Whether it’s a gala, charity affair or an awards show, she seems to be always on the go. Which makes us wonder, how does she find the time to look so darn good? We chatted with Keibler at–you guessed it–an event as she helped launch the Valspar Love Your Color Guarantee Project, which is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to donate $1 up to $50,000 by virtually painting houses through the Valspar Facebook page (through November 7). Read below to see why Keibler got involved in the project and how she manages to stay fit with her jet-setting schedule.
What made you decide to be a part of the Valspar Love Your Color Guarantee Project and Habitat for Humanity initiative?
I’ve actually done a build with Habitat for Humanity, which was a rewarding experience for me. What I love about the Love Your Color Guarantee Project from Valspar is that not only if you don’t love your color that you’re putting up in your house they will guarantee a replacement color for you, but they are also going to give $21 million in cash and paint to Habitat for Humanity, so it’s an amazing partnership all around.
Categories: Causes, Celebrity, Fitness, The Fit Stop | Tags: celebrity workouts, Charity, exercise, Fitness, stacy keibler fitness tips
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Meet Beefy the Bulldog, Skateboarding for a Good Cause
Beefy the Bulldog Skates Against Breast Cancer (How can you say no to this?)
From running on pink treadmills to collecting pink lids, there’s a variety of ways to help raise money for breast cancer research and awareness this month. But the most adorable fighter against the disease has got to be Beefy the Bulldog. This skateboarding pup has been traveling around the country with Boarding for Breast Cancer, a nonprofit that aims to educate young people about breast cancer and advocates for self-exams and an active lifestyle.
Erin Clemens, Beefy’s owner, was diagnosed with breast cancer at 25 and has since worked to raise money and awareness about breast cancer. “That was the least of my worries when I was 25,” says Clemens, who found a lump when she accidentally scratched herself. “I didn’t even fathom that I’d have breast cancer. My advice to young women would be to do breast self exams like it’s brushing your teeth. Just do it once a month even when you’re young so you know how they feel if there’s a difference. You should know your body.” Read more
Categories: Causes, Fitness, Motivation | Tags: beefy the bulldog, boarding for breast cancer, breast cancer
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Go Pink This Month with Cybex
Each sweat sesh donates 10 cents to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and helps decrease your own risk! (Photo courtesy of Cybex International)
Written by Jennifer Fiorentino, editorial intern
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, with one in eight women developing breast cancer during their lifetime. The statistics are alarming, but fortunately there are companies, like Cybex, that are willing to help support research. Earlier this month, the leading exercise equipment manufacturer announced their Fourth Annual Pink Ribbon Run. For every mile logged on their new pink treadmill this October, Cybex will donate 10 cents to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. They have raised over $100,0000 the past three years and are expecting to exceed their current record!
Research has proven that regular exercise may reduce a woman’s breast cancer risk.“Participating in daily cardio for 30 minutes at moderate intensity shows a decrease in all of the biomarkers associated with cancer,” said Angela Corcoran, MS, Director of Education at the Cybex Research Institute. “Recent studies suggest that there is a very close link between excess body fat and breast cancer, specifically abdominal fat. Exercise decreases cortisol levels which are closely associated with abdominal fat.”
So what are you waiting for? Hop on a pink treadmill near you to help fight breast cancer, one stride at a time. Forty-three states are supporting the cause. Check out Cybex’s website to find a participating gym near you.
Sweat For Your Vets
Get your spin on for a great cause. (Photo courtesy of Fuse/Getty Images)
Written by Deanna Cioppa, editorial intern
Anyone who’s ever attended a Spinning class knows what an intense workout it can be. But did you know that Spinning and cycling can be useful activities in the recovery and rehab process for wounded veterans? The Ride 2 Recovery initiative, a joint venture between the Fitness Challenge Foundation and the Military and VA Volunteer Service Office, aids in the healing process by raising money for Spinning Recovery Labs and other rehabilitative cycling programs at military and VA sites across the country.
Putting together a nationwide network of cycling labs is no easy feat, but on November 3, you can help our veterans while you get a killer workout. The fifth annual Spinning Nation charity ride will bring together cyclists across the country to support Ride 2 Recovery. Participating cycling studios will donate two one-hour classes each. (If you happen to be at the Yokota Air Base in Japan, stop by – they’re participating, too!) Once you register for a class online ($25 fee), get friends and family to sponsor your fitness fest. Studios who bring in at least $10,000 will have a donation of up to 20 bikes made in their name to a military base of their choice.
In the last two years, Spinning Nation has raised more than $250,000 for Ride 2 Recovery. So stop by Spinning Nation’s website and register today. You’ll be doing your body (and many others’) a whole lot of good.
