Shape Army

td_demo_atachement_1

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:22 +0000

td_demo_atachement_2

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:24 +0000

td_demo_atachement_3

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:25 +0000

td_demo_atachement_4

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:27 +0000

td_demo_atachement_5

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:28 +0000

td_demo_atachement_6

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:29 +0000

td_demo_atachement_7

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:30 +0000

images

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:10 +0000

images-5

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:11 +0000

images-2

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:12 +0000

images-1

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:14 +0000

imgres

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:15 +0000

images-6

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:17 +0000

imgres-2

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:18 +0000

Young couple run together on a sunset

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:25 +0000

images-4

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:29 +0000

imgres-1

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:31 +0000

images-3

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:32 +0000

imgres-3

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:50:34 +0000

images-3

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:52:07 +0000

Chrysanthemum

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 03:46:22 +0000

China_GreatWallMarathon2013_062_0

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 03:57:54 +0000

China_GreatWallMarathon2013_062

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 04:08:04 +0000

equionix trail 2

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 04:20:34 +0000

eq trail

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 04:28:25 +0000

san fran

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 21:56:42 +0000

polar marathon

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:00:27 +0000

antartic marathon

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:04:27 +0000

big sur

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:07:21 +0000

peru

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:10:29 +0000

peru2

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:12:04 +0000

womans winner inca trail marathon july 2012

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:16:05 +0000

pikes peak

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 22:19:58 +0000

grandfather-mountain

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:20:46 +0000

Em_Bay_horiz_3_Web

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:23:02 +0000

lake tahoe

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:24:31 +0000

marathon2

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:27:26 +0000

booty

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:40:02 +0000

booty2

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:42:47 +0000

squat

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:45:29 +0000

Alternating-Forward-Lunges_Exercise

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:47:38 +0000

glute_kickback

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:50:35 +0000

Glider-Side-Lunge

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:54:02 +0000

reverse-lunge

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:56:15 +0000

reverse

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:05:47 +0000

reverse2

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:08:30 +0000

hip-bridge

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:13:11 +0000

perfectbootybanner

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:16:07 +0000

NYC pic

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 19:46:09 +0000

http://www.wealthysinglemommy.com/city-living-suits-single-moms/

east river run

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 19:50:27 +0000

Five Bridges Run

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 19:52:48 +0000

www.theoutbound.com

hudson river

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 20:04:49 +0000

central park

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 20:07:13 +0000

foo

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 23:51:47 +0000

food

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 23:54:02 +0000

food 1

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 23:57:13 +0000

pisoblogger.com

242

melissa — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 22:21:32 +0000

235

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:15:32 +0000

200

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:17:42 +0000

217

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:26:16 +0000

235

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:31:46 +0000

200

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 23:32:53 +0000

derek500

natalie — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:02:15 +0000

partial sit up

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:20:03 +0000

Arms_High_Partial_Sit_Up_large

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:21:08 +0000

barbell rollout

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:23:40 +0000

barbell-russian-twist

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:34:15 +0000

Stability-Ball-Abdominal-Crunch

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:36:53 +0000

fluttler-kicks

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:54:49 +0000

squattillyourdrop1

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:02:29 +0000

woodchop1

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:08:26 +0000

medball-russian-twist

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:22:14 +0000

mountian climbers

natalie — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:24:38 +0000

289

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:29:38 +0000

294

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:50:45 +0000

297

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:01:56 +0000

302

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:21:09 +0000

310

natalie — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 14:55:23 +0000

315

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:20:32 +0000

315

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:23:55 +0000

319

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:41:38 +0000

323

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 21:10:58 +0000

342

natalie — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:40:15 +0000

347

natalie — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:52:09 +0000

351

natalie — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 21:15:36 +0000

Shape-Army

melissa — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:11:47 +0000

265

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:21:22 +0000

dip combo

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:31:31 +0000

leg raise

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:32:54 +0000

plank

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:34:25 +0000

super plank

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:43:36 +0000

superplank1

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:45:41 +0000

push up

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 20:58:50 +0000

slide6bbell-siff-squat

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 21:47:44 +0000

tricep extension

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:00:14 +0000

wide-grip-upright-row

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:26:43 +0000

ladder bicep

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:34:09 +0000

384

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:42:57 +0000

body type

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 04:16:31 +0000

jennifer_lopez_legs_idol_set6

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 04:32:52 +0000

87th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 04:42:14 +0000

www.laineygossip.com

1383581841_kate-hudson-lacma-zoom

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 04:47:18 +0000

catherine-zeta-jones-ungaro-dress-01

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 04:52:06 +0000

My-Body-Shape-page-top-700

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:00:30 +0000

203

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:11:40 +0000

gym

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:40:37 +0000

gym

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:43:47 +0000

fitness-clothing-photography-1

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:47:53 +0000

206

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 06:11:57 +0000

200363983-001

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 06:18:13 +0000

Epsom-Salt-Bath-2-7-Health

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:15:43 +0000

a_woman_massage_2

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:20:03 +0000

CoconutOil

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:22:37 +0000

_uploads_2014_09_yoga-stretch

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:26:50 +0000

discover-the-best-cellulite-cream-for-you

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:49:22 +0000

bien-appliquer-son-anti-cellulite-sur-les-cuisses-en-video

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:54:51 +0000

veggie2

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:10:35 +0000

accent-xl-cellulite-treatment

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:21:09 +0000

vacuum-bed-high-res-516x242

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:32:16 +0000

stock-photo-woman-on-a-tropical-beach-with-beach-bag-fit-young-woman-with-stripy-bag-at-tropical-beach-270002105

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 03:50:28 +0000

Stunning-Woman-Sprints-Across-The-Beach-Shore

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 03:54:44 +0000

laguna beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:02:27 +0000

coronado beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:05:35 +0000

matador beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:08:20 +0000

venice beach 2

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:19:05 +0000

H44-10856372

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:21:39 +0000

santamonicabeachmom.wordpress.com

newport-beach-california-real-estate

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:28:48 +0000

hermosa beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:34:59 +0000

hermosa

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:38:15 +0000

Hermosa Beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:32:52 +0000

la jolla

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:34:57 +0000

Catalina_flyer_05s

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:38:41 +0000

crystal-cove-beach

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:41:29 +0000

poledancing

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:59:56 +0000

pole-dancing-classes 2

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:05:13 +0000

DC_washington

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:31:15 +0000

mount-st-helens-overlooking-portland-oregon-margaret-hood

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:35:04 +0000

memphis-mover

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:37:41 +0000

las_vegas

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:39:58 +0000

485

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 01:38:21 +0000

488

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 01:55:46 +0000

Justin Silver

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 02:11:53 +0000

newyork.cbslocal.com

kitchen-exercise

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 02:26:47 +0000

495

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 02:06:52 +0000

498

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 03:56:53 +0000

fun exercise

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:27:27 +0000

no-scale

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:31:19 +0000

workout buddy

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:34:20 +0000

Fitness_friends

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 04:39:05 +0000

woman-rollerblading-summer-horiz

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 05:02:48 +0000

fitfun

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 05:07:24 +0000

fun-exercise

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 05:10:26 +0000

Shape-Army

melissa — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 07:56:25 +0000

Shape-Army

melissa — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 07:56:55 +0000

Sonicare-Wall-Squat

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 17:34:28 +0000

Mudra_000

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 18:09:19 +0000

www.withdivinepurpose.com

gyan

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 18:12:05 +0000

Vayu Mudra

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 18:16:55 +0000

531

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 19:36:37 +0000

aakash

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 19:57:56 +0000

mud

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:00:19 +0000

jenniferreisyoga.com

prithvi

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:03:09 +0000

tumblr_m1eb3qzcBd1qftwxfo1_500

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:07:50 +0000

1383828720_Yoga-8

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:11:11 +0000

jal-vardhak-150x148

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:13:58 +0000

woman-walking-outside-in-shoes

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 19:31:45 +0000

Time-Management-90-Minute-Timer

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 19:37:21 +0000

public transportation

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 19:40:11 +0000

Woman walking her dog in the park

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 19:44:47 +0000

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:14:04 +0000

new mom

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:29:26 +0000

breast-feeding-ftr

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:32:12 +0000

eatright

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:34:30 +0000

Drink-Water-All-Day

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 21:04:46 +0000

woman-pushing-stroller

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 21:07:35 +0000

crunches

natalie — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 03:41:15 +0000

sleeping-mom

natalie — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 03:44:16 +0000

baby mom grandma

natalie — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 04:09:46 +0000

www.grandparents.com

images

natalie — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 04:17:00 +0000

9.18.12_Family_Time_Active_Time

natalie — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 05:58:10 +0000

crossing-finish-line

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:08:04 +0000

personal trainer

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:11:50 +0000

calendar

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:17:17 +0000

fitbook2

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:32:28 +0000

zumba

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:34:48 +0000

running stairs

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:36:56 +0000

active family

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:43:58 +0000

active family 2

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:47:13 +0000

active family 3

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:56:20 +0000

family swimming

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:00:48 +0000

family fitness class

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:05:37 +0000

at-home-gym-equipment

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:09:04 +0000

DancingWithMop300

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:12:01 +0000

healthy foods

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:15:41 +0000

working-out-with-your-significant-other-500x281

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:25:04 +0000

partner fit

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:27:46 +0000

man and woman kissing

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:36:58 +0000

Man_vs_Woman_article-small_13736

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:42:14 +0000

ManAndWomanRunningOnBeach-850x400

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:50:16 +0000

ManAndWomanRunningOnBeach-850x400

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:52:36 +0000

running

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:54:44 +0000

fulfilled couple

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:00:51 +0000

man spotting woman

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:05:35 +0000

602

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:23:02 +0000

605

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:42:54 +0000

Wendy-Mills

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 23:51:44 +0000

Denise-Fields

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 23:55:17 +0000

Jenna-Dunham

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:41:47 +0000

616

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 01:33:30 +0000

619

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 01:51:54 +0000

ziploc nuts

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:18:30 +0000

muffin tin

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:21:05 +0000

Chicken-seasoning

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:17:47 +0000

protein-balls-1

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:20:36 +0000

veggies

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:24:15 +0000

roasted-veggies-tablefortwoblog-3

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:27:19 +0000

veggie tray

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:30:38 +0000

eggs

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:32:27 +0000

o-MASON-JAR-SALAD-facebook

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:35:16 +0000

www.huffingtonpost.com

Freezer-Meal-Party-56

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:46:05 +0000

fruit

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:50:12 +0000

breakfast bars

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 03:56:48 +0000

meal prep

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:00:53 +0000

meal prep

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:01:33 +0000

Meal-Prep-Friday1

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:07:21 +0000

30-best-ab-workouts-seated-knee-tuck

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:47:13 +0000

side plank

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:49:32 +0000

30-best-ab-exercises-situp-and-throw

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:00:29 +0000

suitcase deadlift

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:09:00 +0000

abs2

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:13:54 +0000

side plank

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:19:44 +0000

reverse-ab-crunch

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:30:20 +0000

30-best-ab-workouts-pullup-to-knee-raise

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:32:39 +0000

SHAPEARMYLOGOWHITE copy

melissa — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 02:39:55 +0000

692

natalie — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 02:04:14 +0000

695

natalie — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 04:16:54 +0000

200

melissa — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 23:56:36 +0000

242

melissa — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:07:39 +0000

Getty_H_052511_ManWomanBed

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 01:36:32 +0000

728

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 04:35:39 +0000

732

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 21:10:00 +0000

141107150243-marijuana-work-620xa

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:11:54 +0000

backshoulder

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:22:46 +0000

triceps_stretch2

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:26:22 +0000

450x300_running-stretch-feet

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:38:16 +0000

iStock_000019155350Medium-200x300

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:40:46 +0000

images

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:44:39 +0000

calf-stretch-400x400

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:46:27 +0000

images (1)

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:52:07 +0000

Person-stretching-in-field-under-sun

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:55:02 +0000

groin_stretch_butterfly_stretch_187__1

natalie — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 03:58:33 +0000

eat-clean

natalie — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 21:16:50 +0000

ProduceSectionDesign_GroceryStoreInterior_MarketInteriorUpgrade_GroceryStoreDecorDesign_GreenfreshMarket

natalie — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 21:20:27 +0000

Picture-742

natalie — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 21:25:12 +0000

beans

natalie — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 03:34:29 +0000

787

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:15:52 +0000

787

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:15:57 +0000

791

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:31:50 +0000

795

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:44:34 +0000

798

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:54:39 +0000

804

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:08:07 +0000

807

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:26:33 +0000

811

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:02:02 +0000

816

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:22:29 +0000

healthy-eating-c

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:33:34 +0000

healthysnacks425a

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:37:44 +0000

824307-bigthumbnail

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:42:52 +0000

ss030

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:50:04 +0000

2

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:54:03 +0000

825

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 20:42:53 +0000

happy-feet

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 04:21:19 +0000

Morning-Drink-Hot-Water-Lemon

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 04:43:17 +0000

8-No-Fuss-Crockpot-Recipes-for-Your-Fall-Bounty-2-980x400

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:04:51 +0000

Slow-Cooker-Cranberry-Pumpkin-Granola1

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:11:42 +0000

pumpkin

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:19:56 +0000

slow-cooker-kale-frittata-10-kalynskitchen

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:24:22 +0000

banana-quinoa-recipe

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:27:17 +0000

beans

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:30:50 +0000

The-Best-Cooker-Spicy-Cashews

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:35:49 +0000

applebutter

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:39:45 +0000

rositto

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:45:16 +0000

slow-cooker-sausage-squash-lasagna-ck-x

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:48:08 +0000

www.myrecipes.com

squash-lasagna_300

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:50:07 +0000

cider braised

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:56:08 +0000

potato kale stew

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:59:42 +0000

stuffed peppers2

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:07:10 +0000

pulled pork

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:12:27 +0000

soup

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:27:46 +0000

black bean

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:35:40 +0000

stew

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:45:52 +0000

crock

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:48:16 +0000

cider

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:53:43 +0000

pumpkin-spice-latte

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 20:59:11 +0000

pumpkin bread

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:02:21 +0000

pump

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:04:07 +0000

Red-pepper-harissa-with-feta

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:12:08 +0000

savory-caprese-greek-yogurt

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:16:17 +0000

Avocado-Basil-Yogurt-Breakfast-Parfait

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:19:54 +0000

salad

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:23:54 +0000

2013-05-13-r-minty-yogurt-parfaits

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:27:20 +0000

salad 2

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:29:11 +0000

greek-style-veggie-700

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:33:14 +0000

beet

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:41:11 +0000

simi

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:47:34 +0000

chobani-zucchini-pesto

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:52:23 +0000

parfait

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:55:30 +0000

savory-herb-yogurt-parfait

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 04:58:39 +0000

happy person

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:13:31 +0000

www.huffingtonpost.com

latte

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:26:10 +0000

cookies

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:11:59 +0000

kabobs

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:18:14 +0000

www.melanieeynon.com

Refrigerator-Oatmeal1-e1393117542762

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:22:21 +0000

SONY DSC

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:27:39 +0000

heatherpierceinc.com

crunchy-cashew-sesame-bars

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:37:15 +0000

breakfast sandwich

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:44:13 +0000

sandwich

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:45:36 +0000

muesli-scones-gluten-free-recipe-DSC_07151

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:48:06 +0000

GrilledChickenVeggieBowls-Meal-Prep-16t

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:53:24 +0000

tuna

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 05:44:04 +0000

salads

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 05:49:17 +0000

veggie chips

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 03:38:05 +0000

Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:00:50 +0000

Raw-Nut-&-Seed-Mix

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:07:20 +0000

freezer cupcakes

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:13:40 +0000

freezer meals

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:29:06 +0000

chicken-enchiladas

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:39:04 +0000

meatsauce

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:46:11 +0000

terriaki chicken

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 04:49:14 +0000

Botanical-Gin-Martini1

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 05:12:31 +0000

SangriaWine

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 05:30:13 +0000

faux jito

natalie — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 05:38:16 +0000

ginger

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 20:55:03 +0000

sage

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:02:23 +0000

peachy

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:08:44 +0000

Miranda-Lambert-Randa-rita

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:10:34 +0000

skimlet-400

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:14:37 +0000

soku

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:33:51 +0000

vitality-vodka-lemonade-400

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:37:35 +0000

o-COCKTAILS-facebook

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:39:41 +0000

spices

natalie — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 04:28:18 +0000

frozen

natalie — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 04:31:10 +0000

freezer_300

natalie — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 04:45:54 +0000

www.tasteofhome.com

protein powder

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:09:12 +0000

Protein-Powder-e13999361381721

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:13:53 +0000

casein_protein_powder

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:22:49 +0000

nutiva-hemp-protein-powder1

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:24:27 +0000

proteinpowder2

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:29:05 +0000

egg protein

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:32:40 +0000

Pea-Protein-Powder

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:39:09 +0000

soy protein

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:45:31 +0000

whey-protein-acne

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 03:49:26 +0000

worst people at the gym

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 04:51:58 +0000

hoarder

natalie — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 04:55:51 +0000

texting at the gym

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 03:48:04 +0000

no shoes at the gym

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 04:04:55 +0000

Rerack-your-weights-and-return-your-equipment-to-its-proper-home.

