TresSugar

Do Tell: What Does Your Morning Routine Look Like?

DearSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Last week I asked you all about your weekly rituals, either with your friends or alone. But this morning, as I was doing the same thing I do every morning, I got to thinking about daily routines. Without even realizing it, I seem to have a formula in place for everything from the way I shampoo to which foot I put my shoe on first! I know that I'm a creature of habit, but even you're not, do you have a morning routine, too? If so, tell us about it!

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Dear Poll: Do You Have Weekly Rituals?

DearSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:00:00 -0700

Life is fairly routine, which is probably why we all spend so much time and effort trying to come up with ways to spice things up. But frankly, sometimes I take comfort in my weekly habits; it gives me something to look forward to and something to count on. In fact, my newest weekly ritual is dinner with my girlfriends on either Tuesday or Wednesday, and of course, before the season finale, The Bachelorette. I loved to just relax on the couch each week with some chocolate. So what about you? Do you tend to get into specific occasions that you look forward to during the week?

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Group Therapy: Is Our Relationship Boring Already?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700

My boyfriend and I have been together for almost four months, but have had feelings for each other for almost a year. We slept together for the first time about a month and a half ago and it was boring! It was plain old missionary and he finished and pulled out before I even got into it. Since then, nothing has changed and I'm worried that we've already fallen into a routine by a) almost skipping foreplay altogether and b) rarely changing positions. He never focuses on pleasuring me while we're having sex and while I understand that it's nearly impossible to continue sex after he's ejaculated, how can I communicate that I need satisfaction too without hurting his feelings?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To be involved in more GROUP THERAPY, click here]

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Fit Tip: Treat Exercise Like Brushing Your Teeth

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

When I first starting working out, someone once told me that I should treat working out just like I would brushing my teeth. I thought she was nuts, wondering how on earth she could compare the two minutes of brushing my teeth to the 45 minutes of agony at the gym. She put it to me like this: you wouldn't dare go longer than a day without brushing your teeth and you should get into the habit of feeling the same way about exercise.

And after many walks with my dog and trips to the gym, I now get it. Her point was that once you treat something as part of your routine and make it nonnegotiable, thinking about the way you would feel if you didn't do it (imagine how you'd feel if you just skipped brushing your teeth, gross), the more likely you are to do it. So start making being active (even if it's a 15 minute part of your routine), just like brushing your teeth.

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Do Tell: What's Your Standard Routine?

DearSugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0800

I was just having a conversation with my good friend PartySugar and she shared her weekly beauty rituals with me. Monday, Thursday and Saturday are her hair washing days, Tuesday and Friday are her leg shaving days and lastly, every Wednesday she paints her nails. Although I tend to do certain things on certain days, there's no way I could keep up with a schedule like hers! So ladies, since we all have our quirky ways about doing things, do tell, what's your secret weekly routine? Do you do laundry on the same day every week? Do you exfoliate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or are you more of a free spirit who likes to just go with the flow?

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Do Tell: What Don't you Leave Home without?

DearSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 07:00:00 -0700

American Express coined the term excellently -- never leave home without it, so what don't you leave home without? Since it's clear we all have our unique getting ready routines, you've gotta have a packing of the purse routine as well! No matter what size my handbag is for the day or night, I always have the same few important items with me: gum, BlackBerry, my wallet, keys, a lip gloss and an eyeliner -- so ladies, do tell, what don't you leave home without?

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Running to Cure Asthma?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I LOVE running, but that wasn't always the case. As a kid, I always hated it. I played inside with my dolls to avoid those stupid tag games (I was always "it"). And don't even get me started on the mile run at school we'd sporadically do twice a year - I HATED running.

In college, I developed asthma and now I have to take 2 kinds of medicine everyday - if I don't, I can't even carry on a conversation without coughing. But I HATE taking it everyday.

My friend told me her husband had asthma really bad - like rush to the ER bad - and he started running regularly and it really helped.

So I gave it a try. Of course, I didn't stop taking my medication right away, I started running first. And when I say started, it was a slow start. I walked a lot in the beginning, but gradually increased the amount of time I ran, minute by minute - and now I'm up to 30 minutes.

