Vosges Chocolates: Show Me The Bunny

You are what you eat. And you happen to think of yourself as fit, fabulous and even somewhat healthy.

So with Easter around the corner, dark chocolate must be on your mind.

You've read it before: Dark chocolate, the richer in cocoa the better, is not only a to-die-for treat, it's actually good for you. And just 1 oz of a very dark chocolate packs more than twice the healthy antioxidant punch of red wine.

My new find: These little Chocolate Bunnies.

At first glance, they may seem a little on the plain side but their secret is in the taste; not to mention that they are cute as hell. These solid dark chocolate rabbits are the Red Fire Bunnies and are flavored with Mexican spices!

For those of you who don't like dark chocolate, they've got you covered. Try Almafi Bunny, this NEW white chocolate bunny charms at first bite with its uniquely exotic interior of lemon zest and pink peppercorn or how about Barcelona Bunny, this little guy is made with hickory smoked almonds and grey sea salt or last but not least ... Gianduja Bunny, who is studded with bits of almonds and caramelized hazelnuts

Pure pleasure for all you chocolate bunny lovers.

We know you're out there.

Get in shape and defy gravity with a modern day pogo stick

It’s that time of year.

The shorts get shorter. The tans gets darker. And your ass gets smaller.

Or so you wish.

There's still hope. Trade in your Redbull and Lunesta, it's time to put new meaning to your ups and downs. A little 'extreme' for some, but honestly the Flybar is just a high-tech modern version of your old Pogo Stick and it delivers serious fitness benefits. The design isn't radically different; 'er actually it is. It has a lot more oomph. The 13-pound Flybar 800 can bounce four feet high, while the 20-pound Flybar 1200 can soar as high as five feet.

Flybar is totally safe and it’s way more fun than what the grown-ups are currently doing. It not only burns calories, but the act of rebounding regularly on a pogo stick can also lower circulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels, assist in the rehabilitation of a heart problem, promote tissue repair, improve balance, increase capacity for respiration and improve muscle-to-fat ratio. Did I mention that it can help to keep you young?

Basically, getting your butt in shape can be as easy as child's play.

Tiny Triathletes Gear Up for Spring

Your child may be the next Lance Armstrong. The 2009 IronKids National Triathlon Series -- a pint-size version of the prestigious Ironman endurance races -- launches this May with eight regional races across the U.S. and a national championship in Tucson (Armstrong won in 1984 when he was 13). Kids ages 6 to 15 can swim, bike, run and have a blast -- the series was created to encourage activity and camaraderie rather than intense competition.

The kids' races will be held in San Diego; St. Petersburg, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; Indianapolis; Oklahoma City; Avon, Colorado; Alpharetta, Georgia; and Tucson, Arizona. And to keep the fun going long after the races are run, IronKids will build a "fitness-oriented play system" at a school or public park in each host city. Sounds like an iron-clad commitment to fitness (and an adventurous lifestyle) if you ask me.

NASCAR, Barbecue Make Nashville "Manliest" City

Who knew? Apparently having too many home furnishing stores like Ikea in your city is a sign of being "unmanly."

At least that's the conclusion of a study released Thursday that ranks "America's Manliest Cities" on criteria such as the number of professional major league sports teams, popularity of tools and hardware, and frequency of monster truck rallies.

Nashville came out on top in the study conducted by Sperling's BestPlaces. Mars Snackfood US and its Combos snack food brand commissioned the study. The ranking is part of the Combos launch of its Ultimate Man Zone Sweepstakes, which awards prize packages to upgrade men's tailgating, grilling, home theater or gaming "zones."

How did New York City rank? Well, despite high ratings in the bowling category, New York City came in 50th (which is actually last place) because it apparently lacked in areas such as fishing, home improvement and drag racing.

Tap In: Pure Refreshment

Once upon a time, you wouldn’t be caught dead without a water bottle.

The accessory du jour for the athletic and well hydrated, the label you carried made a statement - But now? Hauling around a plastic water bottle is not only passe but blasphemous to the very green lifestyles we purport to be living.

Enter: The refillable water bottle.

The Problem: Refillable water bottles help keep plastic out of landfills, but they're only as healthful as the water they contain.

The Solution: Wellness H2.0, a 22-ounce plastic bottle that purifies tap water on the go. Its built-in filtration system removes chemicals, metals, chlorine, and sediments and lasts for approximately 900 refills.

Plus, at just $49.95 a pop, you’ll start saving money after refilling it approximately twenty-five times.

Go ahead and test the waters.

