The spring C9 by Champion for Target collection is cute, yo.

Please give a big warm welcome to Margo Donohue, fitness professional and blogger at Brooklyn Fit Chick. Since Margo lives in the Big Apple, she’ll be helping us cover events every now and again—just like this recent Target event!

Hello everyone! Recently Fit Bottomed Girls recently asked me to attend a Target event that featured not only their best health and wellness-centered products but also a visit with yoga expert Kristin McGee. Of course, I immediately hopped on the subway from Brooklyn to check things out!

The folks at Target set up a loft space in midtown to show off their health and wellness options that are either currently in-store or will be arriving very soon. We are talking everything from newly designed bottles from their pharmacy that will help prevent family members from mixing up their medication (created by an intern at Target!) to a whole slew of healthy foods (including fresh, packed and frozen) that really knocked me for a loop.

Did you know that Target is selling fresh groceries at their store? Well, they do now, including frozen fish cutlets that are ecologically safe for our waters and food supply and a variety of pastas that are gluten-free. (I am a city-girl so forgive me for being excited about bigger chain stores, but we just don’t get that many here!)

Unfortunately, I was not able to take advantage of the free hand massages offered at the event’s “Natural Health Spa,” but I noticed they carry some terrific all-organic brands including Burt’s Bees, willa and Yes to Tomatoes—all of which I use on my own.

Later, I met the team from Champion (absolutely LOVE their gear) and got a peek at the C9 by Champion for Target. I have to say, I was quite impressed with the variety of colors and styles offered at such affordable prices. (Really, why aren’t more companies selling tanks for $12.99 and running tights for $24.99?) The spring collection offers a variety of jackets, tanks and shorts in yummy colors like watermelon and lemon yellow that will lift your spirits and keep you motivated to work out.

The best part of the Target event for me though was getting to meet one of my yoga heroes—Kristin McGee. Kristin is one of the best yoginis in the business with a line of critically acclaimed workout DVDs plus she is a certified personal trainer and a contributing editor at Health magazine. This dynamo really knows her stuff when it comes to fitness!

Kristin was surrounded by fans most of the time, but when I did get her attention and told her whom I was writing for, she immediately struck the pose below and said “I love Fit Bottomed Girls!”

Kristin McGee, the love is mutual!

We were able to chat for a few minutes about her C9 by Champion for Target outfit (she is a big fan), and I promised to check out one of her classes here in New York soon. The event capped off with a cute black and white hat box that was used as a goodie bag containing Market Pantry Fiber Bars, Archer Farms Quinoa and a coupon for a free outfit—score!

Are you a Target fan? A Kristin McGee Fan? Tell us! —Margo

Ever since I went backpacking last summer, I have come to appreciate the beauty of a coat that is lightweight, warm and is—I’ll admit, even in the woods—cute. And the new Craghoppers ClimaPlus Reversible Jacket that the company recently sent me to test? Well, it fits all of those requirements.

Not a backpacking coat by design (it’s not bulky by any means, but it’s not super minimalistic like this REI jacket was), it is perfect for most outdoor activities be it hiking, walking or camping. Seeing that I haven’t been on a camping trip since my backpacking extravaganza, I tested this Craghoppers jacket the best way I knew how: walking my dog in cold, windy weather day after day. Yes, the Midwest has had a mild winter, but we’ve still had enough windy 20-degree days for me to call it legit testing weather. But it certainly stood up.

First off, the jacket is light and a little poofy, without making you look like a marshmallow in the least. While it doesn’t look like it would be that warm—and even when you put it on at first it doesn’t feel really heavy or really toasty or anything—it certainly keeps a gal cozy. It’s insulated, water repellent and—this is my favorite part—windproof. One day I got smacked with 20-mph cold winds, and it seriously didn’t get through the coat (my yoga pants were a different story). Awesome.

Oh, and if that wasn’t cool enough, it’s reversible. And not in one of those lame ways that you never use because the zippers are wonky on one of the sides and there’s a tag sticking out—you really can wear both sides, and I did! I preferred the purple, but the blue was a nice change of pace now and again. It also has zipped pockets on each side, which were helpful for storing keys without the fear of them falling out. (In my book, every pocket on activewear should be zippable.)

At about $100, the jacket isn’t cheap, but it’s also classic enough that it’ll never go out of style. Not to mention that it’s high quality. While I usually wear it only when I’m doing active things, I do love it in the mornings when I’m headed to the gym and have to scrape ice off my car. I also have worn it a couple of times out—you can totally wear it with jeans for a—if we’re doing the Spice Girls thing, which we always are—Sporty Spice look. The coat does have a small print of the Craghoppers name on the chest of the jacket, but it’s totally minor and not overly noticeable. Overall, it’s a staple in my winter closet!