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Hockey Hunk Sean Avery Spins for Charity
Categories: Causes, Fitness, The Fit Stop, Workouts | Tags: charity ride, Ride 2 Recovery, Spinning Nation, veterans, wounded soldiers
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Why You Should Shop a Little Smarter This Month
Look for this seal when you shop for the Fair Trade stamp of approval. (Photo courtesy Fair Trade USA)
Written by Ashley Koff, R.D. FITNESS advisory board member and founder of Ashley Koff Approved
October is a unique time of year. As summer ends and winter approaches, we make changes to adjust our bodies and minds. The changing of seasons is a great time to think about our health and power – individually and globally. It’s an important time to learn about women’s empowerment and health issues (such as breast cancer awareness), but also another issue that affects women and sustainable food production directly–Fair Trade Month. It’s a time to think about how everyday purchases affect the lives of millions of families who produce the food that feeds us.
You may think of Fair Trade as a label for your daily cup of coffee, but do you know what’s behind it? Fair Trade certification helps to improve the lives of women and their families across the globe, as well as protect the environment. This really hit home for me when I heard is the story of Maria Filha de Jesus, a coffee farm worker in Brazil who has needed eyeglasses for many years but could not afford them (she is 60!); it was getting harder and harder to do her job and see at home. Now that Maria works on a Fair Trade farm, she receives a wealth of benefits and finally got her long overdue pair of glasses that will allow her to continue working with the ability to pick the best beans possible.
Everyone can help women like Maria with the power of their dollar. Buying Fair Trade Certified products like tea, coffee, chocolate and produce (among others) not only guarantees that you are getting quality products, it means mothers, children and communities worldwide get paid fairly which translates into better healthcare, social care, environmental care and so much more.
That’s why this month is the perfect time to celebrate women’s health and empowerment through your everyday choices. Creating big impact is easy. For example, simply swap one of your staple grocery items with a Fair Trade Certified product. Why not upgrade your morning caffeine routine by switching your typical brew for a cup of Fair Trade Certified coffee paired with a Fair Trade Certified banana? It’s that simple, and makes a bigger difference than you think.
Read on for a Fair Trade recipe perfect for fall from Koff. Read more
Categories: Causes, Healthy Eating, The Fit Stop | Tags: fair trade month, Healthy Eating, healthy foods, healthy recipe
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The 7-Year Breast Cancer Survivor: One Woman’s Story
Eloise is using her experiences from battling breast cancer to help others going through the same diagnosis. (Photo courtesy of Avon Walk for Breast Cancer)
Eloise Caggiano is the program director for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and a 7-year breast cancer survivor herself. Below, she shares her story as well as what to say and do if someone you know has been diagnosed.
I was a 33-year-old woman living in New York City with great friends, an active social life, a successful career in public relations, two marathons under my belt and a gym membership card tattered from overuse. All was well in my world. Then I received my breast cancer diagnosis and everything changed. My life was consumed with fighting breast cancer–five surgeries, four months of chemotherapy, shedding my long hair and definitely some tears.
Once I was diagnosed and going through treatments, I could have easily wallowed in my misery, complained, and stayed home feeling sorry for myself. Instead, I chose to get up every day like a “normal” person, get dressed, pop on my wig, and go to work. It wasn’t always easy and I had to adjust my workload because I didn’t always feel well and was pretty tired, but I knew if I went to work it would make the day go faster, I’d feel more productive and chances are, at some point during the day someone would make me laugh. None of that would happen if I stayed home on my couch by myself. It was important to me to keep as many things as “normal” as possible — I wanted to feel like I still had some normalcy in my life, like going to work, going to the gym, spending time with friends.
Categories: Causes, Health | Tags: breast cancer, breast cancer awareness
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3 New Ways to Show Support During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Don’t forget to squeeze in some extra workouts this month–sweating for an hour a day can reduce your breast cancer risk by 15 percent. (Photo courtesy Peter Ardito)
October has become a sea of pink. From NFL uniforms to charity concerts and more, breast cancer awareness is doing just that–making everyone, everywhere aware. You may know causes and initiatives like the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Avon Foundation and more, but there are tons of ways you can get involved this month. To help you not get overwhelmed on where to give or how to help, check out these causes and sites below:
1. Support the newly diagnosed: Women who are dealing with breast cancer need a support system, and while friends and family may provide that, most can’t relate to what their loved one is going through. If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed, recommend mybcteam.com, a social network strictly for women battling the disease. You can search for women in your area, read their stories, get doctor recommendations and even what medications they’ve tried to connect and get help, both medically and emotionally. Read more
Categories: Causes, Health, The Fit Stop | Tags: breast cancer awareness, breast cancer awareness month
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Medtronic Global Heroes Overcome Illness and Fear With Running
Ellie sped along at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Half to a high-energy playlist including artists like the Black Eyed Peas, Girl Talk, Akon and Outcast. (Photo courtesy of Ryan Wilhelm)
As Christopher McDougall said in his book, Born to Run, “The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other…but to be with each other.” Thanks to advances in medical technology, 25 long-distance runners who have struggled with chronic illnesses will be competing side-by-side in the upcoming Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and 10 Mile races. These individuals, named 2012’s “Medtronic Global Heroes,” will celebrate their perseverance, accomplishments and passions for running on October 7.