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 04:33:29 +0000

underwear

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 04:44:04 +0000

sweat

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 04:59:58 +0000

selfie

natalie — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 05:03:50 +0000

kettlebell-girl

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 04:43:34 +0000

kettlebell

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 04:45:47 +0000

woman-using-kettlebell

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 04:49:51 +0000

Kettlebell-One-Arm-Snatch-ALL

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 04:56:22 +0000

clean press

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 05:12:25 +0000

Kettlebell-Goblet-Squats_ALL

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 05:17:51 +0000

Turkish-get-up-part-two

natalie — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 05:29:26 +0000

dumbbell-bulgarian-split-squat-11112011

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:16:33 +0000

singleswisslegcurlC

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:39:44 +0000

glute lift

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:45:28 +0000

plank

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:48:21 +0000

Woodchops-535x395

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:58:18 +0000

singlearmcleanpress

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:02:16 +0000

standing_box_one_leg_vss

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:10:39 +0000

squat press

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:28:31 +0000

pull up

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:35:32 +0000

lateral lunges

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:37:07 +0000

bent over

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:40:07 +0000

TwoArmSlam

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:10:07 +0000

ab-wheel-rollout

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:12:54 +0000

swiss roll out

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:18:33 +0000

press push

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:21:31 +0000

weighted chin ups

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:27:00 +0000

Medicine-ball-slams-workout-ben-richards

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:28:44 +0000

dumbbell bench press

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 02:32:07 +0000

Plyo-Push-Up

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 03:33:10 +0000

front-squat

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 03:46:06 +0000

jump-squat-2

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 03:48:27 +0000

sled-training

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 03:55:36 +0000

DB-swing

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 04:06:34 +0000

chairs

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 04:12:53 +0000

jump-squat-2

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 04:18:12 +0000

SHAPEARMYLOGOWHITE copy

melissa — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 16:01:22 +0000

Text Excercise

melissa — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 20:00:43 +0000

265

melissa — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 20:45:55 +0000

1023

natalie — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:28:29 +0000

1027

natalie — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:37:17 +0000

700-steak-tacos_azysnc

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:08:38 +0000

shrimp-tacos_qmvzdz

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:14:59 +0000

chicken-tacos_uehob6

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:17:35 +0000

pork-tacos_usyubf

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:18:48 +0000

vegan-taco_fuhili

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:20:34 +0000

mexi-cal-tacos_emlx4g

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:22:46 +0000

bean-tostada_juxy9u

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:24:40 +0000

@therock • Instagram photos and videos

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:54:07 +0000

11371092_1640335056243574_2045230657_n

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:55:25 +0000

11371198_676629919138738_912188492_n(1)

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:59:21 +0000

giselle

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:21:42 +0000

Tess-Holliday-cried-when-she-saw-her-People-cover

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:23:14 +0000

full size model

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:37:35 +0000

Kenneth Gallarzo (@progressive_calisthenics) • Instagram photos and videos

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:40:20 +0000

Kenneth Gallarzo (@progressive_calisthenics) • Instagram photos and videos

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:40:39 +0000

lindsey-vonn-2015-working-out

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:52:24 +0000

ellie-goulding

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 04:59:23 +0000

rock

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 05:04:39 +0000

instagram

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 05:09:37 +0000

instagram-logo

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 05:10:44 +0000

1060

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 18:18:49 +0000

SHAPEARMYLOGOWHITE-copy

melissa — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 14:14:28 +0000

SHAPEARMYLOGOWHITE-copy

melissa — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 14:16:00 +0000

Glute-KickBack-Wide

melissa — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:06:34 +0000

Glute-Kickback

melissa — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:06:38 +0000

Starting position: Get on all fours on a gym mat. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Step 1: Keep your head up and face forward as you raise your right leg and kick back. The knee is remain a little bent. Step 2: Pull the leg back to the starting position and repeat using the other leg. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side.

Hip-Thruster

melissa — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 01:03:54 +0000

Bear-Crawl--Shape-Army

melissa — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 01:04:32 +0000

Starting position: In an open space get on all fours with your palms on the floor just below your shoulders and knees below your hips. Step 1: Lift your knees off the ground and move forward with only your toes touching. Step 2: Tuck your chin toward your chest and keep your back as straight as possible. Most of your weight should be carried by your legs as you move forward. This is one rep. Start this at 30 seconds and build until you can do for several minutes at a time.

Bird Dog

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:07:54 +0000

Starting position: Get on all fours with your knees directly below your hips and your hands below your shoulders. Step 1: Tighten your ab muscles while keeping your neck and spine neutral – you should be looking at the floor. Step 2: Slowly lift and extend your left leg behind you while straightening it; bring your right arm forward as if pointing directly in front of you. Hold for 5-10 seconds while you keep your hips and shoulders square and your lower back neutral. Slowly return to starting position. This is one rep. Do 2 sets of up to 5 reps on each side.

1Pushup

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:03 +0000

5Hip Kick

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:14 +0000

1Plank Push up

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:26 +0000

Wide Sumo Squat

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:36 +0000

Starting position: Stand with your feet farther than shoulder-width apart - in a sumo stance - with your toes pointing strongly to the sides. You can add free-weights to this if you want to add some upper-body work. Step 1: Dip your body down until your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to the floor. If your hands are free, put them on your hips. Step 2: Hold the position for 2-3 seconds and then return to the starting position. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.

Reverse Leg Raises

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:46 +0000

Jump Squat

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:08:55 +0000

Starting position: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and rest most of your weight toward your heels rather than your toes. Step 1: Dip into a high squat and then explode upward into a jump. For a more difficult move, dip deeper into the squat and hold for a few seconds before jumping. Step 2: Land in starting position. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.

Bear Crawl

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:09:07 +0000

Crunch

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:09:18 +0000

Starting position: On a gym mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Step 1: With your hands laced behind your head (or fingertips against the side of your neck) curl up bringing your left shoulder and elbow across your body to touch right knee to left elbow. Step 2: Release and return to starting position. During this move, do not pull on your neck, the lifting needs to be through core muscle engagement. Also, keep your spine neutral throughout the move. This is one rep. Do 3-5 sets of 10 reps on each side. You can alternate between sides or do all reps on one side and then the other.

Squat

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:09:29 +0000

Starting position: Using no equipment, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly outward. Step 1: Bend your knees pushing your hips and buttocks downward as if sitting. Make sure your knees are in front of your toes and not behind them. Step 2: Stabilize the majority of your weight in your heals. Hold your hands together or extend them ahead of you for balance and further working your core. Your thighs should be at a 90-degree angle to your calves. Return to standing by squeezing your buttocks, straighten your legs and drop your arms to your sides. This is one rep. Do 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps..

1Pistol Squat

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:09:42 +0000

Bicycle Abs

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:09:53 +0000

Starting position: Get on a mat and lie face up on the ground with your legs straight and your heels resting against the ground. Bring your hands to cradle the back of your head or with fingertips resting lightly against the sides of your neck. Step 1: Now bring your left knee up and toward your chest. At the same time raise your right elbow and shoulder off the ground and using your abs pull your knee to meet your elbow (rather than your elbow to meet your knee). Step 2: Hold for a second or two and then return to starting position ONLY don’t let your leg or upper body fully rest to the ground. Now do with opposite side. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side. Hold your shoulders and legs off the ground for as long as you can without stopping.

Alternating Lunge

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:05 +0000

Starting position: Stand upright with your feet and knees together. Step 1: Take a big step to the right with your right foot, and lunge toward the ground, being careful to keep your left leg straight. Don’t allow your right knee to extend past your toes. Step 2: Push off on your right foot and return to the starting position. This is one rep. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Reverse Lunge

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:16 +0000

Starting position: Stand upright with hands at your hips. Step 1: Take a large, controlled step backward. Step 2: Lower your hips until your front thigh is parallel to the floor, and your front knee is over your ankle. The back knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Step 3: Push off your front foot and bring your back leg forward, back to the starting position. This is one rep. Step 4: Repeat steps with your opposite leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps per leg total.

Hip Thruster

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:28 +0000

Starting position: On a mat lie on your back with your knees bent in a sit-up position but keep your arms on the ground to your sides. Step 1: Lift your right let in the air while keeping your thighs side-by-side. Step 2: Use your arms and left foot to stabilize while you lift your hips off the mat. Squeeze your glutes and hold for 3-5 seconds. Return to starting position. Repeat with other leg. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps on each side

Side Plank

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:38 +0000

Foward Lunge

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:46 +0000

Starting position: Stand upright with your legs hip-width apart and hands on your hips. Step 1: Take a step forward about 2-3 feet, being careful to keep your back straight. Step 2: Lift your back foot slightly, so the toes are on the floor, but not your heel. Step 3: Bend both knees at the same time until they form a 90-degree angle. Don’t let your front knee go over the toe. Hold the position for 1-5 seconds. Step 4: Push off your front foot and return to the starting position. This is one rep. Step 5: Repeat steps, starting with your opposite leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Burpee

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:10:56 +0000

Starting position: Stand up with feet about shoulder-width apart. Step 1: Bend forward at waist and reach hands to the ground while bringing your feet back as - jumping into a pushup position. Step 2: You can do a push-up while in this position (or not), and then jump back out of it into a squat. Step 3: Now jump back into standing position. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.

romanian dead lift1

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:11:05 +0000

Plank

melissa — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:11:16 +0000

philips-weight-loss1

natalie — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 18:53:17 +0000

Jennifer

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 19:30:12 +0000

hannah

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:07:29 +0000

Yum

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:15:19 +0000

blog

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:16:21 +0000

Lisbeth

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:29:37 +0000

girls gone strong

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:31:14 +0000

athletica

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:32:07 +0000

smashfit

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:33:01 +0000

Thrive

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:36:21 +0000

Rachel

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:41:11 +0000

jaime

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:47:31 +0000

kaity

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:51:08 +0000

weightloss

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:16:50 +0000

weightloss2

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:18:22 +0000

female-exercising-in-front-of-computer_0

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:26:32 +0000

jump rope

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:35:01 +0000

HOME

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 00:54:35 +0000

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:21 +0000

News

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:21 +0000

Fashion

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:21 +0000

Homepages

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:21 +0000

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:22 +0000

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 02:17:04 +0000

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:19 +0000

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:21 +0000

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:26 +0000

melissa — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 02:16:53 +0000

melissa — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:25:08 +0000

Home

melissa — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:42:05 +0000

kettlebell

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:41:40 +0000

yoga mat

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 05:44:02 +0000

Shape Army

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:21 +0000

[vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][td_block_big_grid sort="random_posts"][td_block_2 limit="3" custom_title="Fitness" header_color="#dd3333" td_filter_default_txt="All" category_id="6"][td_block_2 limit="3" custom_title="Nutrition" header_color="#00abf0" td_filter_default_txt="All" category_id="7"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_empty_space height="20px"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][td_block_slide category_id="105" limit="3" custom_title="Recipes" td_filter_default_txt="All"][td_block_12 limit="15" custom_title="Recent" td_filter_default_txt="All" ajax_pagination="infinite"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][td_block_7 category_id="108" limit="15" custom_title="Workouts" header_color="#dd3333" td_filter_default_txt="All"][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id="td-default"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Contact us

chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 01:44:22 +0000

[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse non nunc ac quam congue fermentum et vel massa. Proin imperdiet pulvinar rhoncus. Integer in elit accumsan, ullamcorper ante non, commodo velit. Nunc luctus scelerisque dui, vitae luctus est auctor eu.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][td_block_text_with_title custom_title="Contact Details"]Newsmag Comunication Service 425 Santa Teresa St. Stanford (650) 723-2558 (main number) (650) 725-0247 (fax) Email: contact@newsmag.com[/td_block_text_with_title][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2" css=".td-no-left-border{border-left-width: 0px !important;}"][td_block_text_with_title custom_title="About us"]Newsmag is your news, entertainment, music fashion website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the entertainment industry.[/td_block_text_with_title][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id="td-default"][/vc_column][/vc_row]

melissa — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:42:05 +0000

melissa — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 20:02:59 +0000

SAFULL

melissa — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 01:23:28 +0000

SA -Side30

melissa — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 01:23:43 +0000

SAPOP

melissa — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 01:23:43 +0000

SA

melissa — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 01:23:43 +0000

melissa — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 22:41:57 +0000

melissa — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 22:41:56 +0000

melissa — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 22:41:57 +0000

melissa — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 04:49:29 +0000

melissa — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:18:59 +0000

Avoid these 10 Foods as a Runner

natalie — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 03:50:20 +0000

There are always foods that seem to call your name, tempting you to indulge. But as a runner you need to make sure you eat healthy and give your body what it needs to stay the course. One trick to help you win is when you control what goes into your shopping basket. If you don’t buy it, you won’t have to listen to its siren song during the late hours when you are tired, and your defenses are down. Here’s a list of the 10 items you should avoid putting into your cart – and tips on what to look for by way of healthier alternatives.

1. Breads that do not contain the “whole” grain. If the label doesn’t say it is whole grain, it does not include all the grain has to offer. That means you could be missing out on fiber, iron, and B vitamins – all necessary to fuel your body for running. If the bread, bagel, roll, or whatever is white – walk away. If it is brown, then read the label to make sure you are getting the real and whole deal.

2. Juices. If it is packaged, skip it. Even if you make it yourself, you should be wary of juice because in the natural form, juice is primarily sugar, packaged and it could have added processed sugar. Most of the fiber is gone. Some of the nutrients remain, but the best choice will always be to eat the fruit rather than just the juice of the fruit. So if you are craving orange juice – get it while you eat the orange.

3. Cookies, cakes, and crackers. Sometimes you need a snack, but cookies, cakes, and crackers are made with processed and refined sugar and flour that has almost no remaining nutritional value. Look for stone-ground whole grain crackers if you want them. You will find them more filling, you’ll get the nutrients, and they will provide you with a good crunch you may be craving. Enjoy them with some fresh raw veggies and you’ll amp up the crunch factor even more.

4. Soft drinks. Regular soft drinks have way too much sugar and sodium. They also have chemicals that your body will need to work hard to process out of your system. This holds true of the sugar-free soft drinks as well. Too much sodium and other chemicals will leave you feeling bloated and carrying around excess water is not what you want when you go for a run. Instead, stick with water, low-fat milk, or other calorie-free drinks when you are thirsty.

5. Full-fat dairy. Skip the full-fat cheese and milk – instead go for no or low-fat versions. When it comes to milk, you might try some of the other options like unsweetened soy, almond, coconut or other nut milk. Also, shift to low or no-fat sour cream, cream cheese, and cottage or other soft cheeses. When it comes to yogurt, choose one with 5 grams of sugar or less, or try 0% fat Greek yogurt with a bit of your favorite fresh fruit for added flavor. You might also mix it with some (no sugar added) frozen berries or fruit and a little Stevia for a healthy frozen yogurt treat.

6. Oils and fats. Your body needs fats, but you should carefully select what ones you use and keep the amount to reasonable levels. Skip the butter, lards, and margarine. For oils use olive, canola, grapeseed, and coconut oils. You can also add avocados, olives, and raw nuts for healthy choices. Avoid trans-fats since these have been linked in many studies to obesity and heart problems.

7. Frozen meals. Frozen meals can make life easier when you just don’t have time or the energy to put something together. But again, you can win this battle in the grocery store by making good choices. Leave it in the store if it has more than 500 calories, 500 grams of sodium or 10 grams of fat per serving. Verify the meal is only one serving, and then look for dishes that include steamed veggies without a lot of sauce or gravy. When you prepare your frozen dinner, add another cup or so of frozen veggies (no sauce) and increase microwave time by another minute or two. You’ll get more veggies into your meal, so you will be satisfied with the portion and still enjoy an easy, effortless, and comforting dinner when you need it.

8. Cream-based soups. Avoid cream of anything when it comes to soup or sauces for that matter. Go for broth-based soups with 150 calories, 150 grams of sodium, and 3 grams fat – or less – per serving. And if the broth is thick like a stew, double check the nutrition information. Also, remember that most canned soups are two servings per can. But just like your frozen meals, add in more veggies to amp up the volume and the nutrition without creating any concerns about fat or sodium. To keep the carbs down, limit any potatoes, peas, corn, or carrots you add.

9. Roasted or coated nuts and seeds. What you want is raw nuts and seeds for the most part. Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants, but like many foods, the danger in them is all about what is added. If you must have roasted nuts, make sure they are dry roasted with nothing added. All of this is true of nut butters too. Get raw nut butters with nothing added.

10. Alcohol. If possible avoid alcohol completely, but if not – steer clear of fruity mixed drinks. Stick with simple beer, wine, or spirits. Some studies indicate that a small amount of alcohol on a daily basis can help with chronic diseases such as heart problems and Type 2 diabetes. Red wine also provides some antioxidants. But no matter what alcoholic beverage you drink, it has a lot of sugar. So limit your consumption and don’t think you can skip it for several days in a row so you can have it all your servings in one big blow-out party.

Being a runner shows you are committed to what you do, it also shows you choose a healthy lifestyle. Make sure those choices are enhanced by the foods you eat and don’t eat, and you will see greater improvements in your running as well as other areas of your life. Skip the processed sugars, fats, and flours. Choose whole, healthy, and raw whenever possible as you enjoy all the good in your life.