Do you have a particular winter jacket or coat that you wear for outdoor workouts? What factor—water repellent, windproof, look or otherwise—is most important to you? —Jenn

Please, Paula. Bring back these days and make a new dance workout DVD! Credit: Alan Light

The other day, Erin had THE BEST idea. We were discussing people we’d most like to interview for future FitStars. While one of Erin’s 80s-fitness-icon-interviewing dreams is already in the works (more on that in the weeks to come—hehe!), I have long been a Paula Abdul fan. From her dance workout DVDs to her time spent on American Idol, I’m a straight-up-now-tell-me kind of gal. So, of course, my top person to interview is Paula. Since we have no plans (or—let’s be honest—connections) to talk to Paula anytime soon, Erin thought we should try to convince her via the Twitter to make a new workout DVD (and, of course, talk to us). Paula just got the boot from X Factor, so it’s the perfect time!

Brilliant, right? So starting today, the #PleasePaula Twitter campaign official begins. We will not rest (or stop Tweeting) until Paula either makes a DVD or personally tells us to sod off. If you’re a Paula fan—or simply enjoy watching us make a spectacle of ourselves—please join in by RTing our #PleasePaula Twitter updates or Tweeting your own message to @PaulaAbdul and @FitBottomedGirl with the hashtag.

Together, we can all have a new Paula Abdul dance DVD to work out to. Please, Paula, please…the workout DVD world needs you! —Jenn

What’s bigger than a breadbox and takes over your entire living room?

One of a couple of boxes...

Well, it’s the groovy new LifeSpan TR1200-DT Treadmill Desk, that’s what! And while, yes, after assembly it did take over even more of my living room (my office was too small to house my usual desk and a treadmill—since I was only trying the Treadmill Desk for a few weeks), let me just say that it was worth it.

Working from home is awesome…and weird. While you can get a lot done (no co-workers buggin’ you with drama), it can also be too quiet (again, no co-workers buggin’ you with drama) and distractions abound (I’m looking at you, BravoTV). But one of the best parts is the ability to work out when you want. Yes, I know there might be meetings and phone calls and stuff, but most days, if you want to take 15 minutes to do yoga or go for a walk, you can. And you can always claim you had bad Mexican food the night before if someone calls when you’re out.

Despite this freedom, sometimes it’s hard—even for me, who is kind of a masochistic when it comes to working out—to get motivated during the work day. I’ve been known to hit the gym at 5:30 in the morning, start my workday at 7 a.m. (green smoothie and coffee in hand, of course) and then proceed to sit on my duff until lunch unless one of the following things happens: my dog demands a walk, my stomach starts grumbling for a snack or the FedEx man knocks on the door.

My usual desk, with the dog about to ask me for a walk.

Now, I know the dangers of sitting for hours on end. I know I should get up at least once every hour—hell, I tell people to do that—but some days I’m tired. And, let’s be honest, in my head I think I already worked out, so walking the dog is going to be about my only other “activity” unless you count cooking dinner and watching TV or reading. So…

Well, let’s just say that the Treadmill Desk was a welcome addition to my routine. I didn’t use it for more than an hour or two at a time, but it definitely helped me to get off my rear, especially in the afternoons when a little work-walking was the perfect energy booster. The Treadmill Desk I tested only went up to a speed of 4 mph, but I found that walking anything faster than 2.2 mpg impeded my ability to type and really focus (your eyeballs get all bouncy). Although a few nights, I did walk at 4 mph while watching TV. (If I were to buy myself one, I’d spring for one that went up to a faster speed so that I could run on it, too—not while working, obviously.)

The display panel shows distance traveled, calories burned, time walking and the Intelli-Step feature that works like a pedometer and counts the steps you take while you’re working. (And it works—I tried hopping off and back on to trick it, and it got it right every time. Talk about an easy way to up your steps-a-day goal!)

You can scroll through your stats. The steps, distance and calories really add up!

The desk also had more than enough room for my laptop, cell phone, regular phone, water bottle and paperwork on it, and it even had a nice little ergonomic arm rest for typing. The belt was quality and the rest of the treadmill felt really secure. Not to mention that putting it together and getting the desk height right (that took a bit of trial and error) wasn’t impossible—with maybe a little help from my husband. The Treadmill Desk goes for about $1,300, so it’s not cheap—but neither are treadmills or big sturdy office desks.

Plenty of room!

To be honest, I really enjoyed using it. See?

Walking and writing is fun!

The desks are designed for use at home or in the workplace, and I really, really think this could be an awesome part of the solution to the obesity epidemic. So many have trouble fitting workouts in because of work. So making work more active? Well, that’s just a no-brainer. Granted, most of us won’t get a great workout walking at 2 mph, but it’s certainly better than nothing. And far healthier than sitting on my fit bottom all day.