We caught up with two of the female heroes, 10 mile contestant, Ellie Wilhelm and marathon participant, Rhonda Foulds (a Get-Healthy Success Story). Being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and Parkinson’s disease, respectively, has not held these two fighters back from pursuing their dreams. Here’s a look at their inspiring stories.
Ellie, 28, was 4-years-old when she was diagnosed with Atrial-Ventricular Septal Defect. She underwent open-heart surgery and had an active childhood until fainting spells in the 6th grade raised alarm. “I needed a pacemaker. I realized that I was not invincible and this is when my anxiety related to exercised developed,” Ellie said. Ellie struggled emotionally through high school and college athletics, often giving up in fear of pushing herself too hard. “A light bulb went off after college that told me that the only thing holding me back was ME.”
Ellie started small, working her way up to her first half-marathon with regular 5k races and completed her first 26.2 this past Memorial Day weekend. “Sometimes all I need is a run to keep me from making a poor food choice and relieve stress. The pacemaker should NOT be a limitation.” With more energy and her fitness fear behind her, Ellie has gotten involved in her community through running, joining the Ironheart Racing Team, a national organization that raises money and awareness for congenital heart defects (CHD), as well as Girls on the Run, an after-school program that teaches young girls about self-esteem, character, team building and healthy living. Read more
Categories: Causes, Fitness, Motivation, The Fit Stop | Tags: Girls on the Run, half marathon, Ironheart Racing Team, marathon, Medtronic Global Heroes
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Martina McBride Joins the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Martina is fighting breast cancer, are you? (Photo courtesy of Joe Dickie/Generation Photography)
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and soon you’ll see a lot of great companies jumping on board to support such a worthy cause. For the last 13 years, you’ve likely seen Yoplait’s pink lids stocked in the yogurt aisle of your grocery store, ready for you to redeem the little code that signals a donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. But this year, the Save Lids to Save Lives initiative is going bigger.
While you’ll still find the standard pink lids on Yoplait’s yogurt, they’ll also be popping up on more than 20 General Mills brands – think Honey Nut Cheerios, Progresso, Pillsbury and more. The program still works the same: Find a pink lid, clip it and hand it off to your favorite mail person by June 30, 2013. For every lid received, General Mills will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to $2,500,000. Eat to save lives? Now that’s something we can do!
Need a little more to sweeten the deal? Multi-platinum country crooner Martina McBride has teamed up with the campaign to help further raise awareness. After her hit “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” touched so many people who have been affected by cancer, we couldn’t think of a better spokesperson ourselves. We chatted with the star to find out more about her involvement, and which General Mills product she’s clipping pink lids from!
Why did you get involved in the Save Lids to Save Lives Campaign?
When I worked on my song “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” I got to meet a bunch of cancer survivors and their families, friends and supporters. It really had an impact on me and I made a connection and just wanted to do something to give back and make a difference. Then this opportunity came up with General Mills, and I had worked with them before, so I thought it was a great, simple way to give back.
So you’re now involved with this campaign that fights cancer, and your song has really become an anthem for those battling cancer. Is this a cause that’s close to you?
I think it’s a really important cause and it affects so many people. I didn’t write the song myself, but when I first heard it, I felt really moved by it and it wasn’t like anything I had ever heard before. I felt like it was really inspiring and that’s what I try to do with my music. I felt like this could inspire at least one person.
Categories: Causes, Celebrity, The Fit Stop | Tags: breast cancer, breast cancer awareness month, general mills, Save Lids to Save Lives, Susan G Komen, yoplait
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Women Celebrate Life with LUNAFEST Film Festival
Watch the inspiring stories of women come to life, like in the short film “When I Grow Up” and raise money to fight breast cancer. Double win. (Photo courtesy of LUNAFEST)
Have you ever felt the urge to watch a film that’s all about women and everything we have to deal with simply because of our gender? The movies that are created by women, for women, sometimes know exactly how to tug at our heart strings and remind us that we’re not the only ones going through something with major impact. And LUNAFEST wants to help remind women that those films are out there, ready to be watched. In fact, if you’re in San Francisco, you can start watching nine new films with these messages tonight at the 12th annual LUNAFEST kickoff event!
LUNAFEST is a traveling film-festival that hosts award-winning short films created by, for and about women. This year’s flicks center around hope, humor and reflection. Sound like your cup of tea, but you’re not anywhere near San Francisco? That’s OK! Women can host their own festival throughout October. And if you do, you’ll get a double-dose of warm fuzzies: all events hosted throughout October help raise money and awareness for the Breast Cancer Fund.
If the urge strikes past October though, you haven’t missed your opportunity. LUNAFEST travels to over 150 cities to raise funds for local non-profits. Do a good deed while watching an inspiring movie? Now that’s a night we don’t want to miss.
Visit the LUNAFEST website for more information on where the festival will travel to and how you can get involved.
More from FITNESS:
Gear Up For A Good Cause: 2012 Breast Cancer Awareness Products
Skydiving Fit Females Create ‘Pink Skies’ in Documentary
Prevent Breast Cancer At Any Age
Categories: Causes, Health, The Fit Stop | Tags: breast cancer awareness, Charity, lunafest
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