August 2009

Ask the Trainer: How Long Should I Exercise?

August 31, 2009 at 11:11 am, by jbrown

Welcome to the Ladies’ Lounge! My name is Jessica and I’ll be your resident weight loss blogger. Every Monday, I’ll either be posting tips or sharing the advice I’m giving to my fellow staffers who are trying to slim down. A little about me: I’m a personal trainer (certified by the American Council on Exercise) and I’ve been covering weight loss at a variety of magazines for over a decade. The topic is also a very personal one for me, which is why I’m so passionate about it. I’m fit and healthy now but I used to walk around with about 40 extra pounds on my frame. So if you’re currently struggling with your weight and feeling frustrated, I can relate. I’m not one of those lucky, naturally thin people who has no idea what you’re going through or how hard it can be to change your habits.

Now that my spiel is out of the way, let’s start by dealing with question that was bugging our lovely blog master Amanda:

I’ve read so much conflicting advice on how long you should work out if you want to lose weight: 30 minutes? 60 to 90 minutes? I’m totally confused.

Trust me, you’re not the only one who’s stumped by this. Read on to get the answer. Read more

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Woodstock State of Mind

August 31, 2009 at 3:30 am, by Julie Bain

I went to see Taking Woodstock this weekend, and I have a “back in time” crush. Not on Elliot, the kid (played by Demetri Martin) whose true story inspired the Ang Lee film—although he’s pretty cute. No, my crush is on Michael Lang, the curly-haired Zen hero in a leather vest who really made those three muddy-but-peaceful days of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll come together. And he troubleshoots throughout—come what may—with that same calm, sexy grin. Sigh. As I flash back to my smart, geeky bookworm, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In-watching kid self of 1969, I know I would have been totally, totally, oh-my-god so in love with Michael Lang.

I’ve been in a fervor of nostalgia for the summer of ’69 since I read Lang’s fascinating behind-the-scenes book The Road to Woodstock (I recommended it in the August LHJ). He really did wear that vest throughout. He really did ride a horse through the mud like a white knight. And the young actor who plays him in Taking Woodstock (Jonathan Groff) looks exactly like him, according to the pictures in the book. In fact, Lang still looks pretty good today (that’s him, at left). Read more

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Do Good Challenge: Donate Your Shoes

August 27, 2009 at 11:54 am, by Amanda Wolfe

This month, we’re challenging you to help change the world, one pair of shoes at a time! Here at the LHJ offices we’re collecting new and gently-worn shoes for Soles4Souls, a group that helps gather and donate shoes to people in need all over the world. That’s us in the picture, with just some of the shoes we’ve collected (yes, we have more!).

Whether you organize a group effort or just donate a few pairs, it’s easy to get involved: Learn more about hosting a shoe drive or find drop-off location near you.

Are you going to donate your gently-used shoes? Let us know in the comments.

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Welcome to the Ladies’ Lounge

August 26, 2009 at 11:52 am, by Amanda Wolfe

Come on in to our brand-new LHJ staffer blog. Here you’ll find daily news, tips and tricks, and product picks on everything from fashion and beauty to home and relationships.We’re so excited to get to know you—so don’t be shy. We’d love to hear your take in the comments of each post, and if you want to learn a little bit more about the people behind the posts, meet our LHJ bloggers.

If you have any questions or ideas, email us at ladieslounge@LHJ.com or leave a comment.You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for stopping by! We hope you stay awhile.

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