FabSugar

Life's a Beach: Go Bold and Bodacious

FabSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:00:22 PDT

Why not go bold and bodacious with your swimwear this Summer? Sexy, loud prints are a fun way to kick in the waves and best of all, they can camouflage any minor imperfections. This yellow confection by the king of prints, Emilio Pucci, is the perfect example of bold bravery. Dramatic side-swept hair like Kim Noorda optional!

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How Many Swimsuits Do You Purchase Per Year?

FabSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:21:44 PDT

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2008 Swim: Jessica Simpson

FabSugar — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:00:04 PDT

Hot, hot, hot - that's all I can say about Jessica Simpson's 2008 Swim collection. And would you expect anything less from the hottie herself?

A bit of print overload - there's something for everyone. From flirty polka dots to nautical stripes to a humble paisley and refreshing geometric print, these suits had personality. As for the cuts, it was a circus of skimpy strings, sexy bandeaus, sporty ruched numbers and some super sexy cut-out one pieces (my personal faves). The fun accessories: cowboy hats, head scarves, tousled curls, and biggie sunnies all added sass; oh, and the signature cowboy boots too. I definitely saw some of all-American Jessica in this collection - maybe she's found her true calling!

To see more of Jessica's swim collection,

View 20 Photos ›

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Body of Work: The Top Fitness Icons

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:15:12 PDT

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

Bionic and iconic, these game changers have inspired us over the years to perspire and put our best body forward. Take a cue from our 20 favorite masters of motivation as they share their secrets to getting better, fitter, stronger than ever.

The Rock (Hard) Star: Gwen Stefani

Before Gwen Stefani began strutting her stuff as the superfly front woman for the otherwise all-guy band No Doubt in 1995, the role of female lead singer tended more toward being a sexpot than having a six-pack. The blond bombshell, now 42, brought a new athleticism to the stage with a bod she credits to "lifting weights [and] a little boxing."

The Legend: Jane Fonda

She has played many roles - Oscar winner, political activist, billionaire's wife - but for millions of women, Jane Fonda's legacy is all about leg warmers. It was 1982, and fresh off her triumph in On Golden Pond, one of Hollywood's leading ladies, at the age of 44, decided her next act would be as a fitness guru. Workout: Starring Jane Fonda, originally on VHS and Beta, remains the best-selling fitness video of all time, having sold 17 million copies.

"It launched the home fitness video industry and made it okay for women to have muscles," Fonda reflects. Only years after its release did she reveal that the cover photo of her in a striped leotard and those maroon leg warmers, legs scissored skyward, was that of a woman who had embraced exercise as a way to save herself from bulimia.

In 2010, despite hip and knee replacements, Fonda was back in the studio - wearing yoga pants now - to film her Prime Time DVD series targeted at inspiring older people to move. At 74, Fonda loves hiking up mountains, and she has a body most 30-year-olds would envy. Her secret? "It's one-third good genes and less than one-third diet, and all the rest is working out," she says. When asked what's next, Fonda demurs. "I don't know. And if I did, I wouldn't tell because I wouldn't want someone else to get there first."

Keep reading to learn about other important fitness icons.

Swimmer Dara Torres on the Quest For Her Sixth Olympic Games

espnW — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:12:32 PDT

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

By Luke Cyphers

Dara Torres once wrote a book called Age Is Just a Number. Nowadays, though, the feel-good story of the 2008 Olympics admits to, well, feeling her age. Torres won two silver medals as a 41-year-old mother and swimmer in Beijing, but she harbors no illusions about repeating the feat four years later. "You have to be realistic," Torres said. "I am 45 years old. I'm that much closer to being 50, and my body just can't recover the way it used to."

Her goal was gold in 2008. In 2012? "I don't feel like I have anything else to prove going into these Olympic Games," said the 12-time medalist. "It's not about medals. I have enough."

So why does she put herself through grueling training five days a week in the hopes of making her sixth - and she swears last - U.S. Olympic team? Because, at her best, she's still one of the fastest sprinters in the world. She placed second in the 50-meter freestyle (25.24 seconds) at the winter nationals. Last month, she swam a solid 25.36 seconds in the prelims of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, but faded to 25.47 in the final to finish sixth. She'll need to place within the top two at the Olympic trials in Omaha in June to make it to London.