World’s Hardest Marathons

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 21:28:38 +0000

Marathons are 26.2 miles long, and the distance alone can be a huge challenge. In 2011, there were over 14 million marathon finishers in U.S. races, so the sport is growing, and people seem to be rising to the test. For those seasoned or adventurous marathoners, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most difficult marathons you can run in the world. Check out what we found.

[caption id="attachment_150" align="alignnone" width="1024"] http://great-wall-marathon.com/gallery#PhotoSwipe1435464300079[/caption]

Great Wall Marathon, Tianjin Province, China. Running this marathon is tough, lots of steep running, steps to climb, rough terrain and don’t forget the history you can absorb during this run. People in the know advise runners to go slow through sections, and even walk at times for safety purposes. You should plan on taking 5-6 hours minimum to complete this race. It happens in May, and the temperatures seem mild, but the sun beating down on you while on the open wall can become almost unbearable Also, you may find yourself moving forward more as a group than an individual since the wall is only about 6-10 feet wide in most places. But if you love adventure, history, and a huge challenge, this is one you should not miss.

[caption id="attachment_153" align="alignnone" width="760"] http://www.newsminer.com/gallery/sports/st-equinox-marathon/collection_8f3cac7e-23a6-11e3-aaa0-001a4bcf6878.html[/caption]

Equinox Trail Marathon, Fairbanks, Alaska. This marathon happens with the autumnal equinox. In Alaska, that means the weather can be anything. You can end up running it in a beautiful Indian Summer with perfect running temperatures in the mid 60’s, or you could be doing it in a couple of feet of snow. The marathon begins and ends in Fairbanks, but most of the run is in the forest and mountain areas looking at the city from the west. Hills and natural surface trails make up about 20 miles of this race, but a majority of the runners are from Fairbanks and are used to all conditions. If you are a visitor coming to run the marathon, you might consider doing some elevation training and spend time on natural trails for practice well in advance of participating.

[caption id="attachment_155" align="alignnone" width="669"] http://www.thesfmarathon.com/the-races/full-marathon/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=powderhound&utm_campaign=registration_2015&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=100005[/caption]

The City by the Bay. San Francisco’s annual marathon usually has open spots available – there’s a good reason for that: all the steep hills. But if you are up to the slower results and the burn of all those steep climbs, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. And as you hit the sixth mile, you get to run across and back again on the Golden Gate Bridge for a little extra excitement.

[caption id="attachment_156" align="alignnone" width="800"] https://polarrunner.wordpress.com/[/caption]

North Pole Marathon, Camp Barneo, Arctic Circle. This is an exclusive run with only 40-50 participants each April. Temperatures are sub-zero, and the entry fee exceeds $15,000. This marathon is all about the challenge and location. The scenery is going to be ice and snow – you’ll run a 2.6-mile circle on ice sheets 6-12 feet thick with the North Pole in the center of the track being run. Run the circle for ten laps to complete the marathon. But at the end of this adventure, you will have spent 36-48 hours near the North Pole to run a marathon. You should also note that your entry fee only covers charges after you make your way to the small island of Spitsbergen just off the coast of Norway. Once there, you will be flown to Camp Barneo for a night’s sleep in a heated tent, and the race begins with morning.

[caption id="attachment_158" align="alignnone" width="860"] http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/content/braving-cold-antarctic-ice-marathon[/caption]

Antarctic Ice Marathon, Union Glacier Camp, Antarctica. Okay, if the North Pole marathon didn’t meet all your ice and snow marathon desires arctica, here’s another cold and adventure run. This one allows up to 50 runners, and the entry fee exceeds $13,000. It happens late in November during the summer season – not that summer means warm in this case. During the run, you’ll experience sub-zero temperatures and winds up to 30 miles per hour while you run on snow and ice. The 26.2-mile course takes you past glaciers and Antarctica’s Ellsworth Mountains. During your five-day trip, you’ll enjoy the land of the midnight sun and gratefully return to your heated tents at night.

[caption id="attachment_159" align="alignnone" width="666"] http://www.bsim.org/site3.aspx#[/caption]

Big Sur International. Runners both love and dread this one. The scenery along the Pacific Coast is wild and beautiful. The marathon is on Pacific Coast Highway all the way, and begins at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and ends in Monterey, California. The most famous and fearsome part is a two-mile stretch climbing 560 feet to the top of Hurricane Point. So just when you think you have used all your breath to hit the summit, you get punched in the face with strong winds stealing even more of your oxygen supply. That may be the biggest hill, but it is by no means the last in the Marathon. At the end of the race, runners will have climbed and descended many times and those hills at the end will take all your willpower to finish.

[caption id="attachment_162" align="alignnone" width="614"] http://www.eriksadventures.com/inca-trail-marathon-race-to-machu-picchu-peru[/caption]

Inca Trail Marathon, Cuzco, Peru. Run the Inca Trail through the Andes Mountains and Machu Picchu to reach one of the most amazing finish lines for any race you will ever run. You’ll run through desert terrain, mountains, cloud-covered hilltops, and jungle. You’ll also be running on stone steps for climbing. Most of the run is done at elevations of 10,000 feet or more, so catching your breath will be even more difficult than you can imagine. The top elevation hits 14,000 feet, and much of the race is precarious footing, so slipping could send you falling a thousand feet downward, or more. Not only will your oxygen be more difficult to take in—making your mind a bit fuzzy—your need for clear thinking while running becomes imperative. So this marathon is not just a physical test, but a long mental one too.

[caption id="attachment_163" align="alignnone" width="2596"] www.pikespeakmarathon.org[/caption]

Pike’s Peak Marathon, Manitou Springs, Colorado. Get your climbing mindset ready. You start this marathon at about 7,000 feet elevation and climb to over 14,000 feet before you hit the halfway mark of the race. It is a trail marathon and includes a lot of rocky terrain to run. So you hit the top elevation, now strap yourself in because you will descend over 7,000 feet for the second half of the race. If you are not used to the elevation, a race like this can be difficult, so be mindful of the process because elevation sickness is nothing to play around with. Because of the trail conditions for this course, there are places that can take 30 minutes or more just to cover one mile. When you finish this race, you’ll know you’ve accomplished something.

[caption id="attachment_170" align="alignnone" width="700"] running.competitor.com[/caption]

Grandfather Mountain Marathon, Boone, North Carolina. You know those hills you’ve climbed in other marathons on this list, well hopefully they have prepared you for this one. The Grandfather Mountain Marathon has an 18-mile stretch of continuous uphill climbing. This marathon usually has about 400 participants running, but it happens at the same time as the annual Boone’s Highland Games festival, so there’ll be plenty of people to cheer and encourage runners. The first 10 miles of the marathon are the steepest and hardest climbs, but after 10 miles at higher elevations, you’ll feel that wall in front of you faster than usual. The race happens near both Sugar Mountain and Ski Beech ski resorts.

Lake Tahoe Marathon, Tahoe City, California. If you go for this one, you have the option of running a marathon a day for three days in a row. It’s usually held on the last weekend of September. The marathons are part of a full sports festival where you could participate in any of 20 or more races, including biking and swimming, or also golfing or other sporting events. The three marathons are all different courses, so if you are up to all three, you won’t get bored with the same ole run. The third run on Sunday includes a climb from 6200 feet to 6800 feet in about one and a half miles – often called the hill from Hell. If you’ve done two days of marathons before this, you might feel the fires of hell licking at your calves as well as them burning in your lungs.

Please note the marathons listed are not in order of difficulty: just a mix of some of the most difficult marathons in the world from a number of locations, climates, conditions, and type of scenery. If you are up for a marathon, adding one of these to your mix will not only force you to increase your skills, but could add a bit of wild adventure too. Whether you want to run in the harshest of conditions, climb a lot of hills, see the ocean, experience history, or travel the world, you can do any or all with a 26.2 mile run.

Booty Workouts that Impress Sir Mix-A-Lot

natalie — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:17:20 +0000

We’ve found a great instructional video to help you learn about the six best exercises you can do to get a phenomenal booty. Check out this Baby Got Back video as you follow the instructions below to make certain your form and technique are right to maximize results.

Do each of these moves for 45 seconds, rest 15 seconds and then if your knees and backside are up to it, repeat one or two times. Doing these moves properly will increase your mobility and strengthen muscles that don’t just make you look good, but also will help you move without pain for years to come.

[caption id="attachment_182" align="alignnone" width="768"] christinamichele.com[/caption]

1. Squats. Starting at the very bottom – your feet should be pointed forward or slightly outward if you have ongoing hip problems. If you want to add a bit of oomph, then raise your big toe and keep it raised through the entire squat and return. Your knees should also point forward. Watch to make sure they do not begin to turn inward during your drop down or return. Keep your back and shoulders straight while also keeping your head up and eyes looking mainly forward. Focus on a spot 8-10 feet on the ground ahead of you too. Now do your squat. If you are new to this, build your depth at a comfortable rate. Your goal is to eventually do a full drop squat, but if you have knee problems, don’t push beyond what your body can bear.

[caption id="attachment_183" align="alignnone" width="750"] gethealthyu.com[/caption]

2. Alternating forward lunges. Again, toes and knees forward, back, neck, and shoulders straight, while keeping your head up and eyes looking about 8-10 feet ahead of you. Hands remain on your hips and will help with your balance. If you start with the left side for every exercise you do, it will be easy to remember to end on the right side. Now, step forward with your left foot far enough that your bent knee is slightly behind and above your toe. The advanced move on this is to lift that big toe giving an added stretch to the back of your calf and leg muscles. If you can do it, that’s great, but don’t sacrifice proper form in the process. Drop your back knee and body as far down as you can without causing pain or damage to your knees. Your goal is not only to get a great booty, but to strengthen your knees and leg muscles, so increase the depth of your lunges over time at a pace that works for you.

[caption id="attachment_185" align="alignnone" width="1024"] sportskneetherapy.com[/caption]

3. Glute kickbacks. Your starting position is on your hands and knees. Think of this move as if you are kicking back and up, like a donkey. Use your hands, other knee and toes to stabilize your kick. The higher you can get your kick the more you will work the glute muscles, but keep your back as straight as possible and support your back by keeping your ab muscles tightly pulled into your center. While you’re working one leg, keep it off the ground for as many reps as possible, pulling your knee toward your chest as tight as you can before reversing to kick out and up again. If you need to set your knee back on the ground to reestablish balance or form, do so. Over time, you will develop the ability to work each leg without stopping. Do one leg at a time for about 20-25 seconds and then switch to the other leg. Repeat one to two times if you are up for it.

4. Side lunges. Keep to the same instructions for toes, knees, back, neck, shoulders, and head as in alternating forward lunges. Start with your hands on your hips, but as you step to the side (beginning with your left leg) move your hands to a position like a prayer grip in front of your body. Find a comfortable hold since this helps you maintain balance. Over time, you could also add a free weight to your handgrip. Keep the non-lunging leg straight and bend the knee of the lunging leg. Keep both knees and feet facing forward and allow your hips to shift with the lunging leg. Your back should remain straight and supported by your abs while your eyes look forward and slightly down.

[caption id="attachment_187" align="alignright" width="420"] tooelehealth.org[/caption]

5. Reverse lunges. Keep to the same instructions for toes, knees, back, neck, shoulders, and head as in alternating forward lunges. This one can look very much like you’re doing forward lunges, but instead of stepping forward with the lunging leg, you are stepping backward. You can start with your arms to the side, and elbows bent to help your balance. Stepping backward can be a bit more challenging because of the balance issues, but your form should remain with your back, shoulders, and head straight. Don’t worry if you are a little shaky when you do this move, even experts often have a little shake to their reverse lunges. Step back as far as you are comfortable doing while still maintaining your form. The more you do these lunges, the deeper you can go, but never sacrifice your form or balance to go deeper.

[caption id="attachment_193" align="alignright" width="480"] trainersnotebook.net[/caption]

6. Hip thrusters. Your starting position is on the ground laying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. You also want to push your back flat to the ground while pulling your ab muscles in and tight. Imagine that you are trying to pull your ab muscles through to your back and also touching the ground. This will stabilize your form, but also allows you to get the maximum impact by working your core muscles along with the glutes. While keeping your shoulders pinned to the ground and your back and abs flat, lift your hips while your feet and shoulders maintain contact with the ground and thrust your hips upward. Start slowly to make sure you know and use proper form. Once you establish the form, you can do these at double time, but change the speed up often. Slow and steady will give that satisfying burn in the muscles, fast can amp up the fun now and then.

You’ll notice some of the instructions don’t seem to have anything to do with form, such as where to look. Most people when they are moving, especially while learning the mechanics of a new exercise, can have balancing issues. Looking forward and slightly down helps your brain maintain balance. After you get really good at doing these moves, you can kick up the impact by doing them with your eyes shut. That adds difficulty to the move for most people because then they also have to work to maintain their balance.

As you do these six moves, you’ll build great glutes. But you will also strengthen core muscles and your legs. Do your squats, lunges, kicks, and thrusts to make Sir Mix-A-Lot drool. But, you will also ensure maximum pain-free mobility along with that great butt for many years to come.

Belly Be Gone

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 01:53:03 +0000

Who doesn't want a great quick abdominal workout? This is just that. Check out this 5 minute ab work out and be on you way to your belly being gone.

Follow the 30 Best ProFitness Instagrammers

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:29:15 +0000

If you are looking for some fitness inspiration, motivation, or just some new ideas to try, we have 30 Instagram fitstagrammers for you to check out. Follow some or all of them to get some boosts in your health and fitness routines. We have to say, we were inspired by Dailyburn.com about many of the accounts we are sharing with you, so check them out for a few more ideas.

