Win an Exclusive Half-Marathon Necklace!

April 10, 2013 at 2:17 pm
By FITNESS Editors

Bling it on!

In celebration of our 10th annual More/FITNESS Women’s Half-Marathon this Sunday, three lucky readers will each score an exclusive, sterling silver necklace from Erica Sara Designs!

You can enter to win between now through next Tuesday. Don’t want to wait to see if you won? Pop on over to the ESD site and use the code FITNESSHALF to purchase this fabulous necklace for 20 percent off.

Enter to win here and good luck!

 Official rules

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Top Chef Judge Tom Colicchio’s Clean Kitchen Tips (Plus Salad Recipe!)

April 10, 2013 at 1:30 pm
By Lauren Cardarelli

Tom Colicchio, renowned James Beard “Outstanding Chef” and Top Chef judge, takes a simple, produce-packed approach to cuisine, telling us that the one culinary skill everyone should know is how to properly season your dish. Don’t overcomplicate it! “Simple salt and pepper go a long way,” he said. We asked Tom about his kitchen must-haves, sandwich suggestions and how he keeps his kitchen safe from cross-contamination. Here’s what Bounty’s partner dished. (His salad recipe below is out of this world!)

What are five of your kitchen staples?

Beyond the right cleaning supplies—keeping the kitchen clean as you go is a must—my staples are pretty basic. All I really need are sharp knives, a cutting board, a couple of decent pots and pans and salt and pepper to season, and I’m ready to go.

How can we add healthy variety to break a monotonous diet funk?

Produce is the answer. I always start with produce whenever I’m developing a dish because seasonal ingredients allow you to add different flavors to a meal and give whatever protein you’re working with an entirely new spin. Proteins tend to remain the same, season to season, but vegetables change. Visit your local farmer’s market or supermarket and see what fruits and vegetables are in season. Once you figure out what’s in season, you can choose what protein you want to work with. You can create so many different, healthy meals by combining seasonal produce and protein and varying the base flavors with spices and cooking methods.

How can our readers lighten up their lunchboxes? Do you have a healthy sandwich suggestion?

I’ve noticed that people are becoming more aware of their diets as they adopt healthier lifestyles. I think people can lighten up lunch by eating less protein and turning to more vegetable-based diets. I like to take fresh salads and turn them into quick, portable lunches. For instance, if you make my fennel salad with yogurt vinaigrette, you could put it into a toasted whole wheat pita and grab it to go for a tasty and nutritious version of fast food.

If you could cook for any person—living or dead—who would it be?

I’d love to cook for—or with—Teddy Roosevelt.  He was a big outdoorsman and had a huge appreciation for the natural beauty of America.

How do you keep your kitchen clean and safe from contamination?

I’m obsessive about keeping everything clean in the kitchen, both at home and on the job. Paper towels are a must—I use them to tidy up as I go instead of a dishcloth. You can actually cross-contaminate kitchen surfaces if you wipe up with a used, germy dishcloth. It can harbor and spread germs, so using a durable paper towel like new Bounty DuraTowel is a much more effective way to clean. And one sheet really goes a long way – I can mop up everything from sticky sauce spills on the counter top to cleaning spatters off the fridge which helps me keep my momentum going.

Fennel Salad with Yogurt Vinaigrette
Serves 4

1 bulb of fennel, trimmed and cored
1 cucumber
1 head endive
6 radishes
1 apple, cored
½ cup of sheeps milk yogurt (plain or Greek yogurt can be used as substitutes)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (mint, chive, cilantro, basil, parsley, etc.)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Juice of one lemon

With a mandolin, thinly slice the fennel, cucumber and radishes and add the watercress and endive. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the yogurt, lemon, vinegar, soy sauce and cayenne and slowly add the olive oil. Add chopped fresh herbs. Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve.

Now tell us: How do you keep your culinary haven safe from germs?

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Sean Lowe’s Post-Bachelor Fitness Challenge

April 10, 2013 at 9:00 am
By Marianne Magno

With his search for true love officially–and successfully–over, The Bachelor‘s Sean Lowe is ready to take on different challenges. Not only is the former football player putting on his dancing shoes every Monday and Tuesday on Dancing With the Stars, he also put on his running shoes last Saturday for the Warrior Dash, the world’s largest obstacle race series. We chatted with the busy ex-Bachelor last week about getting ready for the race and his DWTS training.