Kim Rhode is not your typical Olympian

Dara Torres says it is harder for her body to recover compared to when she competed in the 2008 Olympics. "If I had to just swim the race once, I don't think it would even be an issue making the team," she said. "But I have to swim it three times, and having my body recover for those three races is my issue."

Torres embraces the actuarial challenge of capping an Olympic career 28 years after it began in 1984, even as her world has changed and her body has creaked. Her longtime coach, Michael Lohberg, died of a rare blood disorder in 2011. One of Lohberg's assistants, Bruno Darzi, now coaches her. Her daughter Tessa is now 6. And her left knee required surgery and more than a year to rehab. Through it all, "I still have a passion for the sport of swimming," she said.

But there's also a sense of obligation to the public following she has built through her success and frequent television appearances. (The former telecommunications major and frequent morning-show guest announced her comeback on "Live with Regis & Kelly.") "I have so many people come up to me and say I'm inspiring them to do things that they thought they couldn't do because they were too old, or that they put off because they couldn't find a balance in their life to do it," Torres said.

Keep reading for more on Dara Torres' Olympic past and present.

Jessica Hardy: "I'm on the Right Track For This Year"

espnW — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:18:38 PDT

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

By Jessica Hardy
Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com

Going through a moment of crisis transformed me, humbled me, and brought out what mattered most in my life. During my suspension from competing, I probably would have lost my spirit completely if I didn't have a loving group of family and friends there, supporting me through it all. Giving up my spot on the Olympic team was extremely traumatic. But more than anything, I needed to fix it and I knew I couldn't do it alone - though I wanted to. For the first time in my life, I was forced to let my guard down and let people help me.

Jessica Hardy Getting Better Not Bitter

Janet Evans Comeback Whirlwind

My mom is a practicing, licensed psychotherapist, but I'm sure it wasn't easy for her to play the role of my mom and therapist. She was so good at talking me through emotions, calming me down, pumping me up, and helping me process my own thoughts. My sister, Amanda, who was a junior national team-level athlete in water polo, and stepdad, Bill, who's a lawyer, were amazingly understanding, too. Luckily, I had the perfect support group for an unlucky situation. I couldn't have survived the ordeal without them.

As supportive as my family was, it was my fiancé, Dominik, who encouraged me to seek help outside of my family. At one point, I was depressed, feeling really negative and taking it out on him. He sat me down and urged me to see somebody. Looking back, I realize I had put him in a really uncomfortable position. Every time he tried to cheer me up, I'd shoot him down. So it was a reality check and definitely the right thing to do. When I told my mom, she suggested I revisit my childhood family therapist - the one I used to see after my parents' divorce. I also sought the services of the US Olympic Committee's sports psychologists.

Amber Neben turns challenges into opportunities

Read on for more on Jessica's road back to competition after the break.

Olympic Hopeful Jessica Hardy Shares Her Tips to Beat Workout Boredom

espnW — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:06:56 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Jessica Hardy

Jessica Hardy knew she wanted to be an Olympic swimmer at age 5, when her mom started taking her to the neighborhood pool in Long Beach, Calif. Now, more than 20 years later, she's a three-time world champion and a world record holder in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. Her next goal? Olympic gold in London.

Jessica will be blogging for espnW in the lead-up to this summer's London Olympics. Follow her journey on espnW.com and read her full blog entry here.

How I Fend Off Workout Boredom

1. Hit Instant Replay. When I need motivation at practice, I just picture my competitors inching past me from the side of my goggles. That mental image is enough to drive me.

A Bright Idea

2. Sing It, Sister. The last song I hear on the radio in my car before heading into practice always gets stuck in my head. I end up singing it the whole time, and you know what, it keeps me entertained - though my teammates don't always feel the same way.

Playing Hard Ball

3. Go into Detail. During a tough part of practice, I focus on technique with each stroke rather than when on earth the set is going to end. That little trick helps me get through it.

Keep reading for more boredom-busting tips.