Chill Out or Work Out in This Amazing Hot Tub

The doorbell. The dog. The boss. The kids. The commute. Gas prices. Global warming. The current state of the world — let alone your body.

It’s enough to send you screaming into a Calgon commercial. Or at least to the modern-day equivalent: AquaFit Hot Tub, the amazingly unique spa/fitness center. The first of it's kind, it has two sides -- one for working out in and one for taking hot relaxing soaks in. You can get your blood pumping by swimming stationary "laps," walking or running underwater, or working out your upper body with the rowing attachments. Then you can cool down with a hydrojet massage and soak in the adjacent hot tub compartment. Priced at about $40,000, the Aquafit provides fun, fitness and relaxation for the whole family!

Can your hot tub do that?

Could portable oxygen be the next bottled water?

Ever since you were born, you’ve been breathing oxygen for free, right? Well the masters of mundane marketing agree that it is time for you to adjust your thinking. Yes, you can breathe air for free; but how lame would that be? Naturally occurring oxygen is just so 10,000 years ago. It’s time for you to begin breathing more pure, more refreshing oxygen.

Yes,the world's most essential element is making a fashionable comeback. This time, in a can.

And Oxygen Plus, a fairly new company, is leading the way by providing 95% pure oxygen-enriched air that is portable, safe, natural and easy to use anywhere, anytime.

My husband (pictured) and I recently tried O+ and felt the immediate effects; but not for long. It won't make you light headed, but it won't make you run faster either. Somewhere in the middle ground between those two extremes lies the benefit gained from the oxygen in Oxygen Plus. In fact, the benefits of a few blasts of O+ may actually be more psychological than genuinely physical, but there's no doubting that several gulps of oxygen certainly feel as if they can cut through the fur and filth of a hangover or the smog in a heavily polluted city. Even without the pollution or the pleasure of a heavy night's antics, I must admit that a distinct feeling of well-being does wash over you.

And for those of you who don't drink coffee, this could be another alternative to caffeine.

Oakley Breathless: Good As Gold

Me and my sunglasses!Some might assume that sport sunglass-makers are about as fashionable as, say, Saharan synchronized swimmers.

But if you're anything like me, well, then you know better.

Check out these amazing shades by Oakley: Breathless, they are my absolute new favorite. While my friends are all sporting Gucci, Dior and Prada ... I'm sticking with the company that finds equal time for sports and fashion!

Previously, I've written about Enduring, which are great for performance (they never fall off), but these little beauties honestly cause people around you to start gasping ... I receive more compliments when wearing these than any other pair of sunglasses I've ever owned and I love to watch everyone's expression when I say who makes them.

I went for the custom frames (they made them right in front of me): Polished gold, polarized bronze lens and arms with a funky brown design on them. $180 to $270.

These are guaranteed to stand the test of time. Unlike, say, Siberian beach volleyball players.

OLDER, BUT STILL KICKING!

March is World Kickball Month!

Remember that game from grade-school recess - the one with the big red rubber ball? You'd give it your hardest kick, then dash off to circle the bases in triumph. The exhilaration that kickball brought you as a kid is what has hooked a growing number of adults with a renewed love of the sport.

You laugh now, but wait until you're on the field. Then kick the ball, hear that magical poing, and you'll be back playing like you were in the fifth grade. It's contagious.

To get started, you must first sign-up online. This is co-ed... so invite all your friends (well those who are over 21 years of age anyway). You'll soon be at your first game dressed in soccer-style shorts and shirts, and will still feel, well, very adult. But as soon as the game begins, that facade disappears and the atmosphere starts to resemble a noisy schoolyard. So join today - Join a league in your area and help spread the word! Spice up your marriage, boost your self-confidence, get some exercise, relieve some stress, be competitive and make some friends!

A low-carb diet could earn you a DUI

Apparently, Low-carbohydrate diets can have a surprising side effect: a false-positive result on breath alcohol tests. Yes, it seems that banishing carbs causes chemicals called ketones in the blood to spike and be misread as alcohol on your breath and Police breathalyzer equipment has been shown to register false BAC readings due to the presence of ketones.

The problem: Eating between 20-40 grams of carbs a day will induce heavy ketosis, where the body burns stored fat.

The solution: If you undergo random alcohol testing, let them know you've gone low-carb and opt for the blood test.

Odds are though, if you're drinking enough alcohol to get a DUI ... your diet probably isn't all that low-carb!

Fun in the sun: Any excuse will do

Justification goes a long way, baby.

Summer is approaching fast. You need to take care of yourself. And everyone is telling you to stay away from the sun. Yes, it’s a toss-up between slathering on the Zinc oxide and getting a few rays in style.