[caption id="attachment_1056" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.eonline.com[/caption] @therock. 24M followers. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson has done a lot in his career including college and professional football, professional wrestler and champion, writer, actor, and fitness motivator. At 43 he’s tried many things and as far as we can tell, all of it successfully. If you are looking for someone to motivate you to keep going, who better than someone with that kind of history? He’s also, like many others on this list, actively involved in charitable efforts.
[caption id="attachment_1055" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.fashionnstyle.com[/caption] @elliegoulding. 6.2M followers. Not only does she sing but this Brit recently became the face of Nike’s new fitness campaign. On her gallery, you’ll find a variety of pics, some music, some fitness, some fashion. If you like inspiration in fitness and being fab, Ellie’s account will likely be a blast for you to follow.
[caption id="attachment_1048" align="aligncenter" width="560"] www.eonline.com[/caption] @gisele. 6M followers. She was a Victoria’s Secret angel, she’s in a recent Under Armour ad where you see not only what a great model body she has, but how strong and fit her body is as well. Probably partly due to the fact she’s a yogi. Gisele’s married to super bowl winner, Tom Brady, and she’s a bit of a health and fitness inspiration on the sidelines.
[caption id="attachment_1050" align="aligncenter" width="800"] jezebel.com[/caption] @tessholliday. 974K followers. Tess is a plus-sized fitness inspiration. She’s gorgeous, large, in charge, and a little bit in your face about everything. She’s also a fitness advocate. It doesn’t seem like she makes perfect choices. But if you feel you aren’t getting out into the world quite enough to enjoy your fit body, she’ll inspire the heck out of you.
@progressive_calisthenics. 440K followers. If you love doing workouts where your body weight is used for your strength training, this is a great gallery to check out. They have a lot of videos and ideas for different places to take your workouts in the gym and away from the gym. It is all about strength, balance, and agility here.
[caption id="attachment_1054" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] www.redbull.com[/caption] @lindseyvonn. 428K followers. Does her name sound familiar? That’s because she’s a world-famous Olympic downhill skier. She has also won four world championships. But in this Instagram account she shares many of the routines and moves she does off the slopes. These are what keep her agile and able to deal with the unexpected twists and turns, let alone the bumps, of a race to the bottom of the hill.
@laurenfisher, 418K followers. Fisher offers a blend of CrossFit WODs and strength training moves for her followers. She also does trail runs and … well, basically whatever takes her fitness fancy at the moment. She’s just 21 years old and still a college student, but she must have had some great fitness inspiration growing up, because her brother GarretFisher is also a CrossFit fanatic (in a good way).
@balletbeautiful. 396K followers. This may not be what you first think of when you imagine fitness accounts, but any dancer will tell you ballet is grueling. And it is also incredibly beautiful, as long as you aren’t looking at a ballet dancer’s bare feet. At this account, you’ll see the various poses and get instruction on proper form. There are also a smattering of flower and nature picture, and ones with her toddler.
@twobadbodies. 365K followers. Do you like doing your workouts with a friend? This gallery will give you some fun ideas and options. The problem here is these two ladies have just announced they are going to shift to separate accounts. The good news is you will get two new options for fitness inspiration and well – their BAD (beautiful athletic duo) gallery will remain in place. Follow the girls together or on their new accounts @JenniferForrester and @KaisaFit.
@venuswilliams. 362K followers. You know her from tennis, but she’s an all-around athlete. Venus enjoys running with (or without) her dog, gym time, lifting, and of course, tennis. She does a lot of travel, so her fitness is sometimes on-the-go. Her competitive spirit shines through, but also her love of family and friends. Looking for a few tennis tips, follow Venus.
@af85. 206K followers. Allyson Felix is an Olympic sprinter, but her fitness routines are not just for running and track meets, though there are plenty of those too. She also includes some gym time, walking, water sports, and oh yeah, lots of fabulous fit-wear items. You will also find pictures from the various places she travels for her meets and other engagements.
@nohlsen. 155K followers. Do you love CrossFit workouts? Noah Ohlsen participated in both the 2014 and 2015 CrossFit Games. He also likes to include his dog in many of his posts and gym workouts. So if you are looking for ways to amp up your CrossFit WOD, or enjoy a few ideas on how to work out with one of your best friends, this site might be perfect for you.
@themichellewie. 146K followers. Michelle Wie is a pro golfer and self-proclaimed hippie at heart. She also loves animals, food, and her Hawaiian background. Her posts cover a bit of all of those and more. She shows delicious and healthy meal options, golf tips, pet pics and gorgeous backgrounds. Her upbeat gallery may be exactly what you want when you finish a hard-fought battle at the gym or looking for a bit of inspiration to get up and go for a walk on some greenery.
@kacycatanzaro. 112K followers. Did you see her as she qualified to become one of the American Ninja Warriors recently? In college, she was a gymnast. Now she’s “deadly” in what she can do. It is especially impressive when you know that she’s not even close to tall and probably weighs less than 100 pounds soaking wet. Still, she leaps high, dreams big, and follows her passion until it is held tightly in her grasp.
@adamrosante. 62K followers. Rosante is the author of The 30-Second Body: Eat Clean, Train Dirty and Live Hard. His posts are all about balance, they include a variety of different physical moves for fitness, agility, and strength. You’ll find healthy but indulgent food ideas and just a bit of fun and adventure there as well.
@the_southern_yogi. 61K followers. Lots of yoga moves can be found here, and about 35% of her posts are videos, not all of them about fitness. But most of them are. She also throws in some travel pics, some pictures of her furry friends, and some healthy food options.
@shadesofjoy. 53K followers. Megan Joy is a calisthenics and yoga instructor based in Dubai. She also does many of her demo moves with another person for team exercising. Pretty girl(s), graceful moves, gorgeous landscapes, and the occasional healthy snack idea. What’s not to love about a gallery like that?
@bretcontreras. 49K followers. Contreras is a strength coach, lifter, blogger, and author. One of his specialties is helping his clients create bullet-proof buns. About 40% of his posts are videos showing proper form for the moves he suggests.
@biggalyoga. 39K followers. Okay, so you aren’t the perfect size, and you don’t know if you ever will be the size or shape of those fitness models. If you want some inspiration, and you love yoga moves, this is the account to follow. At some point, this woman decided it was time to get fit and flexible, and she’s been doing it on a daily basis ever since. If you wonder what consistent work can do for you, even if you never lose a pound, you’ll see the transformation in her gallery.
@keonihudoba. 27K followers. Keoni created the Cyc workout method and is sponsored by Under Armour and VitaFusion. He is also a master trainer on NBC Sports RADIUS. He uses body weight for strength training and in many of the moves suggests using a partner – teaming up on such moves as stacked (one person doing their move on the back of the other) pushups. These teamed moves increase the level of difficulty and amp up the growth potential.
@robinnyc. 26.5K followers. Robyn Arzon is a former lawyer, street athlete, runner, spin instructor, and all-around fitness enthusiast. She is also a type 1 diabetic (diabadass). She has some videos, and most of them are of her talking, answering questions, or offering motivation. In her pictures and videos you’ll feel her vibrant energy pushing you to get moving, or moving faster, as the case may be.
@katyazharkova. 24K followers. Want to add some adventure to your workouts? Katya is a curve model, fitness enthusiast, and world traveler. Her posts inspire you to move your tail feathers to different locations where you can breathe deep, enjoy the view, and sweat out some of the stress and excess from your life.
@curtiswilliams17. 22K followers. Are you looking to add a bit of intensity to your workout routines? Curtis Williams is a former NFL football player for the Baltimore Ravens. Currently, he’s a sports performance coach and fitness director for Under Armour Performance Center. On his gallery, you’ll find motivational quotes, sweaty snaps, posts from his fitness boot camps and some healthy eating ideas thrown into the mix.
@jensinkler. 21K followers. Jen is a former USA rugby player, sprinter, trainer, kettlebeller, powerlifter, and fitness writer. She shows both single and partner moves for fitness. Along with her various fitness-related posts, she shares some fun fitness fashion, furry friends, and balanced living motivation.
@negharfonooni. 17K followers. Neghar is another poster that likes to share a bit of reality. Not every pic is the perfect pose, and real life isn’t about always looking beautiful. One of her posts quotes John Steinbeck “Now that you know you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” That’s probably a great theme for this gallery. She’s cute, she’s sassy, she’s fun, but she doesn’t seem to feel compelled to always be perfect.
@ultramarathon. 12.5K followers. This list would just not be complete without the crazy runner dude. He recently completed 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days. Yep, that’s the very definition of being a crazy runner dude. And the adventure just kept coming as he then went on to run a race through the South Pole.
@joshuaholmes. 10K followers. He’s another ultramarathoner. He’s participated in 152 ultramarathons. Ultramarathons are ones that are longer than the 26+ miles of a marathon. Averaging the distance on his 152 equals approximately 52 miles each. Additionally, he’s run 33 100+ miles races, two 135 mile races, and three 500K (or over 300 miles) races. I guess you could say he’s a runner's’ runner. Joshua is also the founder of Run It Fast.
@hunterfitness. 9K followers. His page may not have as many followers as some, yet we found him on several different lists from various health and wellness sites as a great Fitstagrammer. He includes his dog in many of his workouts too. His fitness posts are all about mobility, agility, stability, and strength.
@thebenbooker. 5K followers. Want to follow the guy who is practically the original definition of six-pack abs? Ben Booker is one of the Dailyburn.com trainers and has lots of fitness tips and helps for improving your core muscles as well as other parts of your body. His posts are mainly about family and fitness, but he brings great joy to both.
@anjagarcia. 5K followers. Anja is another Dailyburn.com trainer, as well as a Nike trainer and a pediatric ICU nurse. Her posts are a nice mix of fitness, healthy food choices, inspirational quotes and messages, and bits about her life. Want to feel good about being a woman and looking to make your positive difference, Anja can help you find that motivation on days when it seems almost impossible.

Rather than try to tell you which would be the best sites for you to explore, we just put them in order of the most followers. Click the links on any or all of them to see if these sites can help you with your fitness journey. *The number of followers listed for each page may be different by the time you check a page, and some of them were rounded up or down just to keep things simpler. If you are looking for some fitness inspiration, motivation, or just some new ideas to try, we have 30 Instagram fitstagrammers for you to check out. Follow some or all of them to get some boosts in your health and fitness routines. We have to say, we were inspired by Dailyburn.com about many of the accounts we are sharing with you, so check them out for a few more ideas.

@therock. 24M followers. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson has done a lot in his career including college and professional football, professional wrestler and champion, writer, actor, and fitness motivator. At 43 he’s tried many things and as far as we can tell, all of it successfully. If you are looking for someone to motivate you to keep going, who better than someone with that kind of history? He’s also, like many others on this list, actively involved in charitable efforts.
@elliegoulding. 6.2M followers. Not only does she sing but this Brit recently became the face of Nike’s new fitness campaign. On her gallery, you’ll find a variety of pics, some music, some fitness, some fashion. If you like inspiration in fitness and being fab, Ellie’s account will likely be a blast for you to follow.
@gisele. 6M followers. She was a Victoria’s Secret angel, she’s in a recent Under Armour ad where you see not only what a great model body she has, but how strong and fit her body is as well. Probably partly due to the fact she’s a yogi. Gisele’s married to super bowl winner, Tom Brady, and she’s a bit of a health and fitness inspiration on the sidelines.
@tessholliday. 974K followers. Tess is a plus-sized fitness inspiration. She’s gorgeous, large, in charge, and a little bit in your face about everything. She’s also a fitness advocate. It doesn’t seem like she makes perfect choices. But if you feel you aren’t getting out into the world quite enough to enjoy your fit body, she’ll inspire the heck out of you.
@progressive_calisthenics. 440K followers. If you love doing workouts where your body weight is used for your strength training, this is a great gallery to check out. They have a lot of videos and ideas for different places to take your workouts in the gym and away from the gym. It is all about strength, balance, and agility here.
@lindseyvonn. 428K followers. Does her name sound familiar? That’s because she’s a world-famous Olympic downhill skier. She has also won four world championships. But in this Instagram account she shares many of the routines and moves she does off the slopes. These are what keep her agile and able to deal with the unexpected twists and turns, let alone the bumps, of a race to the bottom of the hill.
@laurenfisher, 418K followers. Fisher offers a blend of CrossFit WODs and strength training moves for her followers. She also does trail runs and … well, basically whatever takes her fitness fancy at the moment. She’s just 21 years old and still a college student, but she must have had some great fitness inspiration growing up, because her brother GarretFisher is also a CrossFit fanatic (in a good way).
@balletbeautiful. 396K followers. This may not be what you first think of when you imagine fitness accounts, but any dancer will tell you ballet is grueling. And it is also incredibly beautiful, as long as you aren’t looking at a ballet dancer’s bare feet. At this account, you’ll see the various poses and get instruction on proper form. There are also a smattering of flower and nature picture, and ones with her toddler.
@twobadbodies. 365K followers. Do you like doing your workouts with a friend? This gallery will give you some fun ideas and options. The problem here is these two ladies have just announced they are going to shift to separate accounts. The good news is you will get two new options for fitness inspiration and well – their BAD (beautiful athletic duo) gallery will remain in place. Follow the girls together or on their new accounts @JenniferForrester and @KaisaFit.
@venuswilliams. 362K followers. You know her from tennis, but she’s an all-around athlete. Venus enjoys running with (or without) her dog, gym time, lifting, and of course, tennis. She does a lot of travel, so her fitness is sometimes on-the-go. Her competitive spirit shines through, but also her love of family and friends. Looking for a few tennis tips, follow Venus.
@af85. 206K followers. Allyson Felix is an Olympic sprinter, but her fitness routines are not just for running and track meets, though there are plenty of those too. She also includes some gym time, walking, water sports, and oh yeah, lots of fabulous fit-wear items. You will also find pictures from the various places she travels for her meets and other engagements.
@nohlsen. 155K followers. Do you love CrossFit workouts? Noah Ohlsen participated in both the 2014 and 2015 CrossFit Games. He also likes to include his dog in many of his posts and gym workouts. So if you are looking for ways to amp up your CrossFit WOD, or enjoy a few ideas on how to work out with one of your best friends, this site might be perfect for you.
@themichellewie. 146K followers. Michelle Wie is a pro golfer and self-proclaimed hippie at heart. She also loves animals, food, and her Hawaiian background. Her posts cover a bit of all of those and more. She shows delicious and healthy meal options, golf tips, pet pics and gorgeous backgrounds. Her upbeat gallery may be exactly what you want when you finish a hard-fought battle at the gym or looking for a bit of inspiration to get up and go for a walk on some greenery.
@kacycatanzaro. 112K followers. Did you see her as she qualified to become one of the American Ninja Warriors recently? In college, she was a gymnast. Now she’s “deadly” in what she can do. It is especially impressive when you know that she’s not even close to tall and probably weighs less than 100 pounds soaking wet. Still, she leaps high, dreams big, and follows her passion until it is held tightly in her grasp.
@adamrosante. 62K followers. Rosante is the author of The 30-Second Body: Eat Clean, Train Dirty and Live Hard. His posts are all about balance, they include a variety of different physical moves for fitness, agility, and strength. You’ll find healthy but indulgent food ideas and just a bit of fun and adventure there as well.
@the_southern_yogi. 61K followers. Lots of yoga moves can be found here, and about 35% of her posts are videos, not all of them about fitness. But most of them are. She also throws in some travel pics, some pictures of her furry friends, and some healthy food options.
@shadesofjoy. 53K followers. Megan Joy is a calisthenics and yoga instructor based in Dubai. She also does many of her demo moves with another person for team exercising. Pretty girl(s), graceful moves, gorgeous landscapes, and the occasional healthy snack idea. What’s not to love about a gallery like that?
@bretcontreras. 49K followers. Contreras is a strength coach, lifter, blogger, and author. One of his specialties is helping his clients create bullet-proof buns. About 40% of his posts are videos showing proper form for the moves he suggests.
@biggalyoga. 39K followers. Okay, so you aren’t the perfect size, and you don’t know if you ever will be the size or shape of those fitness models. If you want some inspiration, and you love yoga moves, this is the account to follow. At some point, this woman decided it was time to get fit and flexible, and she’s been doing it on a daily basis ever since. If you wonder what consistent work can do for you, even if you never lose a pound, you’ll see the transformation in her gallery.
@keonihudoba. 27K followers. Keoni created the Cyc workout method and is sponsored by Under Armour and VitaFusion. He is also a master trainer on NBC Sports RADIUS. He uses body weight for strength training and in many of the moves suggests using a partner – teaming up on such moves as stacked (one person doing their move on the back of the other) pushups. These teamed moves increase the level of difficulty and amp up the growth potential.
@robinnyc. 26.5K followers. Robyn Arzon is a former lawyer, street athlete, runner, spin instructor, and all-around fitness enthusiast. She is also a type 1 diabetic (diabadass). She has some videos, and most of them are of her talking, answering questions, or offering motivation. In her pictures and videos you’ll feel her vibrant energy pushing you to get moving, or moving faster, as the case may be.
@katyazharkova. 24K followers. Want to add some adventure to your workouts? Katya is a curve model, fitness enthusiast, and world traveler. Her posts inspire you to move your tail feathers to different locations where you can breathe deep, enjoy the view, and sweat out some of the stress and excess from your life.
@curtiswilliams17. 22K followers. Are you looking to add a bit of intensity to your workout routines? Curtis Williams is a former NFL football player for the Baltimore Ravens. Currently, he’s a sports performance coach and fitness director for Under Armour Performance Center. On his gallery, you’ll find motivational quotes, sweaty snaps, posts from his fitness boot camps and some healthy eating ideas thrown into the mix.
@jensinkler. 21K followers. Jen is a former USA rugby player, sprinter, trainer, kettlebeller, powerlifter, and fitness writer. She shows both single and partner moves for fitness. Along with her various fitness-related posts, she shares some fun fitness fashion, furry friends, and balanced living motivation.
@negharfonooni. 17K followers. Neghar is another poster that likes to share a bit of reality. Not every pic is the perfect pose, and real life isn’t about always looking beautiful. One of her posts quotes John Steinbeck “Now that you know you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” That’s probably a great theme for this gallery. She’s cute, she’s sassy, she’s fun, but she doesn’t seem to feel compelled to always be perfect.
@ultramarathon. 12.5K followers. This list would just not be complete without the crazy runner dude. He recently completed 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days. Yep, that’s the very definition of being a crazy runner dude. And the adventure just kept coming as he then went on to run a race through the South Pole.
@joshuaholmes. 10K followers. He’s another ultramarathoner. He’s participated in 152 ultramarathons. Ultramarathons are ones that are longer than the 26+ miles of a marathon. Averaging the distance on his 152 equals approximately 52 miles each. Additionally, he’s run 33 100+ miles races, two 135 mile races, and three 500K (or over 300 miles) races. I guess you could say he’s a runner's’ runner. Joshua is also the founder of Run It Fast.
@hunterfitness. 9K followers. His page may not have as many followers as some, yet we found him on several different lists from various health and wellness sites as a great Fitstagrammer. He includes his dog in many of his workouts too. His fitness posts are all about mobility, agility, stability, and strength.
@thebenbooker. 5K followers. Want to follow the guy who is practically the original definition of six-pack abs? Ben Booker is one of the Dailyburn.com trainers and has lots of fitness tips and helps for improving your core muscles as well as other parts of your body. His posts are mainly about family and fitness, but he brings great joy to both.
@anjagarcia. 5K followers. Anja is another Dailyburn.com trainer, as well as a Nike trainer and a pediatric ICU nurse. Her posts are a nice mix of fitness, healthy food choices, inspirational quotes and messages, and bits about her life. Want to feel good about being a woman and looking to make your positive difference, Anja can help you find that motivation on days when it seems almost impossible.