Do you make it a point to get up and walk around every hour when you’re at work? Do you have a Treadmill Desk? Would you use it all day? Let’s discuss, shall we? —Jenn

I love being barefoot. In fact, even in the winter, I’ll refuse to wear shoes and socks (unless it’s really cold; then I happily don fuzzy animal slippers and funny socks). And I’ve been known to take the trash out to the curb while barefoot in sub-freezing temperatures. I just like the feet to be free! But as I’ve noted before, the whole barefoot running-craze kind of freaks me out. First, I worry about stepping on things. Second, there’s so much flip-flopping as to whether or not they’re good or bad for your running form (just Google it—people are super opinionated on it). Third, well, they make you look like an amphibian. (Again, I’ve already discussed my thoughts on that.) But adidas recently sent me a pair of its new adipure trainer, and, you know I had to try them so that I could decide for myself if my barefoot-training worries were justified or I was just being loco en la cabeza.

First off, the adipure trainer is not technically a barefoot-running shoe; it’s a barefoot-training shoe. Meaning that it’s bestfor athletic drills, weight lifting, plyometrics and pretty much anything else you could do in a gym. With a special toe-separation design and a quarter-inch minimalistic profile, your foot is close to the ground, which adidas says helps with speed, balance and agility during workouts. The company also says that it promotes more of a natural movement because it harnesses the body’s natural mechanics, along with strengthening many muscles in your feet and lower legs that usually take a backseat when you’re wearing a pair of typical running shoes.

Well, all that sounded dandy to me. So amphibian toes be damned, I did a workout DVD in them. And then, a few days later, I went out for a short run in them. (Yes, amphibian toes in public!) On both occasions, I’ll admit that putting them on wasn’t easy nor did it feel particularly good. It took me a good five minutes to get my feet correctly in there—and my pinky toes almost refused to go in their corresponding separators. And, walking around the house just felt weird. And not in a good way.

Me with lizard toes!

But once I started moving? It’s like all of the discomfort went away. I was surprised by how bare yet supported my feet felt, and not once did I worry about stepping on something when jogging in my neighborhood. Sure, it was a little weird to look down and see all five of my toes, but it was also a little liberating. My toes were protected—yet free!—yet protected—yet free! And—this was one of the coolest parts—I could feel the different parts of my legs and my feet working. Which I really liked.

During my jog, my heel-strike softened, and I felt like I was running more lightly. And during the workout DVD, I just felt like everything about my form was more controlled and less clunky. And while there’s not much of a sole on the shoe, it still felt supportive and a touch cushy. No weird rubbing or chafing to report either. I’ve heard some people complain about seams on other barefoot-training shoes, but I didn’t feel a single seam. Perhaps most important though, I felt more like a serious athlete. So I was way more into it than I might have otherwise been on a random afternoon.

A pair of these go for $90, which isn’t a ton for workout shoes—especially a specialty pair like these. While I haven’t braved wearing them here yet (which is more of a me-not-wanting-to-struggle-to-put-them-on-at-5-a.m.-kind-of-thing than anything else), I do see myself continuing to wear them at home during workouts and for runs around the neighborhood (these shoes are best for hard, flat surfaces).

So, turns out, my barefoot-training fears aren’t very justified. Regarding fear No.1: Yes, you can step on things but it’s far better when you have this shoe on. Regarding fear No. 2: They seemed to improve my form. Regarding ridiculous fear No. 3: Yeah, I got over that. And now I think it’s cool!

Have you tried the adidas adipure trainer? Other types of barefoot running or training shoes? Want to try them! Tell us all about your experience! —Jenn

Chips and dip...we know we'll have a few during the Super Bowl! Credit: jeffreyw

Sure, we’ve given you some new healthy Super Bowl snack options and even a recipe for lighter chicken wings this week, but we’re wanting to know, do you give yourself permission to indulge in a few dishes during the Super Bowl? Or do you stick to the lighter fare if you can? My game-plan (get it? Pun!) for today is to have a few bites of whatever food I’m really craving (a la intuitive-eating style), have a beer—or two, maybe—and just kick back and relax with good company and what I hope will be a good game and a decent half-time show. (It is Madonna!) Or at least some funny commercials. How about you?

Can’t see the poll? Click here to tell us if you indulge during the Super Bowl. 

If you are going to indulge, what are you splurging on? And if not, why not? And if you’re not watching the Super Bowl at all, what are you doing instead? Watching the Puppy Bowl? Hitting the gym while it’s quiet? We wanna know! —Jenn

Salmon is good for the whole family! Credit: gkdavie

Calling all mamas! You didn’t miss any great posts on Fit Bottomed Mamas, did ya? Check out the latest and greatest below!

You just can’t go wrong with a free online workout customized for you.

Yum. Salmon that’s easy to make.

Elbow Moon is the new Blue Ivy.

Erin’s in the third trimester—find out how she’s doing!

Can you really not know that you’re pregnant?