I set a goal for myself to do it consistently, 3 times a week, and I have to say that it helped a ton. Exercising my lungs clears out any fluid I have in there. It must work for Jackie Joyner-Kersee too. Now, I can't remember the last time I had to take my albuterol.

Want to go from HATE to LOVE? Then read more

The most important tip I can give you is - Start off slow. You want to train your body by easing into it. Aim for 3 workouts per week and increase the intensity when you're ready.

Always stretch before and after your workout, at least 10 minutes. Warm up and cool down with 5 minutes of walking before and after you run.

And when you run, you don't have to sprint like you're running for your life - jog at a moderate pace, enough to feel your heart and lungs working.

Weeks 1-4: Start off walking 30 min - I'm talking pumping your arms and legs - brisk walking. Do this for 4 weeks.
On the 5th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes, and so on for 30 minutes.
On the 6th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 6 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 6 minutes, and so on for 30 minutes.
On the 7th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 7 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 7 minutes, and so on for 30 minutes.
On the 8th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 8 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 8 minutes, and so on for 30 minutes.
On the 9th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 9 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 9 minutes, and so on for 30 minutes.
On the 10th week: Walk 5 minutes, run 10 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 10 minutes, and walk the last 5 minutes.

As you're ready, begin to increase the amount of time you're running. Walk 5 minutes, run 15 minutes, walk 5 minutes, run 15 minutes, and finish with a 5 minute cool down walk.

Then walk 5 minutes, run 20 minutes, and cool down with a 5 minute walk.

Eventually, you'll work up to stretching for 10 minutes, walking for 5 minutes, running for 30, walking for 5 minutes to cool down, and ending with 10 or more minutes of stretching.

Listen to your body and try to set a reasonable goal for yourself, and stick with it by keeping a moderate pace - no need to be huffing and puffing.

And know that everyday is different. Some days you'll want to chuck you sneakers across the room, and other days, well, you'll start running and won't want to stop.

Let's Dish: What Are Your Culinary Routines?

partysugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:00:20 -0700

Every Monday through Friday, at 11:30 in the morning, I like to eat a banana. I've been performing this culinary ritual for at least the past two years. I know I'm not the only one who has a food routine: for as long as I can remember, I've watched DearSugar eat a salad every day for lunch. And my brother enjoys a homemade smoothie each morning. As much as I love trying exciting new dishes, I find my daily banana a necessary comfort. How about you? Do you have a culinary routine? What is it?

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How Strict Are You With Bedtime?

LilSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:00:52 -0700

Good night, sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite! If only getting lil ones down to dreamland was that easy! Children have a way of pushing their bedtime to the limits by thirsting for another drink, saying they need the bathroom and sweetly asking us to read "just one more book."

New research shows that providing tots with strict bedtimes can improve the quality and quantity of the shut-eye they receive and their overall health. According to the study, families with lower levels of income and education were less likely to enforce a strict end of the day (this was attributed to stress levels and fewer routines), and their children's health and sleep patterns suffered. The authors of the study also emphasized the importance of a nightly bedtime routine to help the tots fall asleep faster. Most parents dream their children would nod off to sleep without putting up a fight, but that rarely happens. How do you enforce bedtime in your home?

Got a few pointers you've picked up along the way for getting your tot into bed at an early time? Join our Why Didn't Anybody Tell Me? group over in our LilSugar community and share your tips!

Relax Already: Create a De-Stress Routine

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0700

If you have just survived another manic Monday, it is time to de-stress. Just like a morning ritual helps you wake up on the right side of the bed, a relaxing, postwork routine can help you unwind in the evening. Your ritual can be as simple as changing your clothes, stowing your briefcase in your bedroom closet, or washing your face. Preferably your ritual should be something healthier than pouring yourself a stiff drink. These small acts can help put a period on the end of your workday so you can get to the tasks at hand, like cooking a healthy dinner, taking your pooch for a long walk, or teaching your wee ones how to bike. Do you have a routine to help you chill out at the end of your workday? Do share.

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