Terms of Use

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:26 +0000

Terms and Conditions THESE TERMS OF USE GOVERN YOUR USE OF WWW.SHAPEARMY.COM'S HOME SERVICES WEBSITE - (www.shapearmy.com). YOUR USE OF OUR WEBSITE CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS OF USE. www.shapearmy.com. This website presents information and content that is the property of www.shapearmy.com, which owns and operates the home services website. When used in these Terms of Use, "we" and "our" mean www.shapearmy.com. Content use & Ownership. All of the information and content on this website, including but not limited to all text, graphics, software applications, video and audio files, and photos ("Content") is our property, or the property of our suppliers, and is protected under both United States and foreign laws, unless otherwise indicated. You may make and use printouts of the content for your personal, non-commercial use only, provided the printouts retain all copyright, trademark and proprietary notices. The use of the content on any other website or in a networked computer environment for any purpose, or any other republication or redistribution of the content, including, without limitation, modifying, copying, transmitting, displaying , performing, reproducing, publishing, licensing, creating derivative works from, framing the content within another website, use on any other web site, transferring or selling any information, software, lists of users, databases or other lists, products or services provided through or obtained from this website, including without limitation, engaging in the practices of "screen scraping," "database scraping," or any other activity with the purpose of obtaining lists of users or other information; obtaining or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not made readily accessible by this website, is expressly prohibited without our prior written permission. Site Security. For certain types of communications through this website, we require the use of encryption technologies provided for your protection and/or use by you of User IDs and Passwords. You are responsible to protect your User IDs and Passwords from disclosure to third parties and you are not permitted to avoid the use of required encryption technologies. While we provide those technologies and use other reasonable precautions to protect confidential information and provide suitable security, we do not guarantee or warrant that information transmitted through the Internet is secure, or that such transmissions will be free from delay, interruption, interception or error. NO WARRANTY. WE WILL MAKE EVERY REASONABLE EFFORT TO INCLUDE ACCURATE AND UP TO DATE CONTENT ON THIS WEBSITE. HOWEVER, ALL CONTENT ON THIS WEBSITE, OR ON ANY OTHER WEBSITE TO WHICH WE LINK, IS FURNISHED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE CONTENT OR THE FUNCTIONS OF THIS WEBSITE. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LAW DOES NOT PERMIT THE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES, ALL CONTENT ACCESSIBLE ON THIS WEBSITE, OR ANY OTHER WEBSITE TO WHICH WE LINK, IS WARRANTED ONLY TO THE MINIMUM AMOUNT LEGALLY REQUIRED. Hyperlinks & 3rd Parties. From time to time, as a convenience for you, we may provide links to third-party websites, or permit third-parties to link to this website. Links to or from a third-party site, whether provided by us or not, do not imply any affiliation between us and that site owner, or an endorsement of such third-party sites. We are not responsible or liable for the accuracy or completeness of the Content on any such third-party sites. We may cancel any link at any time and will remove any link from this website upon request from the owner of a linked site. Send such requests to support@www.shapearmy.com Children Under 18. This website does not intend to market any products or services to children. We do not knowingly gather, or solicit data, from children through this website for marketing purposes. NO LIABILITY. IN USING THIS WEBSITE, YOU SPECIFICALLY AGREE THAT YOU WILL NOT HOLD US OR WWW.SHAPEARMY.COM LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF ANY USE BY YOU OF THIS WEBSITE (OR ANY OTHER LINKED WEBSITE), WHETHER THOSE DAMAGES ARE FINANCIAL IN NATURE OR RESULT FROM LOST, INCOMPLETE OR INTERRUPTED JOBS, PROJECTS, DATA OR TRANSACTIONS. THIS LIMITATION AND WWW.SHAPEARMY.COM LIABILITY MAY BE DIFFERENT IN CONNECTION WITH PARTICULAR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THAT WE OFFER. Availability. Not all of the products or services described on this website are available in all geographic areas of the United States or foreign countries. You may not be eligible for all of the described products or services and we reserve the right to determine the eligibility of any user for any product or service. The pages relating to each product or service provide additional information on the availability of each product or service and may contain terms governing eligibility. Changes. The Content on this website, and these terms and conditions, are subject to change or updating by us at any time without prior notice. The changes may include superseding terms and conditions or specific notices. YOU SHOULD REVIEW THESE TERMS OF USE FROM TIME TO TIME TO BE AWARE OF ANY CHANGES MADE. Your continuing use of this website constitutes your acceptance of any change or update, all of which shall become controlling when posted. Privacy Policy. Click Www.shapearmy.com Privacy Policy to learn more. Additional Information. All information, other than personal information is subject to our privacy policy, submitted to us through this website or any related website is our property. We shall be free to use any ideas, concepts, know how or techniques that you may submit to us through this website to improve our services. We shall not be subject to any obligations of confidentiality regarding any submitted information except as specified in our privacy policy, as set forth in any additional terms and conditions relating to specific products or services, or as otherwise specifically agreed or required by law. Governing Law . These www.shapearmy.com's Terms of use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona, without giving effect to conflict of law principles thereof. Contacting Us. For questions about this Www.shapearmy.com Terms of Use, click fit@shapearmy.com to send an email. We respond to email inquiries within 24-48 business hours of receipt. Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:21 +0000

This privacy policy was last updated on August 1st, 2015 ShapeArmy.com is committed to protecting your privacy when you visit our Websites, so we want you to know what information we collect when you visit one of our sites, how we use that information, and how you can update it. We reserve the right to append or otherwise modify this Privacy Statement at any time, so please re-visit this page occasionally to check for updates. About this Privacy Policy We respect the privacy of our users and have developed this Privacy Policy to demonstrate our commitment to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy is intended to describe information that we collect from you as part of the normal operation of our service and how that information may be used, with whom it may be shared, and your choices about such uses and disclosures. If you have questions about our privacy practices, please refer to the end of this Privacy Policy for information on how to Contact Us. Application of this Privacy Policy This Privacy Policy applies to all websites ("Website(s)" or "Site(s)") owned, operated, and controlled by ShapeArmy.com. ("ShapeArmy.com", "we", "our" or "us"), including, but not limited to, ShapeArmy.com, and the entire Network of sites. Please note that this Privacy Policy applies only to Sites owned, operated and controlled by ShapeArmy.com and not to websites maintained by other companies to which we may link. Links to Third Parties For your convenience and to improve the usage of the website we may insert links to third parties on this site. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such third party websites. These links take you outside of our service and off our Site and are beyond our control. This includes links from partners that may use ShapeArmy.com's logos as part of a co-branding agreement. The sites that such links may direct you to have their own separate Privacy Policy. ShapeArmy.com is not liable for the content and activities of those sites. Your visits and access to such websites is at your own risk. Please note that third parties' sites may utilize their own cookies with users, collect users' data, and/or solicit users' personal information. Agreement to Terms of Privacy Policy and Terms of Use All activities in which you may engage on this website are voluntary. You are not required to provide any personal information to us unless you choose to access features on this site which require the information. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy or other terms of use on this website, then you should immediately exit this website and discontinue using the Site. If you do not agree with the terms of our Privacy Policy and our terms of use, please do not provide us with personal information, and leave this Website. The Terms of Service of this Site are expressly incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this policy. By using the Website, you signify that you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy as well as to our Terms of Service. No Use of This Site by Persons Under 18 Permitted This Site is not directed at persons under the age of 18. Persons under the age of 18 must not send any personal information to ShapeArmy.com under any circumstances, including but not limited to name, address or email address. Your Privacy is Important to Us Our Privacy Policy explains what information we obtain on the Site and how we use the information you disclose to us, including how we may provide your information to our third party partners who have expressed a willingness to provide you with the products and services associated with this Site. Who We Are We are an online consumer service that introduces consumers such as yourself to certain of our participating third party partners who have expressed a general willingness to review your information and determine if they are willing to provide you with the services or products that prompted your visit to our Site. Information We Collect You may be required to provide "personal information" to access or use certain parts of our Website or features of the Site. If you do not provide the requested personal information, you may not be able to access or use the features of the site where such information is requested. We may ask you for personal information, which includes information that pertains to your identity, that we or certain of our participating third party partners consider necessary for performing a preliminary evaluation of your qualifications to receive applicable products and/or services. Such information may include, but is not limited to, items such as: your name; address; e-mail address; telephone number; fax number; date of birth; age; gender; information about your interests in and use of various products, programs, and services; education level; educational interests; home owner status; income; debt level; current mortgage; mortgage rate and the like and other information that does not identify you. We may also use your personal information to obtain additional information about you such as your credit score and/or your credit report to improve our matching service for you. In addition, we may collect certain information regarding the number and type of products and/or services you have responded to and completed. Cookies When you visit our Website, we may collect certain information through the use of cookies to facilitate your access to our Site and to personalize your online experience. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on a user's computer for record keeping purposes. We use both session cookies, which terminate when a user closes his/her browser, and persistent cookies, which remain on the user's computer until manually deleted. You may decline our cookies if your web browser software permits, although this may prevent you from accessing certain features of the Service. Through the use of cookies, we collect certain information online and offline arising out of your use of our Site. When you visit our Site, we track certain non personally identifiable information with respect to your behavior on the Site. This non-personally identifiable information may include the Internet address or URL that you just came from and the URL to which you go next; the links you click; any searches you conduct on our site; your computer browser information; your IP address; and/or other actions you conduct while on our Websites. We use this non-personally identifiable information in conjunction with some of the information that you provided to conduct internal research on users' demographics and behavior and to better understand how to serve users, such as yourself, of the Site. The aforementioned information cannot, by itself, be used to gather any personally identifiable information about you, but it will allow us to track the overall effectiveness of our online advertising campaigns. Third parties may also set cookies on or through the service to track Site usage and to track the overall effectiveness of our online advertising campaigns. To opt-out of these cookies, please go to http://www.privacychoice.org/choose. Log Files When you visit our Website, we track internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp and number of clicks to analyze trends and administer the Site, track user's movement in the aggregate and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. We use your IP address at times to help identify you as you browse and to gather broad technical and demographic information on who uses the Site. Web Beacons We may use standard internet technology, called Web Beacons (also called clear gifs, pixel tags or web bugs) that are tiny graphics with a unique identifier that are used to track online movements. Unlike cookies which are stored on the user's computer, a web beacon is embedded invisibly on a webpage (or email). Web beacons help us better manage content through the service by informing us what content and which campaigns are effective. This allows us and our participating third party partners to gauge the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by showing how many emails the recipients have opened or by sending/receiving an anonymous identification number when you travel to a site from an online advertisement. We do not tie clear gifs to personally identifiable information. How We Use Your Information General: In general we may use information we collect about you to: "Provide the products and services that you have requested; " Perform research and analysis about your use of, or interest in our products, services, content, or the products, services, or content offered by third parties; " Communicate with you via email, postal mail, telephone and/or mobile devices about products or services that may be of interest to you either from us or third parties; " Develop and display content and advertisement tailored to your interests on our site and other sites; " Verify your eligibility to receive products and/or services; " Enforce our Terms of Service; " Manage our business; and " Perform functions as otherwise described to you at the time of collection. For example, we may compare and review your personal information for errors, omissions, and accuracy based upon past usage and response; or compare your information against other publicly available files; or validate some of the personal information to verify that the information you submitted has a high probability of being valid information. Based upon your affirmative consent, as evidenced by your clicking on the applicable "submit" button, acknowledgement box, and/or your registration on a Site (i.e., your submission of the requested information, including your personally identifiable information), we may use the information you provide to attempt to match you with providers of products and services (for example, using your zip code to check for service providers whose service area covers your location) and/or we may forward the information that you provided directly to certain of our third party partners. Use for Research: We reserve the right to collect information about you and store it in connection with other online or offline information we may possess or obtain about you to create a general user profile. This profile may be created by combining your information with other sources of information such as information obtained from public databases, or from your browsing habits surrounding your visit to this Site. Email and Telephone Calls: From time to time, we may contact you via e-mail advertising, telephone marketing, direct mail marketing, or other means to inform you of additional opportunities to receive special offers for other services and/or products that we believe may be of interest to you. By providing your contact information when using our service, you are entering into a business relationship with ShapeArmy.com and are further requesting, and expressly consenting to, being contacted by ShapeArmy.com or ShapeArmy.com's partners via telephone, fax, email, surface mail, or any other means, at any of your contact numbers or addresses, even if you are listed on any federal, state or other applicable "Do Not Call" list, in order that ShapeArmy.com may provide the services set forth on the Site or for other purposes reasonably related to your service request and the business of ShapeArmy.com, including marketing-related emails. You are under no obligation to accept any service or product offered through these communications. If you no longer wish to receive any e-mails from us, or if you want to modify your personal data or want your personal data removed from our database, you may cancel your registration at anytime and you may OPT OUT by following the opt out instructions provided herein. Financial Information: To the extent that we collect your credit card information, we will use the information to verify your identity and/or for transmitting the information to the participating third party partners authorized by you for the purpose of completing your requested transaction. Your credit card information will be encrypted during transmission. In addition, by submitting your credit card information to us, you agree that we and/or our third party partners may verify your credit card account, and you authorize us and/or our third party partners to charge, and thereafter immediately credit, a small sum to the card. Such verification may be conducted through a third-party service provider and, in that case, we would share your specific credit card information with this third-party provider for verification purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right to share with third-parties the fact that we have credit card information on file for specific users. In the event we offer product and/or services where your credit card information is required to process your requested transaction, we will store your credit card information to facilitate your authorized transactions. Sharing Your Information Third Parties WE MAY USE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED FOR ANY LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE PURPOSE, INCLUDING TRANSFERRING SUCH INFORMATION AT ANY TIME TO THIRD PARTIES FOR ANY LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE PURPOSE. For example, we may share your personal information with third party partners so that they can contact you and offer you products and/or services that we and they believe might be of interest to you. This may include, but is not limited to, e-mail advertising, telephone marketing, and direct mail marketing. You are under no obligation to accept any service or product offered by any of our third party partners through these communications. By providing personal information when using the Sites, you are entering into a business relationship with ShapeArmy.com's third party partners and are requesting, and expressly consenting to, being contacted by our third party partners via telephone, fax, email, surface mail or any other means, at any of your contact numbers or addresses, even if you are listed on any federal, state or other applicable "Do Not Call" list, in order that our third party partners may provide the services set forth on the Site or for other purposes reasonably related to your service and/or product request to which you have expressed interest and the business of our third party partners, including marketing-related emails. PLEASE NOTE: submission of YOUR telephone number(s) and a best time to be called is YOUR authorization and request to be called at the telephone number(s) YOU provide. We may disclose your personally identifiable information for the purpose of the transfer or sale of personally identifiable information pursuant to the sale of our business or assets. If we transfer ownership of the Site to another company, we will notify you by general notice on our Site. We may also transfer or share non-individualized information, such as summary or aggregated anonymous information about all persons or sub-groups of persons visiting this Site. In addition, we may maintain separate e-mail, mailing or phone lists for different purposes based on the information that you submitted and that we maintain. Service Providers In order to provide the products or services you have requested, we may disclose the information we collect to companies that facilitate or provide elements of our service on our behalf, including without limitation, credit card processors, email management firms, and call center providers. We may also use external service providers to obtain your credit score and credit report in conjunction with your loan information request. Other Purposes We may also disclose your personally identifiable information when required by law, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to prevent imminent harm to any person or entity. We will fully cooperate with law enforcement agencies in identifying those who use our services for illegal purposes. How We Protect Your Privacy Security Measures In order to protect both the personal information and the general information that we receive from you through our website, we have implemented various security measures. As an initial matter, any financial information (i.e. credit card information) transmitted to our servers via a secure server is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer ("SSL") technology. SSL is a protocol that transmits your communications over the Internet in an encrypted form. The protocol ensures that the information is sent, unchanged, only to the server you intended to send it to. Once your Financial Information reaches our server, it is protected by a firewall. In addition to encryption and firewall protections, our third party partners are required to operate in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations, including regulations relating to CAN-SPAM and rules promulgated by the FTC. If we learn that any of our third party partners is breaching our agreement, we will take corrective actions including, if necessary, terminate our relationship with such third party partner. Risk of Interception We follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us. However, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you disclose online. For example, third parties may unlawfully intercept personal data or access our servers and obtain personal data. By using this site, you expressly acknowledge and agree that we do not guarantee the security of any data provided to or received by us through this site and that any personal information, general information, or other data or information received from you through the site is provided to us at your own risk, which you expressly assume. If you have any questions about security on our Web site, you can mail us at the address indicated below in the Contact Us section. Opting Out If you wish to opt-out from receiving additional email offers, advertisements and promotions relating to this Site, please click on this link to "opt-out". If you choose to opt-out, your e-mail address will be added to the suppression files associated with this Site (e.g. Mortgage, Education etc.) within ten (3) business days of your request. Thereafter, you should not receive any further email offers, advertisements and promotions from this Site. However you may still receive promotional communications from our third party partners with whom we have shared your information. To stop receiving further communications from these third party partners you will need to contact them directly in order to opt-out. Please note that after we process your request to opt-out from receiving additional email offers, advertisements and promotions from this Site, we will no longer make your information available to our third party partners relating to this Site. Effective Date and Notification of Changes to Privacy Policy This Privacy Policy is effective as of the Effective Date stated at the beginning of this Privacy Policy and will remain in effect except with respect to any of its provisions that are changed in the future, in which case the changes will become effective on the date they are posted on the website or we otherwise notify you of the changes. We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. You should check this policy periodically as its terms may change from time to time. Your continued use of the Site after we post any such modifications will constitute your acknowledgment of the modified policy and your agreement to abide and be bound by the modified policy. We will also revise the "last updated" date found at the beginning of this Privacy Policy when we post changes to it. Contact Us If you have any questions or comments relating to our website or Privacy Policy, or if you would like to request information about our disclosure of personal information to third parties, please contact us by email at: fit@ShapeArmy.com Special Notification for California Residents Individual customers who reside in California and have provided their personal information may request information regarding disclosures of this information to third parties for direct marketing purposes. Such requests must be submitted through our Contact Us instructions. Notification of Intellectual Property Rights Infringement We are committed to uphold and respect intellectual property rights. If you are an intellectual property owner and believe that your rights have been infringed by materials on this webpage, please contact our Legal Department. fit@ShapeArmy.com Please provide the following information in your correspondence to us: your name and contact information, identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed, identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing, and sufficient information for us to locate the material. Please include with your correspondence, (i) a statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by you (copyright owner), your agent, or the law; (ii) a statement that the information you provided is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive right that is allegedly infringed. Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Cookies

melissa — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 22:34:19 +0000

Contact

melissa — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 00:25:08 +0000

Please email us at fit@shapearmy.com or use traditional mail:

