Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

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Motivations to Hit the Gym!
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Motivations to Hit the Gym!

I was browsing on the Women’s Health Magazine online when I saw an article with the title ‘8 Motivating Reasons to Hit the Gym.’ Readers had written in on why they keep active, and WH picked out the top 8. It was interesting to see what inspired others to keep up with their workouts, and I noticed that many of their reasons were some of the top reasons why I keep myself motivated. Keep reading to see the top 8!

1. To Battle Depression. Working out has been seen as a great way to overcome depressions, because of the endorphins the body releases during exercise. When I am having a particularly rough day, turning to the gym or hitting my yoga mat can often distress me and help me think clearer.
2. To Feel Sexy. One Women’s Health reader wrote in and said she began taking pole dancing lessons. Not only was she learning sexy moves and gaining confidence, her body began to firm up and she dropped a couple jean sizes. I’ve never taken pole dancing lessons myself, but have done Carmen Electra’s Striptease DVD’s, so I can understand about learning sexy moves while getting a great workout.
3. To Stay Healthy. I began a steady workout routine a few years back when I learned I had high cholesterol (hereditary in my family). Each time I work up a sweat from a great routine I feel like I am continually improving my heart health, one of the best motivators.
4. For the Kids. I don’t have children myself, but I can certainty understand why this is a top motivator. Keeping yourself healthy is not only great for you, but can also influence your children to workout and stay active
5. To Achieve New Goals. It is always nice to set goals for yourself; then you reach them you feel a heightened sense of accomplishment. Keeping a goal is a great motivator to keep pushing even when you don’t feel up to it, especially if you give yourself an incentive, such as a new outfit or trip to the spa.
6. To Feel Happier. Working out can give similar benefits when battling depressions, because of the endorphins being released.
7. To Build Stamina. Maintaining a good workout routine will help build and a keep a strong stamina. Whether you need it for your work, taking care of kids, or to do activities you love, working out can help provide the energy and strength to do that.
8. To Have Your Cake (And Eat it Too!) This is one of my big reasons to continually work out. I’m not the best eater (I say that very loosely!) and often fill up on fast foods or chips. Working out not only relieves some part of my mind about possibly keeping those extra pounds off, but after I complete a good workout, I find that I don’t want to eat junk. Usually the best meals I eat come from after a workout, where I am feeling good about myself and would rather not ruin the great job I just did.

December 21, 2009
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Carrie Underwood Engaged!
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Carrie Underwood Engaged!

Carrie Underwood is engaged! People.com reports that Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher proposed to the country star at his home Sunday afternoon. Fisher’s rep released this statement, “I’m happy to confirm that Carrie Underwood is engaged to Mike Fisher, and the couple couldn’t be happier. No wedding date has been set at this time.” Underwood, 26, and Fisher, 29, have been dating for over a year, keeping their relationship mostly private.

December 21, 2009
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Tila Tequila Pregnant
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Tila Tequila Pregnant

More strange news from the Tila Tequila world. The reality star, who recently announced her engagement to Casey Johnson, is now letting the world know that she is serving as a surrogate mother. She announced on her Twitter that she is a surrogate mother to her brother and his wife. People.com reports that the nature of the surrogacy is still unclear.
Tequila and the Johnson & Johnson heiress announced their engagement earlier this month online. The couple is currently trying to reclaim Johnson’s adopted daughter, Ava, from her mother, Sale Johnson. Ava was adopted two years ago from Kazakhstan, but Sale took custody of the girl this year out of concern for her safety.

December 21, 2009
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With or Without You by Carole Matthews
Chick Lit Review

With or Without You by Carole Matthews

Lyssa Allen cannot believe it when her boyfriend, Jake, announces he is moving out. The two have been trying (unsuccessfully) to conceive a child with multiple IVF attempts, but Lyssa’s growing obsession with motherhood drives Jake into the bed of a colleague, the younger, athletic, more independent Neve. With her job going downhill, Lyssa decides she needs a major change in her life- and she is going to find it by trekking through the Himalayas. If ‘the other women’ Neve can do it, there is no reason Lyssa can’t. What does it matter that she hates the outdoors and can’t live without her blow-dryer?
Turns out, Lyssa takes to the Himalayas better than anyone could have expected. It doesn’t hurt that she quickly falls for the tour guide, the sexy American Dean. Dean was once a California man, but left the easy life behind to live permanently in Nepal. As the days go by, Lyssa realizes she is falling in love with this man, and the ways of her ‘old’ life seem so silly and mundane now. But can she really leave her family behind? Leave behind her career and all her friends?
With or Without You is one of my favorite novels from Carole Matthews. Following Lyssa’s story will make readers think, and all the curves that get thrown in along the way will keep you on your toes until the end. The supporting cast brings so much to the novel; with Lyssa’s sister (known as the “Rabbitt”) juggling six kids under the age of 30 and a mutual friend of Lyssa and Jake’s confessing his crush on Lyssa will keep the plot interesting throughout the way. A heartfelt ending to this compelling story is a definite winner.