Swimmer Natalie Coughlin on Pilates, Plums, and Backstroking For Gold

Susi May — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:05:50 PST

Swimming always makes a splash at the Summer games, and Natalie Coughlin did just that in Beijing by becoming the first American woman to win six medals in one Olympics. A serious foodie as well as a gold medalist, Natalie took time out of her intense schedule to talk about her plans for London and how cooking calms her.

Natalie's training day starts with a 4:30 a.m. wake-up, and she's at the pool by 5 a.m. for a Pilates warmup, two hours in the pool, followed by an hour and a half of weight lifting. Impressed not only by the early morning start, I was also curious about her predawn power breakfast. She told me Bircher muesli is her go-to breakfast, explaining that it's "a really delicious uncooked oat, soaked overnight in orange juice and orange zest with dried plums." (Get Natalie's muesli recipe here.)

But wait. There's more. Natalie works out twice most days. Her second go-round involves a pool workout before heading off to the weight room for power circuits. The day sounds exhausting to me, and Natalie assured me that she certainly sleeps well and is not much of a napper; her head hits the pillow around 10 p.m. most nights, with an occasional early night when needed.

Keep reading to see what Natalie says about the upcoming London games.

Thanks, but No Thanks: How to Turn Down Used Items From Friends

Guest Writer — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:15:55 PDT

The following is a guest post by Kimberly Palmer, the author of Generation Earn and creator of The Baby Planner: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Ready For Baby, Without Going Broke!, available on Etsy. She is also the personal finance columnist at US News & World Report. Take it away, Kimberly!

As a relatively frugal person, I’m usually happy to accept hand-me-downs from friends. Got a bread-maker you no longer use or shirt that doesn’t fit? I will take it off your hands! But some items just shouldn’t be shared - and that’s where things can get awkward.

Recently, a friend offered me her used Diaper Genie. For anyone who is unaware, this is a receptacle used for dirty diapers. You can imagine how disgusting it can get. But instead of politely declining her offer, I thanked her for it and brought it home. I didn’t want to be rude. The next day, I put her Diaper Genie outside in the trash, where it belonged.

I’ve also been offered five bags of old clothes at once, car seats that no longer meet safety requirements, and a crib that had been recalled after being deemed dangerous. (It was a beautiful, $600 crib, but still, I’m not putting my baby in anything that the federal government has declared unfit for use.)

The problem is that it can be uncomfortable to turn down a friend who has made a kind and generous offer. Just how do you tell someone that you would prefer not to wear her party dress from 2008, even if it carries a designer label? And especially if it has a stain on it?

Read on to find out more about this awkward etiquette situation.

Meet Charlene Wittstock, the Future Princess of Monaco

Annie Scudder — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:49:54 PDT

If there's one thing the Monaco royal family wants you to know about Prince Albert's fiancée Charlene Wittstock, it's that she does not have cold feet. The 33-year-old South African beauty is set to marry the tiny country's reigning Prince Albert, 53, this weekend, amidst rumors that she might become a runaway bride before that can happen. But the palace has flatly denied the story appearing in the French press that Charlene tried to go back to Africa after learning "Albert had not been leading the exemplary life she thought."

Once she becomes the princess of Monaco and fills the role that Albert's mother, Grace Kelly, once held, the people of Monaco will not-so-patiently wait for Charlene to have a child. Prince Albert has sired two children out of wedlock, and his lack of a legitimate heir has caused concerns about the future of the monarchy and Monaco's independence from France.

Before she entered into Riviera royalty, Charlene was part of sports royalty as a member of South Africa's Olympic swim team in 2000 and 2008. It was swimming that brought her to the prince in 2000, when she traveled to Monaco for a competition, but they did not become a public couple until stepping out together at the 2006 Winter Olympics. After their engagement on June 23 of last year, Charlene, a former Protestant, converted to Catholicism - she also learned French and the Monégasque dialect as part of her princess training.

Following the civil marriage service on July 1 and a religious ceremony on July 2, Charlene will take the elegant title of Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco. Before she walks down the royal aisle, take a look at her past glamorous, and sporty, moments now.