15282 W Brookside Ln.

Suite 110

Surprise, AZ 85374

Body Weight Exercise

melissa — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 20:02:59 +0000

Bird-Dog

[caption id="attachment_1144" align="alignnone" width="442"] Starting position: Get on all fours with your knees directly below your hips and your hands below your shoulders. Step 1: Tighten your ab muscles while keeping your neck and spine neutral – you should be looking at the floor. Step 2: Slowly lift and extend your left leg behind you while straightening it; bring your right arm forward as if pointing directly in front of you. Hold for 5-10 seconds while you keep your hips and shoulders square and your lower back neutral. Slowly return to starting position. This is one rep. Do 2 sets of up to 5 reps on each side.[/caption]

Wide Sumo Squats

[caption id="attachment_1148" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Stand with your feet farther than shoulder-width apart - in a sumo stance - with your toes pointing strongly to the sides. You can add free-weights to this if you want to add some upper-body work. Step 1: Dip your body down until your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to the floor. If your hands are free, put them on your hips. Step 2: Hold the position for 2-3 seconds and then return to the starting position. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.[/caption]

Forward Lunge

[caption id="attachment_1160" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Stand upright with your legs hip-width apart and hands on your hips. Step 1: Take a step forward about 2-3 feet, being careful to keep your back straight. Step 2: Lift your back foot slightly, so the toes are on the floor, but not your heel. Step 3: Bend both knees at the same time until they form a 90-degree angle. Don’t let your front knee go over the toe. Hold the position for 1-5 seconds. Step 4: Push off your front foot and return to the starting position. This is one rep. Step 5: Repeat steps, starting with your opposite leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.[/caption]

Glute Kick-Backs

[caption id="attachment_1149" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Get on all fours on a gym mat. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart. Step 1: Keep your head up and face forward as you raise your right leg and kick back. The knee is remain a little bent. Step 2: Pull the leg back to the starting position and repeat using the other leg. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side.[/caption]

Jump Squat

[caption id="attachment_1150" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and rest most of your weight toward your heels rather than your toes. Step 1: Dip into a high squat and then explode upward into a jump. For a more difficult move, dip deeper into the squat and hold for a few seconds before jumping. Step 2: Land in starting position. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.[/caption]

Reverse Lunge

[caption id="attachment_1157" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Stand upright with hands at your hips. Step 1: Take a large, controlled step backward. Step 2: Lower your hips until your front thigh is parallel to the floor, and your front knee is over your ankle. The back knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Step 3: Push off your front foot and bring your back leg forward, back to the starting position. This is one rep. Step 4: Repeat steps with your opposite leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps per leg total.[/caption]

Air Squat

[caption id="attachment_1153" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Using no equipment, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly outward. Step 1: Bend your knees pushing your hips and buttocks downward as if sitting. Make sure your knees are in front of your toes and not behind them. Step 2: Stabilize the majority of your weight in your heals. Hold your hands together or extend them ahead of you for balance and further working your core. Your thighs should be at a 90-degree angle to your calves. Return to standing by squeezing your buttocks, straighten your legs and drop your arms to your sides. This is one rep. Do 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps..[/caption]

Bear Crawl

[caption id="attachment_1151" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: In an open space get on all fours with your palms on the floor just below your shoulders and knees below your hips. Step 1: Lift your knees off the ground and move forward with only your toes touching. Step 2: Tuck your chin toward your chest and keep your back as straight as possible. Most of your weight should be carried by your legs as you move forward. This is one rep. Start this at 30 seconds and build until you can do for several minutes at a time.[/caption]

Side Lunge

[caption id="attachment_1156" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Stand upright with your feet and knees together. Step 1: Take a big step to the right with your right foot, and lunge toward the ground, being careful to keep your left leg straight. Don’t allow your right knee to extend past your toes. Step 2: Push off on your right foot and return to the starting position. This is one rep. Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.[/caption]

Bicycle Abs

[caption id="attachment_1155" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Get on a mat and lie face up on the ground with your legs straight and your heels resting against the ground. Bring your hands to cradle the back of your head or with fingertips resting lightly against the sides of your neck. Step 1: Now bring your left knee up and toward your chest. At the same time raise your right elbow and shoulder off the ground and using your abs pull your knee to meet your elbow (rather than your elbow to meet your knee). Step 2: Hold for a second or two and then return to starting position ONLY don’t let your leg or upper body fully rest to the ground. Now do with opposite side. This is one rep. Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps on each side. Hold your shoulders and legs off the ground for as long as you can without stopping.[/caption]

Side Plank/Side Plank Dip

[caption id="attachment_1159" align="alignnone" width="640"] Starting position: Get on the floor on your right side. Step 1: Raise your upper body from the floor with your right arm down and your forearm (elbow to fingertips) resting on the ground for support. Step 2: Using the core muscles raise your hips, thighs and knees off the ground and hold your body in a straight line from shoulders to outside of left foot. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then return to starting position. This is one rep. Do 2 reps on each side.[/caption]

Testoptin

melissa — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 04:49:29 +0000

Best At-Home Workout Equipment

natalie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So you want to begin that workout journey. Maybe money is tight, or you don’t want to fork out for a gym membership each month. Well, working out at home is completely doable. If you have a couple of tools, it can take your fitness to the next level or give you more options. Workout Videos Posted by Shape Army. If you’ve enjoyed workout classes, but hate all the prep time, and drive time, and then driving home afterward. Especially since driving home there are several fast-food stops that seem to sweetly shout your name. Try a video or two posted on shapearmy.com. Working out in the comfort of your home can be the best after a long day. At-home workout emails. Here’s one that’s absolutely free. Just sign up to receive our free at-home workout emails. We’ll send you some fun exercises to work on at home and other great health and fitness information. [caption id="attachment_1239" align="aligncenter" width="618"] imgbuddy.com[/caption] Jump rope. Go old school. Jump rope is incredibly cardio and won’t take long before you are gasping for breath and sweating up a storm. About 30 seconds in, you’ll wonder how you ever did this as a kid for such long stretches. Of course, you already know the answer, because you did it frequently, you can get there again too. If you’re up to some grueling workouts, a jump rope costs next to nothing and will kick your tail feathers really good. [caption id="attachment_1240" align="aligncenter" width="620"] www.usconcealedcarry.com[/caption] Kettlebells and dumbbells. Everyone should be doing some weight training a couple of times a week. You don’t have to do large weights, but lifting weight has been proven to keep your bones stronger and gives you muscle tone to protect your body from injuries that happen sometimes with other exercise programs. If you haven’t done them before, start with two sets of dumbbells with a set of 3 lb. weights. and a set of 5 lb. weights. If you need to wait until your next paycheck, but want to start now, use a couple of one-liter drink bottles, they weigh almost 2 lbs. each and will do nicely in a pinch. When those are no longer a challenge, add in kettlebells. They come in a wide range of weights. Since you may not know what weight to start with, consider one that is sold at Target only online that is about $20 and maximum weight is 12 lbs. But it has two weights that can be taken off, so it allows for three different weights in one kettlebell. That seems like it would be a good starter piece with minimum investment. Once you know what you really like, then invest in a better set with more options. [caption id="attachment_1241" align="aligncenter" width="2074"] www.ebay.com[/caption] Yoga Mat. Yes, you should have one even if you never have any intention of doing yoga or Pilates. A yoga mat will cushion your joints when you are standing for exercises while also providing a non-slip surface, making many moves safer. When you are doing exercise down on the floor, the padding helps a lot, and it is just enough to cushion without causing balance issues. Finally, while it is still rolled up use it to stretch out the back muscles. It is perfect to lay on, supporting your back while you get that needed stretch. You can find these in different sizes, colors, and shapes. Shop the internet for one that looks like it will work for you. This may be the largest investment on this list, but it’s worth it. If you’ve been using money as your reason for not getting active, stop. Even if you don’t want to do any of the above, you can always get out on your two little feet and hoof it for a few extra minutes every day.

It CAN Be Done!

natalie — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:08:30 +0000

Hannah Casey had given up. At 5’4” and living on her own at college, she was eating everything in sight due to stress and weighed in at 248 pounds. She had no control over her eating and admits, at that time, if she sat down to eat one bag of extra buttery popcorn, she would eat all six bags in the box at one sitting. She became the ‘victim’ of yo-yo diets and tried all that came her way. “I became the queen of fads and quick fixes. If I read that drinking grapefruit juice for a week would help you lose a few pounds, then I did it.” In January of 2011 when she weighed in at 248 pounds, she was suffering from joint pain, high blood pressure and digestive issues. Something had to be done. So she took action. One day, after finding her size- 20 pants would not close, she began her journey down the scale. She started her own blog to chronicle her weight loss and concedes that “Knowing I had to post my weight each Monday was an incredible motivator.” She did fine for three months, and then wham, she was diagnosed with celiac disease. Out the window went eating out as well as gluten. She switched from processed to whole foods prepared mostly at home and successfully lost 40 pounds in 4 months. Hannah continued on this successful journey and now, at 33, she weighs in at 146 pounds and is busy doing all she wants to do in her life. So how did she really do it? Let’s look at some of her invaluable tips.

First, she recommends not spending all your calories or sugar for one day on something you can drink in five minutes. “Swap soda or sweet tea for water or unsweetened tea,” she advises. This makes your calories go further.
Second, she warns not to think that gluten-free is necessarily less fattening or lower in calories. “Going gluten-free doesn’t always mean weight loss. A lot of these products are more calorically dense than their wheat counterparts,” she shares. “I focus instead on organic foods.” This gives a more realistic view of your calorie intake.
Finally, she advises there is nothing more effective than good old fashioned exercise. “Walk ten more steps, park one space farther away, or do one more jumping jack. You will look back in just a handful of months and be amazed at how far you’ve come!” It worked for her!

With such an incredible success story as this of a victory over stress eating, who wouldn’t want to follow Hannah’s steps? For more on her journey, check out the June 2015 issue of Women's Health and see for yourself that you can do it, too.

How Brittany Got Over Her Fear Of Getting Healthy and Lost 40 lbs. in 4 months

natalie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Brittany Wolfe lost 40 pounds, but her weight-loss journey didn’t start until she had a moment of clarity. After a second visit with an old friend (now her boyfriend) and hearing about how he’s fallen in love with working out and the feeling of confidence he gets, she knew she wanted to change. But change is hard, and she kept putting it off. Telling herself that others just needed to accept her for who she was. When she got home from that second visit, she realized that losing weight wasn’t about what other people thought of her, but about getting healthy and finding her own confidence. She took a long look at herself and knew she couldn’t make any more excuses. The company she works for manages fitness centers, so she already had a free gym membership. Going to the gym that first time was hard, though. She was really intimidated, but she did it. Initially, she got herself through the door by telling herself she would just go and get her picture taken. Then she got on the treadmill and walked a mile. She said she felt so great and confident that it ended up being a wonderful experience. Not long after that, she quit her pack-a-day smoking habit cold turkey – the new confidence helped with that too. The next step came when she realized she needed to start getting more nutrition and a lot less fried and processed foods. She bought a food scale and began making her own meals. When she started with healthier eating, her lunches and dinners were usually 4 oz. of chicken, asparagus and a boiled egg. It was a start. Over time, she added in other proteins, veggies, and fruits. Not bad for a girl who grew up in a family that didn’t eat vegetables. Initially, she skipped breakfast thinking it would help her lose weight faster, but then she’d be so hungry at night and facing a lot of temptation. So she added protein shakes for breakfast. Since changing to a healthy lifestyle, she sleeps better, is more focused and has lots more energy. Her workouts now vary between an hour of cardio or 40 minutes of strength training. She’s not yet hit her goal, but one thing she’s learned … how to make changes to move to the next level. It’s a process.

Jennie Not Only Lost the Baby Weight, But Also Became a Super Fit Triathlete

natalie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Like many pregnant women, when Jennie Nickel was pregnant, she managed to stack on the baby weight and more — nearly 70 pounds, due to larger portions and more frequent snacking. After her baby was born, the baby weight was showing little signs of leaving. So Jennie, an aesthetician from Huntsville, Alabama, decided to take matters into her own hands and started her journey to getting back in shape. She’s come a long way. Today, she’s managed to successfully complete three triathlons! So what caused her to ramp up her fitness regime. For Jennie, it was because she had only lost fifteen pounds nine weeks after delivering her baby. She was so uncomfortable and self-conscious she didn’t want to return to work because she still looked pregnant. She was worried about what people would say and think. Her lifestyle was to blame for her weight issues. While pregnant, she would do what many pregnant women do — mindless grazing. After her baby was born, and she became committed to losing weight, she started logging what she ate throughout the day. This helped make her more aware of just how much she was eating. Driven to shed to pounds, she turned to fitness DVDs, because getting to the gym consistently with a newborn at home is an almost impossible feat. By working out and making adjustments to her diet, she began incorporating the lifestyle change that has gotten her to where she is today. Consistently working out also gave her a boost of energy — so much so that she dropped 20 pounds quickly in the first nine months. A few months more and she lost another 15 pounds, and then she hit the dreaded wall. For almost an entire year, her weight loss plateaued. But she didn’t let that defeat her. She stayed motivated and began running. She started with 5Ks and gradually added swimming and biking to her routine. She completed her first triathlon in May of 2009, and by 2010, she was down from 211 lbs to 143 lbs. Today, Jennie is a completely different person. She has confidence and feels great about herself. She is ecstatic her waist is smaller than one of her thighs used to be. But what really gets her happy is the journey she endured, and the progress she made over the years. She says setting goals, training for them, and accomplishing them are incredibly fulfilling. If you’re in a similar situation that Jennie was in before she embarked on her fitness journey, her best advice is to plan ahead. Set realistic goals and don’t be afraid to splurge every once in awhile. Eat right 80% of the time, and have fun the other 20%. Also, when it comes to running, keep it fun. Plan fun routes you’ll enjoy and try running with friends. Having the support of others helps keep you motivated to accomplish your goals.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

natalie — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 05:18:51 +0000

When Chelsey Conlon realized she was eating for emotional and stress reasons, she could see a window into her problem, but it didn’t help her solve it. Not right away, anyway. As a child she knew she was eating nachos, burgers, and many other unhealthy foods, but she couldn’t seem to stop. By the time she was 16, she weighed 186 pounds, and she was miserable. She knew she had to do something. She was constantly reminded of the threat of diabetes when she visited the doctor, and she had very high cholesterol levels. But the weight loss seemed too overwhelming of a challenge for her to tackle. In high school while she hung out with her friends and was around fast foods and other unhealthy foods, she tried making her portions smaller and even denying herself the foods she really liked. But these tactics didn’t work, and she couldn’t stick with them. Her family ate out frequently as a family activity, and she was constantly tempted to order unhealthy foods. There were problems. On top of her weight problem, and contributing to it, she got no physical exercise. Occasionally, she would walk with her mother but other than that, there was nothing. One day, while driving past a gym, she took notice and learned it was very inexpensive to join. So join she did. Soon she was walking, even running on the treadmill and working out on the elliptical for a half an hour three times a week. Her routine stuck, and she began to see that she could use exercise as an outlet for her stress and no longer resort to emotional eating. She changed her eating habits, too. Fruit and 100 calorie snack packs helped curb her sugar cravings and snacking habits. When she was with family and friends, she ate healthy enjoying smaller portions choosing not to stuff herself. The good news? In six months, she lost ten pounds, and began feeling better about her body, enjoying lots more energy. She continued her good habits in college and didn’t gain the freshman pounds because she lived with her family. She packed a lunch for school and when she got hungry, went home for a healthy meal. [caption id="attachment_1236" align="aligncenter" width="900"] http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/chelsey-conlon-success-story[/caption] Now, after four years of gradual changes and hard work, she’s down 51 pounds and couldn’t be happier about it. She is the one her friends turn to now for weight loss and fitness advice, and she is only too happy to give it, never dreaming she’d be the one. Although she says she would have loved it if the weight had come off sooner, she also thinks, “by taking it slow I’ve been able to keep the weight off for good because I truly changed my life – I didn’t just do a crash diet.” If slow and steady worked for her, it could work for you. Here are some of her tips:

Don’t get discouraged – The weight didn’t get there overnight, and it might not come off as quickly as you’d like, but don’t relinquish your new healthy habits.
Don’t diet just to be thin – Change your motive to becoming healthy and fit. Learn moderation to win.
Treat yourself – No need to deny yourself the foods you love the most. Just indulge in moderation. It is all about moderation.

