1. Blog: Turn your daily goings-on into your own creative outlet. Blogging is a great way to share your life with your family and friends, no matter how far away they are! Post pictures, funny stories, even your fears and worries. Feel instantly more connected!

2. FaceTime: Can’t steal away an hour (or three) for a quickie drink? No problem. Mobile apps such as FaceTime let you chat and see your friends with the click of a button. Weekly meetups and talks can easily bring you closer to those you love!

3. Rotating Babysitting Nights: Have a lot of gal pals with kids of their own? Feel like no one can ever get away? Establish a rotating babysitting schedule with your girlfriends— one couple will “group” babysit, while the rest of the girls get away for a night, and then the next week, it’s the next mom’s turn. This way, everyone gets to go out, and no one has to pay for a babysitter! Fab!

4. Power Lunch: Instead of working through lunch, truly relish in that hour away from your desk— schedule an alfresco lunch with your best friends. Gossiping over Cobb salads and spritzers? Insta-stress relief! And it’s guilt-free time with your bests!

5. Coordinate Errands: Need to run to the dry cleaners? Have to mail a million packages? Why not combine your dreaded errands with that of your girlfriends’, and kill two birds with one stone? You may even be able to squeeze in that latte you’ve been pining for all morning.

With a little planning and extra work, you can definitely maintain friendships, conquer all your responsibilities, and be a super fab mom, all in one! I mean, duh!

The post How to Stay Connected with Your Girlfriends After Baby appeared first on .

Get your protein on: Nails are made up of keratin, which is a protein, and a lack of protein in your diet could lead to soft and brittle nails. Incorporate a minimum of 60g of protein into your diet every day. The best sources of protein are lean meats, seafood, eggs, dairy products, legumes, tofu, and nuts.

Take your vitamins: According to registered dietitian, nutritionist, and health coach Sarah Mirkin, “Vitamin C helps with iron absorption and works with vitamin E to boost and strengthen nails by promoting healthy blood circulation to deliver oxygen to the nail beds.” Great sources of vitamin C include strawberries, oranges, kiwis, cantaloupe, yams, tomatoes, and peppers. For vitamin E, eat nuts, eggs, avocado, asparagus, and sweet potatoes.

Don’t forget biotin: According to Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food author and celebrity nutritionist/chef Christine Avanti, a study found that 2.5mg of biotin per day was enough to significantly increase the firmness and hardness of nails, so make sure you include enough biotin in your daily eats with foods such as milk, salmon, and whole grains.

Iron it out: An iron deficiency in your diet can also lead to weak nails. Sarah said great sources of iron include oysters, salmon, turkey, beef, tuna, and chicken.

xx, The FabFitFun Team

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Culinary trail blazer Tal Ronnen, owner of Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles, threw the classic spring roll into a cultural melting pot and came up with these Ponzu Glazed Tofu Crystal Rolls. The delectable bites are featured in his book, The Conscious Cook, and are just as tasty as they look! With fresh Vietnamese rice paper, cabbage, carrots, and tofu marinated in Ponzu, you’ll love the hints of citrus in this dish!

Ponzu Glazed Tofu Crystal Rolls

Makes 20 to 25 pieces; 6 servings Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup ponzu
1 pound firm tofu, cut into 8 (1⁄4-inch-thick) slabs
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1⁄4 head cabbage, shredded
2 scallions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
5 (8-inch) round rice paper sheets(spring roll skins), soaked in warm water for 5 minutes
2 ounces rice vermicelli, soaked separately in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained
25 fresh mint leaves
Miso Sambal Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour the ponzu into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Place the tofu slabs in a single layer in the baking dish. Turn over to coat with the ponzu. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the tofu over halfway through. Let cool, then cut into 1⁄4-inch- wide strips.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, cabbage, scallions, and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and wilted. Let cool.
3. To assemble the rolls, remove a sheet of rice paper from the water, shake to remove the excess water, and place on a flat surface. Put one or two strips of tofu, some of the cabbage mixture, some of the vermicelli, and 5 mint leaves across one end of the rice paper sheet. Roll up tightly. The roll should be about 1 inch in diameter.
4. Cut each roll into 4 or 5 pieces, place each piece faceup on a plate, and garnish each piece with a small dollop of the Miso Sambal Sauce.