Harvard University researchers to the rescue! They have discovered that most people have blood levels of vitamin D that are far below optimal. The scientists recommend that more than half the population consume at least 25 micrograms (1,000 international units) of the vitamin daily to achieve the lowest risk of bone fractures, periodontal disease, and several types of cancer (including colon and breast cancer.) That's about 20 mcg (800 IU) more than the average person's current intake. Although milk is an obvious source of Vitamin D, it contains just 3 mcg (133 IU) per 8-ounce glass.

The solution: Your body naturally gets vitamin D through sunlight exposure, so -- despite what you've heard -- try to get 10 minutes of direct sun exposure to your body or (if you must) take a vitamin D supplement once a day.

A little sun with your vitamins? Is there any question? I say go for it. You don’t even need to feel guilty for having some fun in the sun!

Get an energy boost without the coffee

Have you ever noticed that good energy is contagious? Think about it.

You smile at a bank teller. The teller feels good and tells the next customer he has a nice shirt. Then, that guy holds the door for a stranger and so on.

Call it pay it forward, the butterfly effect, karma, whatever.

Point is: You do something good; at some point it comes back to you.

But all that good energy has to start somewhere, right? Well, now good energy can start without the jitters ... try popping some American ginseng instead of grabbing that morning cup of joe. A recent study at the Mayo Clinic found that taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of the herb can provide an all-day energy boost. Five hundred milligrams of L-carnitine -- a naturally occurring amino acid which plays a vital role in the metabolism of fat -- will also do the trick. Of course, the best energy boost is weight lifting. Studies show that pumping iron three times a week can increase energy levels by up to 50 percent even on days you don't lift.

You can't get those results in a mug!

Pearl Izumi Vertex MP3: Is that an MP3 in your pocket

How does progress happen? Through intellect, inspiration, and the courage to be different.

Fumbling for a new song in the saddle is your inspiration, Pearl Izumi is the intellect behind the Vertex MP3 Cycling Shorts, and you (the consumer) who dares to wear these in public... well that my friend is where the courage to be different comes in.

It might seem like overkill, but the built-in Flash MP3 Player and thigh-mounted control strip will help keep you on track while zooming down the road.

A spin around the block never looked so good.
$499. Available only on pearlizumi.com - $100 from each pair sold to benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation.

The green card: Gold luxury without the commitment

For those upscale consumers who want to sample the good life on a budget (or for those afraid of commitment); part-time sports luxury is here. Manhattan-based Tour GCX serves up choice courses to men on the move with its fractional-ownership Tour Card program.

Think of the Tour Card as the golfing Gold Card for the $200,000-a-year jet set. It grants individual and corporate members access to private clubs in major cities along the eastern seaboard and to eight affiliates in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Nevada, where the big-money players (from Merrill and Goldman) roam. Tour GCX’s 800-plus members largely hail from the NY metro area, but GCX plans to expand its markets to Chicago, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Los Angeles this year.

While Tour GCX won't disclose the actual courses, prospective members do receive the secret list ... and qualified golfers (respectable handicaps, please) are eligible for a minimum of ten foursomes (you can brings guests), seven of which must be played on weekdays. That works out to roughly $160 a head per round (including green, cart, and locker fees.)

Finally, a club that allows you to play the un-fairway. Individual memberships from $6,250; corporate memberships, $13,500 -- far less than the typical $50,000+ initiation fee some clubs charge.

A Droolworthy Lightweight Notebook for Adventure Seekers Who Demand Substance and Style

You know it's smart to love technology, but what about loving technology that's smart?

Enter: Apple's MacBook Air, it may just turn you on your head.

I just got mine, but even a year after its introduction, the MacBook Air is still a marvel of engineering. Impossibly thin (0.76 inches, tapering to 0.16 inches) and light (just 3 pounds), the aluminum skin envelops a dazzling 13.3-inch, LED-backlit screen, Intel's Centrino 2 processor, and a powerful new Nvidia GeForce 9400 graphics card. Spring for the $2,499 model, and you get a crashproof 128GB SSD. While I typically work on a MacBook Pro, this ultra-portable laptop (think backpacking or cycling) is the right machine for those who want to bring a computer on their next adventure. Starting at $1,799.

Need attention: Carry it in a case from TimBuk 2 ... it looks like an office envelope! Plus it’s built from environmental friendly materials — ultrasonic seam welds use a nontoxic glue, the durable exterior softshell fabric & low pile brushed fleece lining are made from post-consumer pop bottles.

Now that's style with substance.

