GeekSugar

Cool Idea: ROSSIN L@p Chair

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:53 PDT

While there's something charming and nostalgic about an old-school desk chair, it's about time it had a modern makeover. The ROSSIN L@p Chair (inquire for price) by German-based Design Ballendat is the second coming of the school desk chair. But, instead of a hefty compartment to store pencils and paperwork, and a writing surface, you can set your notebook computer on its curved arm and call on your hard drive for storage. I think these chairs would be ideal for Internet coffee shops, but I'd love one in my living room, too. My Macbook is practically a permanent resident on my sofa.

The Herman Miller Embody Chair Feels Good All Over

GeekSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:00:03 PST

When furniture designer Herman Miller sent me one of their latest and greatest creations, the Embody Chair - which is both body and blogging friendly - I couldn't wait to see if it felt as good as it looked.

With the help of physicians and professionals in such fields like biomechanics, vision, physical therapy, and ergonomics, designers Jeff Weber and Bill Stumpf created the Embody Chair with the office worker in mind, therefore making sure it was jam-packed full of health-positive benefits.

What instantly struck me about this chair was the fact that its entire backing looks like a real spine, with vertebrates and all. Once you sit down, you can actually feel it adapting to the shape and movement of your spine and it will move when you move. With adjustments for your back, seat height, arm height, arm width, the tilt tension (yes it can recline) and the seat depth, you can get the Embody to distribute your weight evenly and conform perfectly to your body. And even if your body moves, the lower back support always remains constant for perfect posture and back alignment.

Although the chair looks very dainty and delicate, it's actually quite sturdy and extremely heavy! So you don't have to worry about breaking it. The Embody is 95 percent recyclable, PVC free, and was made with 42 percent of recycled content. The chair is said to be available this January for $1600 - I know, pricey, but it is the Aston Martin of office chairs! And I can't confirm this, but I'm going to assume it will come in more colors other than yellow. Herman Miller even has its own Thoughtpile site where you can contribute solutions and creative ideas from topics ranging to the environment to urban design!

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Work it Girl: Chair Spinal Twist

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Take a break from working already! I love doing a spinal twist at my desk because it really loosens up my lower back and gives my eyes a rest. I try to do this every half hour or so.

Push your chair slightly away from your desk and then sit down gazing forward. Bend your left knee and plant your foot on your chair - slip your shoes off if you're wearing heels. Reach your right arm up and cross your elbow over the outside of your left knee. You can increase the intensity of the twist by pulling with your hands and putting weight into your left foot.

Stay here for a few breaths or as long as you want. Then slowly release your torso back to center and place your left foot on the ground. Don't forget to do the other side! Twisting is so important for the health of our spines. This feels good and is so good for you. Try it right now and let me know what you think.

How to Combat That Afternoon Slump

Leta Shy — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:40:46 PDT

Sometimes, you just can't beat that afternoon slump. Sitting at a desk all day can leave you feeling the opposite of energetic, especially around those postlunch hours when our bodies expend more energy digesting or we crash from the effects of our morning cup of coffee - and when that happens, don't think you can always rely on energy drinks. Besides their long list of unpronounceable ingredients, a new study has found that energy drinks contain high levels of citric acid, which can cause major tooth enamel erosion.

Luckily, even without the energy drinks you don't have to spend your nine-to-five dreading the inevitable urge to nap. Here are some ways for combating that afternoon slump.

Exercise in the morning. A good day begins with a good start. Exercising in the morning is beneficial for many reasons: you don't have to worry about scheduling a time later, and it's nice to be able to check something off your list before the day really begins. A morning sweat session is also good for keeping your energy levels up throughout the day, so if you find yourself hitting a wall in the afternoon, try moving your workout session to before work and see how you feel.
Take an afternoon walk. If you find yourself spending more time dozing and daydreaming than working in the afternoon, take a 10-minute break to rev up your body. Just walking around the office, chatting with co-workers, or taking a break to enjoy the sunshine outside can be all you need to give your body a recharge.

Still tired? Read on for more tips that'll keep you from taking a nap at your desk!

Give Your Desk a Healthy Makeover With These Tips

Leta Shy — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:44:46 PDT

Since you spend so much time at your desk, it's important that you make it a healthy environment - especially since there are so many ways your job can make you fat. Here's how to make over your desk to stay healthy while you work.

Stash snacks: Vending machines and office candy jars can be too much temptation, especially when your grumbling stomach is egging you on. Instead, stock your desk drawer with a few filling snacks, like almonds, trail mix, all-natural homemade fruit and nut bars, and green tea bags to satisfy tummy and taste buds before you give up and reach for the leftover break room doughnuts.

Use a reusable water bottle: Nothing reminds you to drink more water than a filled water bottle living on your desk. Drinking enough water throughout the day is crucial for both your health and your mood, since dehydration can lead to fatigue and irritability, so fight that afternoon slump (or the urge to snap at your fellow co-workers) by drinking up. Find out how much water you should be drinking here.

Deal with germs: Many times, lunch at your desk is just inevitable. Those days dining in front of your monitor can make things a little messy at your desk. Keep your area germ-free with desk wipes and all-natural hand sanitizer (find out how to make your own hand sanitizer here).

Adjust that chair: You're sitting there for most of the day, so make sure you keep your chair and computer comfortably aligned with the position of your body to prevent back, wrist, and neck pain. Not sure if your monitor is too low or if you are sitting correctly? Read our tips for creating an ergonomic desk here.