A Break Up Motivated Me to Shed 120lbs

natalie — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 20:49:42 +0000

Many of us experience rough patches in life, but the goal is to turn those into fuel for self-improvement. That’s what Kaity Krontz did. For so long she used food as a coping mechanism to get through the rough patches of her life. Not anymore. Check out how Kaity Krontz took back control of her life. For a long time, Kaity was in a relationship with a man that wasn’t altogether healthy. They relied on each other for absolutely everything, and as a result neither participated in outside social circles. Their eating choices weren’t particularly healthy either. Then, to make matters she lost her father, grandfather, and grandmother all in the span of a year. Those tragic events amped up her unhealthy eating habits, and she used food to cope even more often. Fatty, unhealthy foods became her norm. She regularly ate macaroni and cheese and pizza. Her weight increased considerably during those difficult months. Things went from bad to worse! Kaity discovered her boyfriend cheated on her when she lost her grandmother! That’s when she realized she was unhappy with her life. She didn’t love herself and wanted to figure out how to change. When she looked in the mirror, she didn’t like how overweight and alone she was. So she took matters into her own hands. She stumbled upon Title Boxing Club, and because she was so angry about life in general, she figured taking out her frustrations on a punching bag would be a great way to cope. So she signed up for classes. Things were a bit rough in the beginning. She felt out of place and uncomfortable at the club, but persevered and finished her first class. The weeks after were tough but in a good way. She felt she got great workouts, but also realized if she wanted to see results, she needed to make changes to her diet, too. So out went all of the processed, unhealthy foods. She began stocking up on healthier fruits, veggies, and proteins at the grocery store and learned how to cook. Now, cooking is one of the things she most enjoys. In the following months her new, healthier lifestyle change, Kaity saw results. She lost fat and gained muscle. She experienced more energy than ever before! She felt more confident in herself and was amazed her hard work produced meaningful results. Over the course of the rest of the year, she kept up her hard work and lost over 123 pounds! Now, instead of feeling uncomfortable and alone, she’s living life to the fullest and enjoying the things she loves. She’s more independent and tackling things she never thought she would. She’s even considering becoming a trainer to help others achieve their goals. Her advice to others looking to improve their health and overall well-being - invest in yourself. Spend some money on workout classes you know you’ll enjoy. It helps motivate you to actually workout. Also, stay positive! Stick with it and you’ll hit your goals. Lastly, don’t shy away from the gym. Don’t be afraid of what people might think of you. Most of the time, people at the gym, including trainers, are some of the most encouraging and helpful people you’ll meet on your journey to a healthier you. Take advantage of the support and help!

From the Inside Out, Change Lasts

natalie — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 20:48:04 +0000

It’s true: the inner determines the outer. And Jamie Mendell’s success story of losing 40 pounds this way proves it. As a teenager, she started her first diet at 17 and changes began happening after that. She had a fine, athletic body at the time but wanted to lose a few pounds. And behold, her body began to change. Her arms got larger, her breasts got larger. Excess weight blanketed her entire body. And this was the beginning of 10 years of up and down dieting, gaining and losing weight. followed by binge eating. She became obsessed with food and counted calories incessantly. She was also miserable and realized she used eating and food as an emotional safety valve, and a not so safe one at that, for her emotions. Things got out of control. At 26 and the height of her eating, she weighed 160 pounds. She was also miserable with her friends, counting every calorie she consumed in their outings. She stopped dating because she was ashamed of her body, and she carried the constant secret shame of her binge eating habit. A successful professional in every other way, she wondered why couldn’t she get control of this eating thing? Something had to be done. So she took charge, inwardly. She gave up dieting because it obviously wasn’t working, and the deprivation only made the bingeing worse. She began examining how she used food. Was it because she was lonely? Was it for love? Was it out of boredom? She threw away the diet idea entirely and filled her life with wonderful things, things she loved to do. She did things she’d always wanted to do. She took trips she wanted to take. When she was with friends, she didn’t obsess about the calories in every beer. Instead, she enjoyed being with them. She even began dating again and felt good about her body, regardless of the weight. As a result of her new happy, healthy lifestyle, she noticed the pounds melting away, naturally. She lost 40 pounds, and they disappeared without a diet, without a struggle, and without negative self-talk. Now, at 26, she weighs what she weighed in high school. And she even changed careers, leaving the world of finance to become a holistic health and lifestyle coach. The realization that she can be happy at any size is Jamie’s biggest victory. Her self-esteem and self-worth are not tied up with her body. Her advice to you? If dieting doesn’t work for you, give it up. Focus instead on what you use food for as a substitute. Is it Love? Excitement? Get to the bottom of it, as Jamie did, and then build a life full of those needs met in other positive, creative ways. Watch your body blossom into a happier and natural version of you, from the inside out.

What should be your workout playlist?

natalie — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Use music as motivation, like pictures of yourself the way you want to be again. But psychology says there are only so many times motivational items are useful if you don’t change them frequently. Get the most mileage out of your favorite workout tunes, by mixing it up often. The easiest way to do so is putting together a variety of playlists. Here are some of the songs we think might be great and where the categories they can fit on your playlists. Warming up tunes. Old School songs. Beatles – Call Me Back Again. Bruce Springsteen – Downbound Train. Lenny Kravitz – Let Love Rule. Billy Joel – Uptown Girl. Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely. Train – Drops of Jupiter. Seal – Kiss From a Rose. Jewel – You Were Meant for Me. Backstreet Boys – I Want it That Way. Natalie Imbruglia – Torn. Current and somewhat current tunes. Elliot Smith – Between the Bars. Mariah Carey – My All. Passenger – Life’s for the Living. Coldplay – Sky Full of Stars. Disclosure – When a Fire Starts to Burn. Sia – Elastic Heart. Pink – Please Don’t Leave Me. Passenger – Scare Away the Dark. Lana del Rey – Dark Paradise. Justin Moore – If Heaven Wasn’t so Far Away. Strong beats keeping your feet and heart moving fast. Old School songs. Sparkle soundtrack – Celebrate. Bruce Springsteen – I’m on Fire. Bryan Adams – Summer of ‘69 Carole King – I Feel the Earth Move Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds – Fallin’ in Love. Survivor – Eye of the Tiger. Lenny Kravitz – American Woman. Van Halen – Jump. KRS One – Step Into the World. Current and somewhat current tunes. Ryan Star – Brand New Day. U2 – This is Where You Can Reach Me Now. Tove Lo – Got Love. Crooked Fingers – Luisa’s Bones. Joy Williams – Woman (Oh Mama). Jordan Knight – Give it to You. Pitbull – Timber. Fergie, et al. – A Little Party Never Killed Nobody. Katy Perry – Birthday. Andy Grammar – Honey, I’m Good. Medium speed. Old School songs. Gordon Lightfoot – Go My Way. Carole King – You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman. Bob Marley – No Woman, No Cry. Michael Buble – Sway. Neal Diamond – Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show. Luke Bryan – Do I? Pretenders – I’ll Stand By You. Stevie Wonder – I Wish. James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing. Extreme – More Than Words. Current and somewhat current tunes. Jeremy Messersmith – A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard. Kid Ink – Main Chick. Beyoncé – Partition. Calvin Harris – Summer. Whitaker – Embers on the Wind. Kylie Minogue – In Your Eyes. Cold Play and Rhianna – Princess of China. MAGIC! – Rude. Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do. Florida Georgia Line – Stay. Cool down and yoga workouts. Old School songs. Joshua Kadison – Beautiful in my eyes. Sarah McLaughlin – Angel. Carole King – Will You Love Me Tomorrow? Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. George Strait – You Look so God in Love. Frank Sinatra – It Was a Very Good Year. John Mayer – Your Body is a Wonderland. Meatloaf – I’d Lie for You. Chris Mann – You Were Always on my Mind. Michael Buble – Home. Current and somewhat current tunes. Alex Boye – Be Still my Soul. Sarah Buxton – I Need a Hero. Hobbit soundtrack – Misty Mountains. Miranda Lambert – Holding on to You. MAGIC! – Baby Let Your Hair Down. Taylor Swift – White Horse. The Band Perry – Don’t Me Be Lonely. Chase Rice – Ride. Billy Cunningham – Must be Doin’ Something Right. Dierks Bentley – Come a Little Closer. Rock and Hip Hop. Old School songs. Silver Linings Playbook soundtrack – Girl from the North Country Beatles – Walk With You. Three Dog Night – The Writing’s on the Wall. Tina Turner – Missing You. Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get it On. Pat Benetar – Love is a Battlefield. Norah Jones – Young Blood. Eagles – One of These Nights. Neal Diamond – Sweet Caroline. Leonard Cohen – Who By Fire. Current and somewhat current tunes. Sia – Hostage. Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Krewlla – Alive. Dem Slackers – Let’s Go (Bart B More). Ciara – Dance Like We’re Making Love. Pink – So What. Coldplay – Clocks. Twenty One Pilots – Tear in my Heart. Lady Gaga – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down). James Bay – Craving. Strength training songs. Old School songs. Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire. John Mellencamp – Hurt So Good. Meatloaf – I’d Do Anything for Love. Pat Benetar – Hit Me With Your Best Shot. Marty Robbins – El Paso. The Pretenders – Brass in my Pocket. The Rolling Stones – Beast of Burden. Guns N Roses – Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. James Brown – It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World. Waylon Jennings – Highwayman. Current and somewhat current tunes. Game of Thrones Season 3 – The Rains of Castamere. Fetty Wap – My Way. Thomas Rhett – Get Me Some of That. CHVRCHES – Leave a Trace. Whitaker – Hurricane. Krewella – Killin’ It. Toni Braxton – You’re Makin’ Me High. Etana – Better Tomorrow. TNGHT – Higher Ground. Ellie Goulding – Burn. Country songs. Old School songs. George Strait – The Chair. Johnny Cash and June Carter - Jackson Eagles – Take it Easy. Brooks & Dunn – My Maria. Marty Robbins – Devil Woman. Waylon Jennings – Good Hearted Woman. Hank Williams, Jr – Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. Don Gibson – Oh Lonesome Me. Henson Cargill – Skip a Rope. Earl Thomas Conley – Fire and Smoke. Current and somewhat current tunes. Loaf – Trail of Tears. Miranda Lambert – Mama’s Broken Heart. Florida George Line – Sippin’ On Fire. Taylor Swift – Red. Dustin Lynch – Hell of a Night. The Band Perry – If I Die Young Chase Rice – What’ Your Name. Billy Currington – Tangled Up. Dierks Bentley – What Was I Thinkin’? Luke Bryan – Country Girl (Shake it for Me). Motivating and soulful songs. Old School songs. Aretha Franklin – Respect. Tina Turner – Better Be Good to Me. Brooks & Dunn – Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You. US Army Infantry – Motivation. The Rolling Stones – Time is on my Side. Guns N Roses – Sweet Child of Mine. Joan Jett – You Don’t Own Me. Hank Williams, Jr. – Outlaw Women. Salt-n-Peppa – Push It. Billy Dean – I’m in Love with You. Current and somewhat current tunes. For King and Country – Fix My Eyes. Our Lady Peace – Gravity. Dalyn Val Bayles – Savior Redeemer of my Soul. Pantatonix – Can’t Hold Us. 5 Minutes of Summer – She’s Kinda Hot. Thomas Rhett – Die a Happy Man. Meghan Traynor – It’s All About the Bass. Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running. Meghan Traynor – Close Your Eyes Ciara – Body Party. For runners. Old School songs. Chris de Burgh – Lady in Red. Beatles – Let it Down. Gordon Lightfoot – Talking in Your Sleep. Carole King and James Taylor – You Can Close Your Eyes. George Strait – Run. Aretha Franklin – I Say a Little Prayer For You. Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight. John Mayer – Half of My Heart. Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds. Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start the Fire. Current and somewhat current tunes. Our Lady Peace – Life. Jason Derulo – Wiggle. Izzy Azalea – Fancy. Cash Cash – Take Me Home. Fetty Wap – Again. Bryson Tiller – Right my Wrongs. Avicil – Long Road to Hell. Rhianna and Kanye West – FourFive Seconds. Toni Braxton – Breathe Again. John Legend – Green Light. You may notice we didn’t stick to just current tunes – that’s because we’ve heard too often from people who’ve been around the block more than once, that nothing on a particular list is what they want to hear. When you mix it up, add a few tunes in from what you wouldn’t listen to normally. You can always remove it later, but you might also find it amps up your routine. We hope you try a wide variety, from Frank Sinatra to the newest in club music. Music is life, let it move through you. For more ideas, check out fitnessmagazine.com/workout/music/popular-playlists.

9 Fitness Facebook Pages are Worth a "Like"

natalie — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 20:42:57 +0000

Sometimes we all need a little extra motivation to help us tackle our workouts or stay on track to accomplish our fitness goals. That’s where Facebook can come in handy. Fortunately, there are many fitness Facebook pages out there meant to motivate and inspire people to achieve their goals. Here are 10 everyone should like right now! Yum Yucky - This motivational page was started by a mom of four. She posts follow-along, home workouts, healthy food ideas, natural health tips, and more on her page. She started it to help motivate herself to get healthier after having her kids. Thanks to fitness, healthy eating and natural health, she feels more in control of her life. Feeling empowered and motivated lets her help others achieve their goals. Blogilates - This page shares an array of different Pilates workouts, as well as awesome healthy recipes. She also posts tutorials on proper stretching, because that’s one of the most important components of working out. Words With Lisbeth - There are a lot of CrossFit pages out there, but many are often tough and masculine. That’s why Words With Lisbeth is so refreshing and popular among women. Her page is filled with motivational teachings and reminders to keep you focused and motivated to achieve your personal fitness goals. Girls Gone Strong - This is a great motivational page emphasizing the importance of physical strength, mental strength, and strength of character. It also serves as a sounding board for the Girls Gone Strong movement motivating women to get into the gym and be strong. The page also has a slew of inspirational videos, strength-building tips and interviews from strong women to motivate and inspire women to achieve their goals. Athleta - Not only is Athleta known for their cute, comfy workout clothing, but their Facebook page is well known for posting inspirational stories and links to their blog, as well as anything related to improving your mental health to healthy, delicious recipes. SmashFit - This page was started by the figure competitor and SmashFit owner, Heather Frey. Her Facebook page exists to encourage people to make positive changes in their lives. She motivates followers to do their workouts and achieve their fitness goals. It’s a great page to follow if you’re looking for someone to hold you accountable and if you need that little extra push to get you to the gym. Thrive as the Fittest - This page exists to motivate women to fearlessly include strength training and get strong. It was started by Jen Sinkler, and her page is regularly updated with motivational quotes, training tips, and all around inspiration helping you stay focused and driven to become the best you that you can. Rachel Cosgrove - She’s well known as a personal trainer to Hollywood stars and for her tough-love mentality when it comes to training and all things fitness related. Her page is filled with personal, motivational stories, fitness tips, and advice everyone finds beneficial. These are the best fitness Facebook pages out there. For more information, check out 9 Facebook Pages You Will Love to “Like."

Frank Medrano is a Testament to True Strength Using Body Weight Exercises to Achieve Superhuman Abilities

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 18:48:33 +0000

Check out this guy's raw strength. It is unbelievable what the human body can achieve. This is superhuman abilities. Frank Medrano is a calisthenics expert, trainer, and an athlete. He first found his passion for it when he jumped onto a pull up bar and felt a rush from his strength and ability. He uses functional body weight exercises to build true strength, and to achieve superhuman abilities.

A No Excuse 10 Minute Fat Blasting Workout That Can Be Completed Anywhere.

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 02:01:20 +0000

This 10 minute workout can be done anywhere. There are no excuses. There is no equipment needed, and can be completed easily in a hotel room or in the comfort of your living room. This full body workout is a fat blaster that is sure to do the trick.

Exercises that Build the Perfect Booty

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 18:48:20 +0000

There is no denying that every woman wants a perky, tight, round, and toned booty. This short workout targets the butt and will help get you the booty you desire. There will be no need to hide the back side.