SUPER BOWL 101 - For women (and men) who don't know football (Steelers vs. Cardinals)

Are you ready for some football?
Unless you’ve been living on a deserted island (or somewhere in the woods), you at least know the Super Bowl game is this Sunday (I hope). If you’re already a big football fan, you get it. But, if you are a football novice, or a “football widow", you may need an extra guide to get you through the big game day!

Here’s what you need to know to maximize your enjoyment for what some consider the greatest day of the year. Forget New Year's Eve, it’s all about the Super Bowl baby!!!! Come on... if you can't beat 'em, you must join them! So please, read on...

Click to read more ...

Kick off a winning Super Bowl Party with some healthy (and hearty) recipes from Chef Phil Andriano

For armchair quarterbacks everywhere, the Super Bowl is not just a game.

It's the game. And it's one of the few times that - when it comes to sensible eating - all bets are off. In fact, gobs of people will consume as many — if not more — calories while watching the Super Bowl then they did at Thanksgiving Dinner (approximately 3000 calories on average) plus alcohol! It's such a high calorie day that the Super Bowl coincides with - what I call - the official end of all New Year's resolutions ... people feel oddly entitled to 'eat like football player'.

That said, it doesn't have to be that way. Now, I'm not foolish enough to suggest that you prepare carrot sticks and pass around the sparkling water. It is a party after all. You can still serve hearty food, and have plenty of tasty snacks on hand. With a little planning and some nifty ingredient substitutions, the lighter fare will taste just as good. So here are some tips (from me) and a few terrific recipes courtesy of Celebrity Chef Phillip Andriano, Corporate Chef from Chefs Diet, to make your Super Bowl party a success.

Click to read more ...

My Pet Fat: It's the 'Gross Out Diet'

With every indulgent bite you took this holiday season, you told yourself you'd really get serious about fitness for this year's resolution. Remember the turkey and trimmings, Christmas cookies, candy canes and mixed drinks? Now you're starting to feel it (and see it too). So what's your plan this time around?

Here's my suggestion: Instead of dropping cash on equipment you'll never use or classes you'll never attend, try a more can-do approach. My Pet Fat from Jay Jacobs is a practical way (for inactive people) to keep your second round of resolutions. Created by a once morbidly obese man who understood how hard it is to stick to a workout program and/or diet, My Pet Fat is essentially a reminder of what you are or what you will be if you keep eating those Big Macs, Whoppers and Cinnabons. I like to call this one the 'Gross Out Diet', because staring at a piece of fat day in and day out is, well, GROSS!

Overtime and through repetition it's conditioning will help you to make better choices, moment to moment, day by day. Take it along with you to the gym to stay focused, or work out at home with it, bring it to lunch... and by the way, these babies are anatomically correct replicas, so you might be surprised to see what 1 pound of fat actually looks like!

Jay's company slogan is, 'Fat is all in your head.' I agree except, of course, when you're trying to fit your fat ass into some low-rider jeans.

The Protein Bakery: One smart cookie

Somebody has been living out your baking fantasies. And, it seems that Stephen Charles Lincoln is the culprit; bakery owner, fitness instructor, and actor - People magazine even included him as one of the years 25 hottest bachelors in 2003.

His shop: The Protein Bakery.

What? Protein isn't exactly what you were thinking? Well, before you start to wallow in disappointment, know this: there is a way to please both your sweet tooth cravings and still keep your figure and it's by eating healthier snacks! Imagine, these delicious brownies are overfilled with proteins, they don't make you hungry for more sweet stuff and they actually taste great!

Just like the name implies, each cookie or brownie is packed with protein; at least six grams. They're also lower in carbs and made with fiber, rolled oat flour, organic brown sugar, and other high-quality ingredients, so these little powerhouses can really flex some muscle.

But it's the scrumptious flavors like classic chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal cranberry, and chocolate cherry that are the icing on the cake. (Well, so to speak.) And they have a brownie (or a cookie or a blondie) just for you!

Sportsvite: Social Networking for Sporty People

Stop playing with yourself.

Yes, that's their motto ... and quite frankly, it's appropriate. Sportsvite is an online community that connects people who play sports (or those who just think they can) and helps them organize games among friends, in leagues, or for pick-up locally.

It was started for anyone who loves sports, but finds it frustrating to actually organize a game (usually because most of their other friends are fat or lazy). With Sportsvite, recreational athletes, and I stress the word recreational, can now organize their games and leagues or find people nearby that also have the same passion for sports.

I recommend you give it a try ... with over 250,000 unique visitors per month you're bound to find someone out there who wants to play with you!