Tips on getting back into the workout groove after having a C-section.

What’s the best pregnancy book that’s out there? Hard to beat this one!

They’ll turn anything into a movie these days! Thankfully, this one has a good cast and looks really funny (magical pregnancy unicorn!).

Happy healthy reading, mamas! —Jenn 

Yesterday we shared with you five new healthy Super Bowl snacks to try. And today? Well, we’re giving you a mouth-watering recipe—no, really, they’re hot!—for Teriyaki Chicken Wings with Hot Mango Dipping Sauce. A big thanks to Registered Dietitian Sarah Ladden and Stevia in the Raw for the below tasty Super Bowl recipe that’s certainly healthier than your usual chicken wings…

Perfect Super Bowl Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Wings with Hot Mango Dipping Sauce

Brushing several times with an all-natural sauce gives these baked wings intense flavor and crunchy skin. The chile-spiked fruit dipping sauce makes the perfect partner.

Chicken Wings Ingredients
1/2 c reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 c mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1/3 c Stevia In The Raw Baker’s Bag
2 tbsp defrosted orange juice concentrate
2 garlic cloves, sliced lengthwise
3/4-inch fresh ginger, in 3 slices
16 chicken wings, about 3 1/4 pounds

Directions
1. In small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Boil sauce over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature. If desired, remove garlic and ginger, transfer sauce to tightly covered container, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line baking pan, 15” x 11” or larger, with foil. Coat two (10” x 10”) wire racks with cooking spray and set in the pan, overlapping them.

3. Cut off first joint of chicken wings and discard. Arrange wings in prepared baking pan in one layer, smooth side up. Bake wings for 10 minutes. Brush wings on both sides with sauce and bake, smooth side up, for 5 minutes.

4. Brush with sauce again and bake, underside up, for 5 minutes. Brush wings a third time and bake, smooth side up, for 5 minutes. Brush wings again, and bake, underside up, for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 400° F. Brush tops of wings with sauce and bake, topside up, for 10 minutes.

5. Arrange wings on serving plate. Discard any remaining sauce. Serve accompanied by Hot Mango Dipping Sauce.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients
1 c diced fresh mango
2 tbsp brown mustard
2 tbsp orange marmalade fruit spread
2 packets Stevia In The Raw
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 /2 tsp salt
1 /8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped scallions

Directions
1. In mini-food processor, whirl all sauce ingredients except scallions together until smooth. Transfer sauce to bowl and garnish with scallions. Makes eight (two-tablespoon) servings.

Nutrition information per serving (2 wings plus 2 tablespoons dipping sauce): 127 calories, 2 g fat (<1 g saturated fat), 14 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein, 0 g dietary fiber, 645 mg sodium.

What a tasty way to get some protein without all the calories you usually see in chicken wings. What’s your favorite healthy Super Bowl recipe? Share it in the comments—we’d love to hear what you make that’s FBG-approved! —Jenn

The Super Bowl is just three days away…do you know where your healthy snacks are? In case you don’t—or in case you can’t see one more “healthy snack list” that claims baby carrots and celery sticks are actually fun to snack on (nothing against carrots and celery—they’re just hard to stick to when things like nachos are giving you the googly eyes)—we’ve rounded up five new healthy snacks that are perfect to serve at the big game or take to any Super Bowl party. Salty, sweet, refreshing and even a little (healthy) fatty, they pretty much cover the gamut of taste sensations. Go snacks, go!

5 New Healthy Super Bowl Snacks

1. Wholly Guacamole in Spicy. Everyone loves guacamole, and Wholly Guacamole’s new spicy flavor is just the right mix of heat, spice and avocado. It’s kind of like mixing hot salsa with guac. Naturally free of sodium and cholesterol, this guac is also a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, folate and vitamin B6. Yum…

It's nothing but love and smiles for these FitLinks! Credit: englishsnow

Apparently we were hungry this week because so many of these FitLinks are about food. Bon appétit!

A fascinating chart that helps you figure out why you’re craving something! —Don’t Forget the Gloss

The 411 on food additives—what’s safe and what’s not. —HellaWella

Enter coupon code “FitBottomedGirls” for $5 off registration for this 5K muddy obstacle-course run for women of any and all athletic abilities! —Kiss Me Dirty

Start a healthy lifestyle (not a diet) with these eight tips! —All Women Stalk

Twelve foods that make you beautiful! —You Beauty

Recipes for the win! No matter which team you’re cheering for during the big game.  —Diets in Review

Forget the drastic detoxes and try a few of these foods and drinks instead! —Prevention

Not all weight-loss techniques are created equal. Avoid these five for sure! —FitSugar

An easy and quick recipe for Spanish rice. Yum. —College Candy

The “Super 7″ foods you should be eating… —Huffington Post

What links (or food posts) have you smiling this week? Tell us! —Jenn