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Show SECTION 2a$iHcroli WEDNESDAY. EDITOR Elyssa Andrus MAY 30. 344-255- 2007 eandrusheraldextra.com v a j Cheater, cheater food on fire: The press releases I receive as a food writer are hardly eyebrow-raisinstir-fr- recipes, grilling tips, res- A I lint V-W - ; fi I I i taurant openings, cooking contests you get the idea. But a headline for a recent release caught my eye with its declaration, "National survey reveals wide- -- 1 spread cheating on preheating." According to the press release, Americans are e cheaters at least when it comes to preheating, In a survey commissioned by a luxury appliance manufacturer, only 27.8 percent of respondents said they always wait for their ovens to fully preheat, while 1 5 percent "never" or "rarely" wait for the oven to preheat. And a "whopping" 40.3 percent skip A y preheating altogether. Moreover, the release included m respondents' reasons for their Photos by CHARLES REX ARBOGAST Associated Press cheating ways. More than 40 Trainer Michela Rossi demonstrates an exercise on a Power Plate fitness machine for Amy Allen at the Power Plate Institute in Chicago. The exercise machines, which use vibrations to tone muscle and get the job done faster, according to promoters, are generating lots of buzz and celebrity use. percent said, "I am anxious to get dinner started," with an additional 40 percent indicating, "I have time constraints." Not only did the press release contain these GOOD VIBRATIONS? riveting statistics, it also went so far as to point out the "ironic" results: cheaters have to compensate by cooking their food longer New fitness equipment gives users a fair shake, but may be risky Carla Johnson K. ASSOCIATED What : I i M" I if if you could PRESS burn fat while shaking it's your body that shakes a martini on a new type of fitness machine that's generating lots of buzz and celebrity use. Even NASA has tested the concept. These machines use vibrations to tone muscle and claim to do it faster. Aggressive promoters also say the equipment improves flexibility and strength, reduces pain and stress, builds muscle and reverses osteoporosis. However, researchers warn of possible injuries ranging from back pain to cartilage damage. One even warns that the jiggling might harm the brain. They say the science is thin and too little is known about the of such powerful vibrations. Still, NASA is studying vibration as a possible tool for reducing muscle atrophy and bone loss during astronauts' long, weightless trips in space. And users of the equipment love the sensation and the quick workout: Workout times are reduced by advocates say, a claim that appeals to busy professionals, mothers of young children and just about anyone who shuns exerd 1 two-third- Workout times on a Power Plate fitness machine are reduced by advocates say, two-third- s, a claim that appeals to busy professionals, mothers of young children and just about anyone who shuns exercise. cise. "I feel kind of tingly and a little like I got off a ship, kind of shaky but in a good way," said Amy Allen, a working mom in Chicago, after a workout on the Power Plate, one of the higher-en- d brands. "I'm hoping this is the solution to help me get that extra weight off." The Power Plate vibrates 20 to 50 times a second in three directions, increasing on the body, and according to the Northbrook, company of the same name. The company says that raises the effectiveness of lunges, squats and other exercises done while standing on it. The workout is not aerobic; it's more like weightlifting without weights. "You don't really feel like you're working that hard, but then you get that sweat going and once the vibration stops, you can really feel it in your legs or upper body," said Michaela Zakheim, 45, who uses the machine at a fitness center in her Lincoln Park neighborhood. Power Plate sells models for home and gym at prices ranging from $3,000 to $10,500. Motors in the base make a low humming noise. Controls adjust the duration and intensity. The machines weigh 264 to 500 pounds and have handles to hang onto. Fitness trainers love them, but some users don't like the fact they can't read or watch TV while working out on them, said Craig Bradley, general manager of Holmes Place, an upscale Chicago health club that has four Power Plates. Doubts also stem from memories of the belt vibrators popular 50 years ago. Others have been won over though. "I think the machines are as good as the imagi- - See (gasp!). So let me get this straight. If fail to preheat my oven for the entire recommended time, I may have to cook the food longer? Quick, alert the media! Oh, wait a ' minute ... If you have been known to cheat on your preheat, redemption may be right around the corner. Celebrity chef and Meal guru Rachael Ray just launched "Recipes on the Run," a wireless application that lets subscribers download her VIBRATION, B6 recipes directly to their mobile phones. The service gives access to a stockpile of Rach's best recipes, as well as g her tips and a Little dresses S" is 4k' f 7 jsr that are white-ho- t Cory Ohlendorf THE WASHINGTON POST Sometimes the emergence A r S . ,.- -' M the image-makin-g machines. Such is the case with the simple summer garment now fully embraced and officially dubbed the Little White Dress. Like their noir counterparts, introduced in the 1920s by Coco Photo by JULIA EWANThe Washington Post Chanel, today's blanc frocks Left Today's Little White Dresses'know no know no limit when it comes to limit when it comes to shape, style or social shape, style or social engagement. True, you may lose the engagement. Here, Lauren Moffatt square-nec- k lace dress ($396). Above: Diane von slimming effect of black, but Furstenberg's poplin wrap dress ($325) is a subtle converts claim summer skin looks that much more golden piece. interpretation of the classic , I j of a trend is quiet. Organically grown, instead of cultivated by against the crisp cottony whiteness. Diane von Furstenberg's poplin wrap dress and Club Monaco's nearly sheer Swiss dot pattern are subtle interpretations of the classic piece, while e textile artist and designer Nichols' secondary line, RN Convertible, has a stretch jersey dress cut in a contemporary bubble shape. Ih the color spectrum, of course, white isn't really a color, but rather a combination of all the colors and therefore the opposite of black. In the sartorial spectrum, the LWD is everything its dark twin is not: bright, breezy and relaxed. Ro-za- shopping list that automatically deletes duplicate items. By accessing the recipes, well, you'll never have to return to the store for missing items again (unless, of course, you're one of those people who constantly misplaces their phone). And with all of the time you'll save, you may actually have time to fully preheat your oven, How cool is that? Natalie Hollingshead '"aM |