Miso Sambal Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons yellow miso paste
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (Thai Chile Sauce)
1 tablespoon light agave nectar

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

xx, The FabFitFun Team

The post Meatless Monday: Ponzu Glazed Tofu Crystal Rolls appeared first on .

There comes a time when your pants feel a little tighter and you can’t seem to feel good in anything you wear. Did you pack on a few pounds but are scared to look at the cold, hard truth? Here are some signs when you know it’s time to lose weight.

1. You’re Asked: “Are you pregnant?”
Yes, people actually do this! It also might be time to consider weight loss when comments from strangers or loved ones all seem to have a common thread.

2. You Start To Make Excuses for Your Appearance
You’ll go to any lengths to make an excuse for why you look the way you do. Face it, if you have to explain, you need to start reducing your calories.

3. Getting Dressed Takes Longer Than You Think
Trying to find an outfit that camouflages the extra weight can be exhausting, especially when bigger clothes aren’t in your budget.

4. Your Mood Is Down and Your Quality of Life Is Decreasing
Research shows 67% of women think about their body image at least six times a day. So shedding those pounds may make the clouds roll away.

5. You Schedule All Social Outings Around Food
When and what you eat is more important than the company you keep. If you need a bagel to entice you to hang out, it’s time you thought about what role food plays in your life. Schedule active outings with friends.

Get moving: Even 5 minutes a day is progress.

This post was made by a fab member of our Ambassador Network. To check out the entire roster of uh-mazing bloggers, click here!

The post 5 Signs It Is Time to Lose Weight appeared first on .

xx, The FabFitFun Team

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Yet every time we watch an online tutorial, take copious notes from a hair expert on TV, or study our stylist diligently in the salon mirror to try to replicate the results in our own bathrooms, we end up with sweat dripping down our forehead, pit stains on our T-shirts and hair that looks more Helena Bonham Carter than Hayden Panettiere.

So to spare you the frustration (and the potential crying fit), it’s great to have a handy list of trustworthy places that will leave your hair looking gorgeous.

Dry Bar
Multiple locations
With the motto “No Cuts. No Colors. Just Blowouts” you know you’re in good hands. Their hair menu offers up options named after our fave adult bevs from The Mai Tai (messy beachy hair) to The Manhattan (sleek and smooth). You can order your “drink” of choice with a guarantee of being hangover free! $35 

Lauren’s Salon Spa
8369 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 323-852-1410
Patricia Pineda not only knows her way with a round brush and a flat iron but her bubbly personality will leave you wanting to go out for drinks afterward. Especially now that your hair looks oh-so-fab! Call Lauren’s or email Patricia directly at pinedape1@yahoo.com. $35. 

Ken Paves Salon
409 N. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-205-0087
If you’re going to splurge on a blowout, Ken Paves Salon is the place to do it. Ken, who styles the hair of Eva Longoria, Victoria Beckham, and Jessica Simpson (among others), hand-picks and trains his team and flies them around the world to help him on his shoots. $75 

Blo
Multiple locations
Hop on over to Blo and choose from their list of offerings or bring your own “must have” style for them to copy. Want to grow longer hair for the evening? Presto-chango, Blo will clip in hair extensions for you for an extra fee. Wash, blow, go, and look fab! $35 

xx, The FabFitFun LA Team

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Swimsuit shopping after a long winter can bring up feelings of insecurity and anxiety no matter how fit you’re feeling. So, we sat down with fashion expert and Gilt.com women’s editorial director Tracey Lomrantz Lester to get a few tips on finding the best suit for your body, how to prep for the fitting rooms, and feeling comfortable in your own (fabulous!) skin:

On swimsuit shopping: “I don’t know any woman who enjoys swimsuit shopping, but there are definitely easy ways to make it more painless. I get ready like I’m actually going to the beach — shave, wax, exfoliate, self-tan — to make that moment in front of the mirror less scary! I’m also a big fan of ordering a ton of swimsuits online, then trying them on in the comfort of my own bedroom, minus the fluorescent lighting. Then I just send back whatever I don’t want.”