Do you feel ready for the race?
I hope I’m ready. I’ve been keeping up my cardio with dancing, so hopefully that helps.

How long have you been running?
I’m actually not a runner, I’ve never run before in my life. Usually I do the stairclimber or elliptical at the gym. Right now a 5k is the most I can go. A couple of years ago I heard about Warrior Dash and that it’s an amazing race so I signed up with friends and had a blast. People dress up and have fun. We had the time of our lives. Afterwards you can eat, listen to music and hang out with your fellow competitors. I told myself I’d do it every year. I wasn’t able to do it last year because of filming The Bachelorette so I’m happy to be able do it this year.

How do you train for an obstacle race like this?
I don’t know if you can train for it, that’s the cool aspect. I think we had to jump over cars last time, which is something you can’t really train for. I’m just hoping I’ve built up enough endurance.

When you’re not training for a race like this, what’s your typical fitness routine like?
I go to the gym 5 days a week, hitting a different body part each day. I typically do cardio for 30 minutes and hit the weights for 45 minutes.

You’re a pretty fit guy already, but Dancing With the Stars is a whole ‘nother challenge. How is training for DWTS going?
It’s challenging but I feel like I’m in extremely good shape now from all the cardio. But I haven’t been doing as much weights as I usually do. We have about 6-8 hours of rehearsal a day. I have fun performing and feel comfortable . The Cha-Cha was really fun and high-energy. Next is the Viennese waltz which is slower. I’m excited to do something different. I love the challenge of learning a new routine. The tougher the better. Read more

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Dancing with the Stars Week 4: The Dance That Works Your Core

April 9, 2013 at 3:40 pm
By FITNESS Editors

Think dancing’s not a workout? Think again. This week, celebrity guest blogger Karina Smirnoff talks about the added perks of the Fox Trot, and pushing past mental blocks.

Written by Karina Smirnoff

After last week’s sexy, emotionally charged Rumba I was eager to tackle the Fox Trot. We had a really special theme, which was “My Most Memorable Year” and Jacoby’s couldn’t have been more incredible! As most of you now know, Jacoby has a beautiful baby boy, Jacoby Jones Jr. and despite winning the Super Bowl, he was the obvious highlight of 2012.

The song we danced to was Rodney Atkins “Watching You”, which is extremely sentimental for JJ. Never knowing his own father, he has vowed to do all the things he never got to experience with his own dad. It was so fun to watch Jacoby with his son! He’s so sweet and gentle yet can make his little boy laugh with ease. It was great to spend time with them and really helped to inspire this week’s dance. Read more

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The Boys of Summer

April 9, 2013 at 10:00 am
By Argy Koutsothanasis

It’s that time of year in NYC when everyone is restless and so over winter. We’re all chomping at the bit for warmer weather. I’m not gonna lie—I’m a total beach bum. The last week I’ve been working on swimsuits for our July/August cover shoot, strategizing over what cool sporty bikini will look best on our cover girl. But yesterday when the temperature hit that 70* mark I was ready to start thinking about what I’d like to be wearing on the beach in Miami while I stand behind the scenes of the Fitness cover shoot. It’s an easy answer after my meeting with the Faherty twins. They just launched a brand of swimsuits that is everything I love: surf-inspired, in yummy mixable prints, that give killer coverage for an active girl (running back and forth between wardrobe changes requires a suit that keeps my girls put!). I should also mention that the brand offers the softest swimsuit fabrics I’ve come across so far.

So this morning before getting to work I went on fahertybrand.com and ordered my swimsuit for next week (this top, and this bottom..how cute?). I’m so ready for Miami—now I just have to wait for the Faherty’s to launch their T-shirts and rompers!

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Music Monday: Our Country Croonin’ Playlist

April 8, 2013 at 5:02 pm
By Samantha Shelton

Country music is having a moment. Last night’s star-studded Academy of Country Music Awards and Jason Aldean’s seven-minute Madison Square Garden sell-out are proof that the guitar strummin’, banjo playin’ vocal powerhouses are moving outside of Nashville and into the mainstream…including our workouts. Worried you can’t get a good sweat on to something other than techno beats and peppy pop? We’re here to prove you wrong. In fact, last Saturday I ran a half-marathon and my playlist was mostly made up of Luke Bryan’s, Spring Break…Here to Party, The Band Perry’s Pioneer, and Blake Shelton’s Based On A True Story. It’s time to try something new…and maybe swap your sneaks for cowboy boots post-sweat.

