We've Moved!

In case you haven't heard, Fit Bottomed Girls got new digs with loads more content and fun features. So hurry your fit rear over to www.FitBottomedGirls.com right now, and don't forget to update your bookmarks and fave links list!

Thanks! —Jenn & Erin

Photo grabbed from awnisALAN on Flickr.

The Shake Down Before the FBG Makeover

As you might have heard, FBG is about to get one heck of a makeover this weekend. This whole place is gonna be different with new features, more frequent posts and easier navigation so that you can easily find the content you want to read the most. We're totally psyched.

But while all this exciting makeover action is going on, we wanted to give you a heads-up that the site might be a bit wonky this weekend. So if you see anything unusual or can't load a page for the next day or so, that's why. And we promise we'll be back—and better—before you know it. In the meantime though, we leave you with this hilarity to watch and crack up to over and over again: Ellen trying the recently FBG-reviewed Shake Weight. Enjoy, and we'll see ya on Monday at www.fitbottomedgirls.com with our new look!

—Jenn

Can't see the video? Click here.

Treats that Trick

Like most holidays, Halloween offers the opportunity for overindulgence on sweet treats. After all, it’s centered around candy. Whether it’s the kids bringing home too much candy or being too prepared for trick-or-treaters, it can be all too easy to give into the candy corn and bite-size Butterfingers. We always preach moderation in all things, so you can enjoy some Halloween candy and not blow your diet. Here's how to keep Halloween from haunting you!

1) Be conservative. When purchasing Halloween candy, don’t buy a truckload. “But I have a million trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood!” you say. That doesn’t mean you need to buy enough to feed an army. Don’t be afraid to run out of candy toward the end of the evening. If you do, just turn off your porch light. The little goblins will just skip right over to the next house, no hurt feelings.

2) Get rid of it. If you do happen to over-buy candy, get rid of it before you can consume it. You don’t necessarily have to throw it away (but feel free to do so if needed!). Take it to work to share or put it out of sight and limit yourself to a treat every day or two. You can even freeze it so that it's difficult (and literally hard) to eat more than one or two treats at a time.

3) Don’t eat your kids’ candy! Don’t use checking your kids’ candy for razor blades as a cover for testing each treat they got in their plastic pumpkins. Limit your kids to a couple of treats a day, and then restrict yourself from sneaking bites from their loot. And if you do eat too much of their candy, challenge them to a game of Burn-the-Halloween-Calories Tag.

4) Avoid small pieces. This can seem counterintuitive. After all, what’s wrong with a jelly bean here or a candy corn there? This is what’s wrong: It can be so much harder to know how much you’re eating when you’re popping small bites of candy for an hour. If you can’t resist the candy corn or Hershey’s Kisses, make sure you measure out the appropriate serving size and enjoy every bite. And then quit.

5) Get the fun size. I know this seems contrary to No. 4, but allow yourself the fun-size candy bar. Back in my trick-or-treating hey-day, it was always awesome to hit those houses that gave away the full-size candy bars. If your kids happen to hit the jackpot with those, avoid them. A fun-size Milky Way has 150 calories. Not enough to break the bank, and it’s still a nice treat. The full-size candy bar has 260 calories—quite the caloric punch!

Need some ideas for FBG-approved Halloween candy? Here’s our short list!

1) Twizzlers. Four cherry-flavored twists come in at 150 calories. And because they’re so chewy and long, you really feel like you get your calorie’s worth.

2) Tootsie Pops. Clocking in at just 60 calories, the Tootsie Pop will give you a long-lasting burst of sweetness with a chewy center. If you need a chocolate fix, this is your best bet. How many licks does it take?

3) Jolly Ranchers. Three small pieces of original Jolly Ranchers will only cost you 50 calories. You’ll get lasting fruit goodness and won’t go overboard.

Don’t let Halloween pass you by without having a bit of a sweet treat. And don’t forget that walking the kids around the neighborhood counts as exercise! —Erin

Photo grabbed from Juushika Redgrave at Flickr.

Fitness Items to Toss in Your Suitcase

If you're about to hit the roads for the holidays or for business and are wanting some new fitness toys to take with you, we sure do have the post for you. (I don't know about you, but while I love resistance bands and a jump rope, after using them on my last 17 trips, I kinda want something new.) We recently compiled a list of 10 nontraditional must-have fitness items to pack in your suitcase for your next trip. Whether it's business or pleasure, you are now free to get fit (in a fun and new way!) around the country.

Fitness Items to Toss in Your Suitcase
When on the road for business, the last thing on your mind is probably fitness. You’ve got meetings to attend, a trade show booth to watch and a boss to keep happy. And there’s no worse buzz kill than coming back to the hotel, tired from the long workday, only to be faced with your regular, boring workout. You’re traveling and away from your everyday life, so why should your workout be exactly the same as usual? Use the time away from home as an opportunity to mix things up! Click here to continue reading...

—Jenn

Photo grabbed from Matt & Nayoung on Flickr.

Cheap Eats, Doggie Diets, and Wiggly Workouts

Low-cost overeating, counting kibble calories, and hula-hoop hullabaloo.

Penny Pinchers
It doesn’t take much dough to pack a caloric punch. In fact, according to a recent study, it only took about a dollar in change for kids to make an almost 400-calorie snack food splurge at a neighborhood convenience store. In the study, low-income kids in Philadelphia spent just over a buck on their favorite snacks: chips and candy. Researchers tracked purchases by fourth through sixth graders and found that about half of the kids went to the convenience stores daily, while some went twice a day. Kids will be kids, but parents can reinforce good habits by packing nutritious lunches—and taking away pocket change!

After-school splurge.


Pet Health
As the weather gets cooler and the sun goes down earlier, it can be difficult to keep up with Fido's daily walks. But watch out for creeping winter pounds if your walks get shorter! As a pet owner who recently helped her dog shed a few unwelcome pounds, trust me, doggie weight loss is no easy chore. Especially when the doggie looks at you like she's STARVING about two minutes after a meal. For tips on puppy fitness and to find out how to help Spot maintain his svelte figure, read on dear pet pals, read on.

Enough, Scruffy.

Hot Hula Hips
It seems that all that's retro is now hip again, and of course, hip with a fitness edge. Once just a goofy pastime, hula-hooping has gained serious fitness cred with weighted hula hoops, instructional DVDs and classes. The hoop has even meshed with Pilates at some gyms for a hooperific-ly unique class. What's really amazing is that an hour of intense hula-hooping is equal to an hour run on a treadmill. Wha!? Sign me up! Now I'm off to dig out my old Skip-It to start the next fitness craze.

Hip to be square.

Photo grabbed from JasonRogersFooDogGiraff eBee, klynslis, and SharonaGott at Flickr.