How to find the perfect suit for your body type: “The key is to play up the features you love and distract from the ones you don’t. Great legs? Choose a high-cut suit to show them off. Small bust? Wear a top with ruffles or ruching to give the illusion of extra oomph. It’s all about working with what you’ve got!”

How to best feel comfortable and confident for the season: “Use your personal style to feel the most ‘you.’ I’m a big fan of accessorizing at the beach. If boho is your signature thing, wear your turquoise jewelry and tiger lily headband with your swimsuit. You’ll feel the most like yourself, which will translate into total confidence. And a (safe!) tan always helps, too.”

Have you already brought home the perfect suit? Tweet us your finds at @FabFitFunChi! Still looking to pick up some new pieces for summer? Check out www.gilt.com/fabfitfun.

xx, The FabFitFun Chicago Team 

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These portable “quickies,” recently launched at Juice Generation, offer everything from a much-needed energy boost to a concentrated vital of pure vitamin C, depending on what kind of a kick you’re looking for.

From the Beauty Boost shot — a combination of pureed sea buckthorn berries harvested from wild plants in the Himalayas, to the Rescue Boost — packed with anti-inflammatory agents and essential amino acids to help lower blood sugar and kick a hangover (yes, really!), these babies are the perfect solution to everything from dull skin to an overall lack of energy.

Bottoms up.

DD Shots, at Juice Generation, locations citywide.

xx, The FabFitFun New York Team

The post Shots! Shots! Shots! appeared first on .

We’ve rounded up some fab Spring recipes that are sure to impress, even if you aren’t a magician in the kitchen. Get ready to grab your bags and head over to your local farmers market!

xx, The FabFitFun Team

The post Spring Clean Eating appeared first on .

Sophie Jaffe, certified raw food nutritionist and chef, professional yogi, and mother of two, noticed the lack of superfoods in the everyday diet, and set out to mix up something special. She created Philosophie superfoods to help super-charge every meal. These little packets come in fab flavors such as Berry Bliss, Green Dream, and Cacao Magic, and are faves of celebs like George Clooney and gf Stacey Keibler.

We chatted with Sophie to get her quick tips to living healthy and staying fit!

1. Move as often as you can! There’s the obvious “park farther/never take the elevator” which I definitely do, but I’m talking about one step further. While I’m doing the dishes I do leg lifts. While feeding my baby (bottle/breastfeeding) or trying to get him to sleep, I do squats or lunges. While brushing teeth, calf raises. See what I’m sayin’?

2. Take super food supplements with you on the go. Our 4-ounce bags are perfect for this! If I see them, then I will use them…I’ll grab a maybe not-so-good smoothie from Jamba Juice while on the go but have them add Green Dream to it. That way I’m getting my super foods and fresh fruit and veggies instead of a silly sandwich or not so healthy option. Oh, and always have the smoothie barista add extra greens. It may not be on the menu, but they probably have spinach there somewhere and can throw in a handful for that extra boost!

3. When craving something sweet, I usually have a healthier option first to try to satisfy my sweet tooth. I’ll make a chia pudding or a mousse (use coconut oil and avocado as a base and then add superfoods) or a sorbet (throw organic frozen berries and Berry Bliss in the vitamix and blend till creamy). It’s beyond simple, takes three minutes and satisfies my cravings deeply. Nine times out of 10, I’m happy and don’t need something more “naughty”!

4. Set up a morning or evening ritual. It takes about two weeks to create this new ritual as a habit, so be patient and diligent. In the evenings I like to shut down completely (electronics/outside world) and go inward. The alarm goes off on my phone every evening at 9:30, and I have a ritual of 30 minutes for me doing things for my spirit and soul. My sleep is better and I am happier because of these routines!

xx, The FabFitFun Team

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