Now you tell us: who are your favorite country crooners?

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A Sweet Way to Support Parkinson’s Awareness Month

April 8, 2013 at 3:45 pm
By Colleen Moody

The next time you get the itch for a sweet treat, cave in for a good cause. In honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month (FYI: One American is diagnosed every nine minutes), Magnolia Bakery has teamed up with the Michael J. Fox Foundation on a limited-edition cupcake, available online and sold in stores throughout April. For $1.75, you can support the MJFF and Parkinson’s disease research for new treatments and ultimately–a cure.

To purchase a cupcake, visit magnoliabakery.com or stop by a Magnolia Bakery near you. To learn more about the MJFF, visit michaeljfox.org.

More from FITNESS: A New Way to Get Inspired to Race This Spring

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SoulCycle on the High Line to Benefit Friends of the High Line!

April 8, 2013 at 10:09 am
By Jenna Autuori

Spring has sprung! New York City is finally seeing some sunlight and warm temps this week—and what better way to celebrate than with SoulCycle and Friends of the High Line on Thursday night. If you’ve ever visited Manhattan, you know that one of the must-see stops on the tourist to-do list is checking out the new and improved High Line. Quick history lesson: Back in the mid-1800′s the High Line was a railway that ran on the lower west side of the city delivering meat, produce and raw goods throughout the Meatpacking District. But over time as trucking became the more widely used mode of transportation for manufacturers the High Line stopped running as frequently and was overcome by grass, weeds, shrubs and trees. During Manhattan’s reformative years of the 1990′s, many lobbied for the High Line to be demolished as it was becoming an overgrown sight for sore eyes. Thankfully, Friends of the High Line saw this 1-mile stretch as an opportunity for an unique urban project that could one day become a linear park—a walking greenway for locals to enjoy and hopefully add to the many charms of New York City.

Friends of the High Line advocated for preservation of the land and in June 2011 the 1-mile redesign of the High Line as we know it today was complete. This Thursday, April 11, Soul Cycle and Friends of the High Line have teamed up for a once-in-a-lifetime event to honor this rare beauty in our bustling city. Tickets start at a hefty $500 but all proceeds will be donated back to the Friends of the High Line to help keep the park clean, plants beautiful, and continue the widespread free activities that go on throughout the year. The 6:30 PM class is taught by master instructors Laurie Cole and Stacey Griffith, so you’re in for a double treat.

I can’t remember what it was like before the High Line, when on nice days my husband and I would read the paper and drink coffee on the many lounge chairs Friends of the High Line have provided us. Or when I have visitors in town and the High Line isn’t the first stop on our must-see trip—it always is. Spots like the beautiful High Line in New York City are hidden gems and bring so much happiness to anyone who has an opportunity to visit.

For more info and to register for a bike, visit SoulCycle on the High Line to Benefit Friends of the High Line! See you there!

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Jillian Michaels Is Coming to a City Near You

April 4, 2013 at 3:08 pm
By Marianne Magno

 

Have you ever wished you could meet tough trainer Jillian Michaels? Well here’s your chance! Our April cover girl is kicking off her first live tour, “Maximize Your Life,” today. She’ll be in Winnipeg, MB, today and traveling throughout North America until late May with her motivational tips to help you reach your goals–whether it’s to get a better body, eat healthier or feel more confident.

But who better to explain what’s in store for attendees than Jillian herself? Watch her video below and read on to get tour dates and locations.

 

Find out when she’ll be at a venue near you and how to get tickets: Read more

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Stronger Girls Make A Stronger World

April 3, 2013 at 9:06 am
By Lauren Cardarelli

As we fit gals know, there are few things more powerful than a good sweat. The adrenaline rush, tight-knit team camaraderie and sense of accomplishment athletics provide can turn any negative into a glowing positive. It is for this reason that we give the new bag brand Activyst a big thumbs up for their mission to support girls’ sports programs worldwide. With a belief that active girls are a catalyst for change, every sale makes a difference in their partner-focused funding. The adorable vibrant colored bags are made of durable, waterproof macen, a popular material used in the brand’s Nicaragua birthplace. Tote your sneaks, yoga mat and change of clothes in style, while giving girls the opportunity to blossom into strong, active women. Here’s to jocks supporting future exercise junkies!

To buy a bag of your own and learn more about using sports as the solution, check out Activyst’s website.

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