December 21, 2009
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Chick Lit Author: Janice Kaplan
Chick Lit Authors

Chick Lit Author: Janice Kaplan

Janice Kaplan holds many titles, among them include: writer, television producer, and magazine editor. Kaplan began her career as an on-air sports reporter for CBS Radio, and then moved on to be a producer at ABC-TV’s Good Morning America, where she won awards for investigative reporting. She was also a columnist at Seventeen magazine and contributing editor at Vogue. Kaplan graduated from Yale University and won Yale’s Murray Fellowship for writing.
Janice Kaplan is the author and co-author of 11 books, including the chick lit titles The Botox Diaries, The Men I Didn’t Marry, and Mine Are Spectacular!. She currently lives in Larchmont, New York with her husband and has two sons attending Yale.

December 21, 2009
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Your Shape Featuring Jenny McCarthy
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Your Shape Featuring Jenny McCarthy

The new fitness game I want to get for the Wii is Your Shape featuring Jenny McCarthy. This personalized workout routine comes with a motion tracking camera, so your every move can be detected and guided. Jenny McCarthy is the workout buddy/trainer along the way; she is there to motivate, inspire, and even bring a few laughs while guiding your workout. The camera brings that extra component that we haven’t seen before, so instead of just monitoring your balance or making sure you are completing reps, it can make any corrections you need to be getting the most out of your workout. Some other features include:
Personalization. You will begin by completing a fitness test to gauge your current fitness level. After that, you can choose what you are hoping to achieve (toning thighs, strengthening upper body, etc). After that, the game will design a specific workout routine for you based on your current level, goals, and schedule.
Controller Free Workout. Unlike the Wii Fit, you do not have to hold a controller or any other hardware while working out. This is where the camera comes in. Your image will be projected onto the TV screen, and the motion sensor will be monitoring your moves, leaving your hands free to complete the exercises.
Wide Selection of Exercises. Your Shape comes with over 400 workout moves, so it will not be repetitive and boring after time.
Ability to Add in Workout Tools. You don’t have to use free weights, balance balls, or other workout gear, but if you have them, Jenny will add that to your workout routine.

December 20, 2009
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Worst Appetizers For You
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Worst Appetizers For You

When I go out to eat at a restaurant, I usually order an appetizer so I don’t get as much food. I don’t eat a lot in one sitting, and I don’t like being wasteful, especially for a meal that isn’t so yummy reheated. Lately, appetizers are looking more and more like entrees, huge chunks of food filling my plate- and my stomach! It can be even worse for some diners that order an appetizer in addition to their main meal- they can consume between 500-600 calories by choosing to get both! So how can you avoid this situation? The writers of the best-selling book Eat This, Not That! have put together a list of some of the worst starters you can order at restaurants. Be prepared before you order, and if you just have to order both and appetizer and entrée, try splitting the entrée in half right when you get it. Put one half in a to-go box, that way it won’t be on your plate so you can mindlessly pick at it even when you are full. Yahoo! Health also helped list some appetizers you should think twice about before ordering. Check out these worst appetizers:
Worst Kid’s Side
Bob Evans Smiley Face Potatoes
524 calories
31 g fat (6 g saturated)
646 mg sodium

Worst Drive-Through Side

Arby’s Large Mozzarella Sticks
637 calories
42 g fat (19 g saturated)
2,047 mg sodium

Worst Chicken Appetizer

Denny’s Buffalo Chicken Strips
730 calories
32 g fat (0 g saturated)
2,940 mg sodium

Worst “Healthy” Starter

P.F. Chang’s Chicken Noodle Soup
759 calories
24 g fat (4 g saturated)
4,135 mg sodium
92 g carbohydrates
Worst Dip Appetizer

Chili’s Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Chips
930 calories
77 g fat (34 g saturated)
3,130 mg sodium
Worst Potato Side

Dairy Queen’s Chili Cheese Fries
1,240 calories
71 g fat (28 g saturated, 0.5 g trans fat)
2,550 mg sodium
Worst Appetizer in America
On the Border’s Firecracker Stuffed Jalapenos with Chili Con Queso
1,950 calories
134 g fat (36 g saturated)
6,540 mg sodium

Check out Eat This, Not That! or head to Yahoo! Health for some healthier alternatives!

December 20, 2009
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Brittany Murphy Dead at 32
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Brittany Murphy Dead at 32

TMZ is reporting that actress Brittany Murphy has died. The report states that the 32 year old actress suffered from cardiac arrest Sunday morning. An emergency call was made from Murphy’s husband, Simon Monjack, from their home at 8 am. She was then pronounced dead on arrival after being taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Murphy has appeared in 8 Mile, Clueless, and Sin City.

December 20, 2009
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Kevin Jonas Marries
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Kevin Jonas Marries

Kevin Jonas is a married man. The eldest Jonas brother married long-time girlfriend Danielle Deleasa Saturday night at Oheka Castle, a French-style chateau on a Long Island estate. People.com reports that the nuptials were attended by 400 friends and family members, who were greeted with a fairytale forest under white heated tents, which included 14-foot trees draped in hydrangeas and crystals made to look like icicles. The bride, a former hairdresser, walked down the aisle with her father, wearing a strapless tulle and Chantilly lace Vera Wang gown, including a silk and crystal flower in hair (she was wearing one when she met Kevin in the Bahamas in 2007). Brothers Nick and Joe Jonas served as the best men.

December 20, 2009
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