Savvy Links: The Best and Worst Things to Buy in May

Emily Co — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:10:58 PDT

The best and worst things to buy in May - Wise Bread
Get rid of your stuff: make money, declutter your life, and help others - Free Money Finance
10 ways to fit exercise into your day - LearnVest
This 3-year-old girl is Mensa’s youngest member - The Jane Dough
7 far more sensible alternatives to conventional desk chairs - Tecca
The 13 most useless majors and why they don’t matter - College Candy
"I had to go through 12 interviews before I got the job" - The Grindstone
The pros and cons of diesel cars - Bankrate
Why it's a good time to be a working woman - HuffPost Women

5 Fitness Myths That Mess With Results

Prevention — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:31:20 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Jenna Bergen, Prevention

With so many people offering advice on weight loss, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. All too often I’ve overheard a hardworking gym-goer sharing a well-meaning but ill-informed tip with another exerciser. And I’m not the only one who’s heard fitness folklore being swapped on the training room floor. I spoke to top experts in the field to find out the common fitness myths they hear from clients. From the pseudo miracles of the "fat-burning" zone to the misguided magic of working out on an empty stomach, these fitness falsehoods should never be followed.

Nine Exercise Moves You're Doing Wrong

Myth No. One: Keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone

If you've been exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to shed flab faster, you could be slowing your slim down. "The fat-burning zone is a complete myth," says Wayne Westcott, PhD, Prevention advisory board member and fitness research director at Quincy College. "While it's true that you burn a higher percentage of fat calories when exercising at a moderate pace, you burn fewer calories overall." For instance, if you get on a treadmill and walk at a 3.5 mph pace for 30 minutes, you might burn 250 calories. If you raise the speed to seven miles per hour, you’d burn 500. Bottom line? "It’s much better to go at the faster speed." Prefer the elliptical trainer? Make sure you're not making one of the top 10 elliptical trainer mistakes.

Myth No. Two: Boosting cardio is the best way to bypass a plateau

"The most effective way to lose weight is to include both cardio and weights in your routine," says Jari Love, star of the Get Extremely Ripped: 1000 Hardcore DVD. "One study found that when individuals cycled for 30 minutes a day, they lost three pounds of fat and gained a half pound of muscle in eight weeks. But individuals who cycled for 15 minutes and weight trained for 15 minutes a day lost 10 pounds of fat and gained two pounds of calorie-burning muscle."

Try This Workout to Drop Two Sizes by Summer!

Keep reading! We bust three more myths after the break.

Jeff Andrews Shares the Inspirations and Sources Behind This Gorgeous Library

Elka Karl — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:00:52 PDT

Los Angeles-based Jeff Andrews has designed homes for Ryan Seacrest and America Ferrera, among other clients, and his timeless, elegant, and inspired designs are a hit with design fans, shelter magazines, and design insiders. One of his most recent projects is featured in the May issue of Traditional Home, which will hit newsstands on April 17.

Today, Jeff is sharing a preview of one of the rooms featured in the magazine with us - a lovely library. Jeff reveals the inspiration behind the design, and the process of creating the look with us. Keep reading to get inspired to make changes in your home library space!

Deciding upon the color palette

The wood paneling was an existing element and rather than fight it, I decided to just go with it. The area rug is the one and only piece that the clients brought with them from their previous residence, and luckily it found a great home in here. I chose colors that enhanced the rug and wood paneling stain color and the rest followed.

On the repetition of curvaceous lines in the space

When I started the project, this room seemed so linear and flat. I didn’t purposefully add "curves," but as the design process evolved, I was drawn to patterns that added movement and life to the space. It’s interesting how in design, sometimes things are selected individually and end up working in harmony to create an overall feel.

Using two tables in this space

The writing desk is used daily by the homeowners for correspondence and the other table is used as a library/game table, which I could see being used for her and her friends for a glass of chardonnay, or him and his buddies for a game of poker.

Creating animal intrigue for vegan clients

One of the only restrictions given to me by my client was no fur, leather, or animal products as they are vegan. But knowing their love for animals, as I shopped to accessorize their home, I was drawn to animal motifs. I didn’t set out to create a "zoo," but throughout the house you’ll see touches of real animal love!

The story behind that gorgeous desk chair

The first day I shopped with the client we went to a showroom sale and picked up several pieces, and this little gem happened to be one of them. It’s one of the few pieces in the room that is not vintage.

Where to commission a painting as lovely as the one in this library.

I sourced this painting from a local artist, Angela Dickerson-Lee, who also happens to have an amazing vintage store, Bonita Interiors, at the Pasadena Antique Center. She’s got a great eye.

On where to source the gorgeous pouf

It’s a Jeff Andrews-Design original.

Input from the homeowners

It needed to be comfortable, kid- and animal-friendly, timeless, and completely finished and move-in ready by the time it was complete. It also had to be on budget and done within six months. Check!

To tour the rest of the home, pick up the new issue of Traditional Home.

31 Days of Spring Cleaning: Get Ergonomic

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:26:21 PDT

Sitting for hours in front of your computer - whether you're at an office or working from home - is bad enough, but throw in the poorly positioned monitor, a chair that's not supporting your back, and a desk that's too small for your stature, and you have a cocktail for body aches and pains. Check with your HR department to see what kinds of ergonomic assessment services are available to you so you can get your desk in tip-top shape. Working from home? No sweat - let this Osha ergonomic evaluation checklist help you set up a healthy home office.

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or at our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!

Source: Flickr user jpoesen

Strength Train at Your Desk (Without a Soul Knowing!)

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:56:17 PDT

Sitting at a desk all day long is one reason your job is making you fat. If you can't break away for a session at the gym on your lunch break, here are four toning moves you can do at your desk - without your co-workers even knowing. If your chair is on wheels, you can still do these exercises; just be more conscious about moving slowly and with control so as not to lose your balance and roll away.

Source: Thinkstock