Places to Run in NYC

natalie — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 20:08:35 +0000

New York City can be a place for every kind of activity under the sun. Running is a great one—for both New Yorkers and tourists alike. There are more than 15 marathons to run in NYC within the next three months alone. So tie up your best running shoes because New York City will have the place for you to stretch those legs. Physical health plays a large role in keeping your mind healthy, so always be ready to run, and consider the parks of the City while you’re at it. [caption id="attachment_226" align="alignnone" width="3264"] willrunforglitter.com[/caption] The East River Run can be found near the top of Central Park right where the RFK Bridge sits. Running through NYC’s parks is always an exciting excursion of people, local sites, and beautiful terrain designed by the City’s authorities. This running route, situated by the river, can be accessed at any time of the day, week, month and year. You’ll have no delays or detours when engaging in a run alongside the East River here. The duration of your run will have you panting through a 16.07-mile stretch that offers shortcuts for convenience and commuter transportation. A well-respected addition to the Run is the lack of foot or vehicle traffic during your exercise. This location gives you a taste of seclusion as you complete your workout for the day. For anyone living in New York or visiting, we all know this type of R&R is rare for such a large metropolis. Whenever you have the opportunity to run in peace, be sure to take hold of life and do it. But, you’ll want to consider other running routes the City has to offer. Creating a varied list of locations can be the difference between boredom with a routine and exciting fun with another. Be sure to change up your routes and make the most of what NYC has to offer for you pavement pounders. [caption id="attachment_227" align="alignnone" width="750"] www.theoutbound.com[/caption] The Five Bridges Run is a local favorite that enters and exits roughly three boroughs of New York City. If you’re looking to see much of what New York offers while you run, this route will be waiting for you. The Five Bridges Run takes you 16.68 miles through a good portion of New York City. The meeting points consist of the 59th St. Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Pulaski Bridge. There’s one consideration you’ll have to make regarding this route. Traffic that you’ll share space with consists of commuters, bikers, and pedestrians. This makes early mornings and Sunday visits primetime for this 16-mile jog. You’ll enjoy the peace and an increased heart rate for a long, fulfilling life of health. [caption id="attachment_228" align="alignnone" width="600"] http://hudson-river-park.com/[/caption] The Hudson River is a great running scene for the tourists in the City. You’ll run this stretch from Battery Park to the Bronx, and the route is accessible from many New York locations. Unlike the previous routes, this one only goes for roughly 9 miles. At 14th Street and 79th, you’ll find shortcuts if those areas have destinations you intend to see. Tourists on this route will get a chance to spot the George Washington Bridge, Chelsea Piers, the Statue of Liberty, art installations and the USS Intrepid. Early morning and evenings are best for space and ease of traffic. [caption id="attachment_229" align="alignnone" width="3264"] http://willrunforglitter.com/2013/03/04/central-park-runs-and-snowy-woodstock-hikes-man/[/caption] The Central Park Loop is a winding trail that returns you back from whence you began your run. The best part is that you can enter the loop from anywhere in the park. The surface is paved, and there are restrooms and water fountains along the way. There’ll be people mingling, you’ll pass the Central Park Boathouse and the newly renovated Tavern on the Green. If you want to miss the crowds, however, consider arriving between 8 and 9a.m. There are so many places to run in the City that we couldn’t list them all. For that reason, we’re going to leave you with a comprised list of places that may be suitable for your level of experience and sense of adventure. You can check these places out: West Side Hwy Run—18 miles, Carroll Gardens—6.15 miles, Dalyn’s New York Walk—9.46, Southern Tip—9.21 miles, Prospect Park—17.16 miles, Williamsburg Bridge—6.53 miles, South Manhattan Loop—13.37 miles, and West & South that’s roughy 5 miles. So take the trails with all the ambition you can muster, and let your mind wonder on the running routes of New York City.

Six Pack Abs Workout

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 18:16:02 +0000

Six Pack Abs. We all want them. We have all heard of the "Dad Bod", but who are kidding. That is just an excuse for not taking the time to work on our abdominal muscles. This workout is a excellent way to obtain those six pack abs.

5 Healthy and Quick Breakfast Smoothies

natalie — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 21:06:22 +0000

There is no need to swing by your local fast food establishment on the way to work or school in the mornings. This video makes smoothie making so quick, easy, and healthy. It maps out your Monday through Friday breakfast. It is so easy to blend and go.

Inspirational: 570 Lb Man Runs 5K

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 18:54:21 +0000

[caption id="attachment_266" align="aligncenter" width="500"] http://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/570-pound-man-commits-to-finishing-a-5k-per-month-in-2015[/caption] Derek Mitchell from Kansas City, Missouri is no average runner. That wouldn’t be hard to spot either. Unlike most of his contemporaries who’ve recently run a local-5k in Missouri, Derek weighs over 500 pounds. His story of triumph against weight gain is founded on a personal challenge to lose “the pounds” when Mr. Mitchell was well over the 600 mark. Derek has an illness that led to weight issues and from there Derek's inspiring acts while dealing with the results are reaching the hearts of many. You can watch those inspiring feats, and the joy Mitchell relishes after completing one of the greatest challenges of his life. Derek was diagnosed with having a tumor on his pituitary gland only five years ago. Further diagnosis showed the tumor had been with Derek since his teens and had caused a blockage to the production of testosterone in his body. This condition is the largest factor to Mitchell’s initial weight gain tipping the scales at over 600 pounds. The year 2015 started in a different way for Derek, and the load of his illness was lifting. He started the year by cutting soda from his diet, and then recorded his journey once he began walking for daily exercise. But this day, today, Mitchell is planning to run one-5K-race monthly and for the rest of his life. He already has three in the making; each is approaching soon. It’s a huge contrast to the Derek we would have seen just five years ago, and he has the smile on his face now to prove it. Though Mitchell boldly entered and finished a 5K race while weighing over 500 pounds, he ended it in much pain and fatigue. It was a finish but a gruesome one. The race was wearisome on his body, but the challenge he set was met and conquered. Derek is a hero for many today. As he’s stated himself, “If I can walk a 5K anybody can. …And I’m living proof of that now.” The magical character of this story comes from the simple suggestion of Derek’s older sister who, herself, routinely runs in marathons. It was after her suggestion that Derek decided to finish his first race: a feat not for the faint of heart. The race run by Derek was not at the pace of his peers, you see. Mitchell walked most of it and rallied toward the end with the help of a bystander. Five hundred plus pounds is a lot to carry for any runner, but as time goes on, Derek will continue his pursuit to lose weight and inspire the world abroad.

A Young Man With Down-Syndrome is an MMA Fighter and His Inspirational Story

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:31:40 +0000

So you may have challenges thrown your way in life. How do you take hold of those challenges and obtain your ultimate goal? Check out how, Garrett, a 23 year old young man with Down-syndrome obtained his goal. There are truly no limits on our life. The only limits we have are the ones we put on them.

Pilates: Muffin-top Be Gone Video

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:54:48 +0000

Do you tend to carry a little extra around the waistline? Maybe a little muffin top. Well, if this is your bodies challenging area you definitely want to check this Pilates video out. Or, if you just want to strengthen your core area this is a great video to add into your exercise routine.

Exercise Video That Will Lift and Tone That Booty

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:03:08 +0000

There is no denying that a perfect booty is highly desired. It is still hot outside and there is plenty of summer days left to show off that backside. There is no reason not to incorporate this booty routine into your workouts. Check out this video and feel that booty burn.

Fine Toning Arm Routine

natalie — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:24:11 +0000

No one likes to raise her arms and feel the skin waving in the wind. Keep those arms tight and toned with this video. The best part is you can do this in the privacy of your own home. You just need a set of hand weights. If you don't have hand weights improvise and use soup cans.

Weekly Meal Prep for Healthy Eating

natalie — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 14:56:22 +0000

Let's face it. If we don't plan for success, we set ourselves up to fail. Our diet is just like that. We need to make sure we are making healthy choices and meal prepping is just the way to do it. This video is a great weekly meal prep for healthy eating. There is no reason not to check this out and set this weekly meal prep in motion.

Cardio HIIT Workout That is Perfect for Home

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:31:22 +0000

It has been a long day. You just don't feel like making the trip to the gym to workout. Well, there is no reason not to get a workout in. This cardio high intensity interval training workout is perfect for completing in the comfort of your home. Now get up off that couch and start HIITing it.

Are You Suffering From Being Skinny Fat?

natalie — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 21:11:40 +0000

If you are skinny fat and wondering how and what to do. Well, this is the perfect video to check out. It will tell you how to overcome your issue. It will help you obtain and maintain muscle mass.

Is Your Squat Form Proper?

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 02:51:14 +0000

Whether you are new to squats or have been doing squats. This short video is a great view. We all want to properly execute a squat in order to get the maximum benefit from the exercise. If we take time to do the exercise. We might as well be doing it right. Check it out.

Best Lunge to Get Those Sexy Legs

natalie — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:52:56 +0000

Every woman wants them and no woman wants to have to hide them. That's right, a great set of sexy legs. Of course, we have to put in some work to get them. The curtsy lunge is the ticket to getting those sexy legs.

Elite Exercises You're Not Doing

natalie — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:35:33 +0000

The personal training world will tell you there are no new exercises to be created. What we have instead are extensions of common movements most of us know. One movement expands to another from the same basic technique—until a simple exercise is advanced by. …well, extensions.

So though there are no new exercises to truly be created, who has ever tried shadow boxing on skates? It’s probably something you shouldn’t try at home, but like the elite exercises below to follow, it’s something you’re not doing. These exercises should be done and tested immediately. The ones we’re presenting are safe and effective for everyone. - Squats We can hear the disbelievers now.

“I do tons of squats!”

If you say so. What we have is an extension to the squat we’d rather call squat dips and raises. There are a few buff guys out there that know how to pack mass where intended, so we won’t pretend you’re doing something wrong. This approach to squats is a method you can add to your existing routine. The aftermath is better visual results, and you’ll feel great. You’ll be stronger and look leaner. This extension to squats turns a heavy task into a lean creating machine, instead of a bulking one. [caption id="attachment_378" align="alignnone" width="500"] http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/types-of-squats[/caption]

Here is the variation for squat raises: when you begin by setting a barbell on your rear shoulders, you will do so on your toes with heels lifted above the ground. This engages the core and calves better as you attempt to balance with the unaccustomed barbell weight. Just be sure to use less weight than used for your typical squat max. You want to at least start this way before going full blast into this squat variation.

The second part of the move are the squat dips. In traditional squat methods, it’s best and healthier to lower yourself down to a 90-degree bend at your knees. Since we’re using a bit less weight for this extension, you can actually go lower—beyond 90 degrees—and work your legs in a contraction stage where they are weakest. Once you rise from this dipped down position, where your buttocks should touch your hamstrings, you’ll be ascending into a standing position on your toes again. This variation to the squat develops greater agility, tighter core muscles and a more explosive drive in your hips once you’ve mastered the complete cycle of squat dips to raises. - Tricep Extensions Long muscles simply mean tissue has formed in a lean and elongated way. This is great for strength and flexibility. Being limber is awesome for everyday activities and limits injuries to the body. This is why you want to work the long form of your muscles. Not only will your physique look leaner and more relaxed, you’ll also have a mature exertion of the muscle being trained. These particular variations improve your long muscle formations. [caption id="attachment_379" align="alignnone" width="616"] www.viveredonna.it[/caption]

Tricep extensions are all about technique and form. One small movement can change the dynamics of your movement substantially, and now we’ll cover tricep extensions and how to work your long form for them. With these tricep extensions, you’ll want to be seated on a bench.

Once you’re situated, grab a barbell or a curl bar and hold it overhead—straight up. With your elbow stationary, begin dropping the weight behind you until your elbows bend at a 90-degree angle. From there, you’ll extend back up to your starting position. - Upright Rows Building up the deltoids can be a mystery to many people, but now, we’ll cover an efficient way of getting those delts to the condition you desire. Doing this is about changing up the routine you already know. Today, you’re being introduced to elite exercises people are simply not doing. They are also not getting these results for their fitness efforts. [caption id="attachment_381" align="alignnone" width="620"] http://www.oxygenmag.com/article/build-delts-drop-sets-9999[/caption]

The specialty with these upright rows is in using a wide grip. With your knees slightly bent, stand with a barbell securely before your thighs, and ensure that your hands rest at roughly shoulder width.

From here, keep your shoulders down, but lift the barbell with an overhand grip so you don’t engage the biceps and take away stress from the deltoids. Hold the tension on your delts and then slowly lower the weight back down. Repeat and enjoy. - Laddering Your Biceps Elite exercises are about elevating your abilities to greater heights. This is exactly what we have in store for you. You’re now going to build better mass for your biceps than what traditional bicep exercises accomplish. The amount of blood flow and additional growth to the biceps will wow you with this elite variation. [caption id="attachment_382" align="alignnone" width="560"] www.bodybuilding.com[/caption]

Here are the necessities: Use a power rack to adjust a bar at roughly your arm’s length above the floor. Now form a straight line with your body lying under the bar and then grip the bar with an underhand hold that lifts your body from the floor. Your arms should be fully extended before you curl upward. When ascending, bring your forehead to the bar. Repeat raising the bar until you can’t do any more reps.

The Inspirational Transformation of a Disabled Veteran

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 02:13:08 +0000

Arthur is a disabled veteran. Specifically a paratrooper with one too many jumps. The doctors told him that he would never walk unassisted again. Check this amazing inspirational transformation out. It documents just how hard he worked to overcome the unthinkable challenges he was faced with. This is truly an inspirational transformation and a testament to why we shouldn't give up.

Great Workouts to Make the Most of your Body Shape

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 05:01:41 +0000

Women come in all shapes and sizes and we celebrate that. However, you may not always love your shape, or you want to just focus a bit more on other areas of your body. So, let’s discuss the classic four shapes women often are so beautifully packaged as Pear, Hourglass, Apple, and Straight/Rectangular.

If you aren’t certain which category you fall into, ask a friend. We also have some celebrity examples that might help you decide. Pear shape. This means you are “all about that base.” You have curves, and most of them are happening from the waist down. Your shoulders may be a bit narrow, and your girls are naturally a bit more A and B than C or D. Your toosh, hips, and maybe the upper thighs are a bit larger. Celebrities that fit this shape include Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian (and the other K ladies), and Kelly Clarkson. If you have that strong base and don’t feel comfortable with it grabbing all the attention, we know just what to do. [caption id="attachment_390" align="alignleft" width="405"] www.taringa.net[/caption] First, don’t despair, if you noticed those celebrity names, you know they are among those that are considered to be very sexy. The biggest trick with having a pear shape is making sure your upper body is strong. So, wear clothes that draw some attention to the areas above your waist and get great attention for that too. The other trick is to keep the lower half of your body toned without building a bunch more muscle. So, on the days you aren’t doing the muscle enhancing upper body moves, you might consider some stretching routines like Pilates or Yoga that focus on lengthening the muscles in your lower body. Here’s the workout circuit we suggest focuses more toward the upper body. Do it three times a week. You’ll need some free weights, but if you don’t have them handy, use a few cans of food, one for each hand. Do 3 rotations through the circuit without resting (or only minimal resting) between the exercises during on rotation. Between each circuit, only rest 45-60 seconds before starting the next round. Once you complete the 3 circuits, add in a cardio workout of your choice for another 30-45 minutes. Your workout should not go more than 60 minutes. Try for 3-5 reps of each move to begin with before going to the next. But, allow yourself time to build up to that level if you need to. Add more reps as you get stronger – up to 20 reps of each exercise per rotation. For your cardio workout, whenever possible use equipment or do activities that work both the upper and lower body to enhance your upper body work. If you want to add in the stretching workouts, do those 1-2 times a week on the days you aren’t doing the circuit and cardio. Pear-Shape Circuit:

Push up
Spiderman
Kettlebell squats
Push-up mountain climbers
Dumbbell stability -- skull crusher
Mountain climbers
Sandbag walking lunge
Side plank with leg lift on each side

Hourglass Shape. This shape is just like it sounds . . . great chest, great hips, and small waist. Celebrities sporting this shape include some of the most iconic female sex symbols of the last 50 or more years: Rosalind Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch, Scarlett Johansson, and even more recently Sofia Vergara. If you gain weight, it will typically be fairly evenly distributed over your body. And, because areas of your body are pleasingly curvaceous, sometimes showing muscle definition is a bit more difficult. So, your workouts should combine interval training with total body strength workou [caption id="attachment_391" align="alignright" width="452"] www.laineygossip.com[/caption] Here’s the workout circuit we suggest focused for a full-body workout. Do it three times a week. You’ll need some free weights. Do 3 full times through a circuit of all the exercises without resting (or only minimal resting). Between each circuit, only rest 45-60 seconds before starting the next round. Once you complete the 3 circuits, then do work that stretches the muscles to make up a full workout of 45-60 minutes. You can try some classic yoga moves or Pilates ones. There are even some great DVD programs that can walk you through these type of moves at a faster pace. Chalene Johnson has one called PiYo. For your circuit, start with a few reps of each move to begin with before going to the next. Add more reps as you get stronger. Your goal is to get where you do 20 reps of each exercise per rotation. Hourglass Shape Circuit:

Burpees
Curtsy lunge
Spiderman
Balance Skull Crushers
Pushup
Squats press with dumbbells

On the days you aren’t doing the circuit/stretch workouts, add in another 2-3 days of the following cardio workout – it is called the Cardio Sprint Pyramid. Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout. Run, bike, or row: During the work periods, you should have a rate of perceived exertion (RPE of 8 to 10, followed by 30 seconds of active recovery. Build and taper the workout like this: 30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover 1 minute sprint/1 minute recover 2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover 4 minutes sprint/4 minutes recover (you may have to work up to the 4 minutes over time) 2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover 1 minute sprint/1 minute recover 30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover Then finish your workout with a 10-minute cool-down. Straight/Rectangular Shape. This body type is more “boyish” and, if you are in shape, will show that you are an athlete. If you aren’t in shape, you may have more of a low-key vibe. Celebrities with straight shape include Kate Hudson (and her mother Goldie Hawn), Gwyneth Paltrow (remember her slim fitting pink Oscar dress), and Keira Knightley. [caption id="attachment_392" align="alignright" width="429"] www.usmagazine.com[/caption] Your challenge, if you have this shape . . . your workout should be focused on building some curves. That means building some muscles and toning to create as much of an indent to your waistline as possible. The good news is that the cardio you do can be just about anything and, if you add in muscle building elements to your cardio work, even better. And, since you may not have so many curves to get in the way, some of it might be easier for you to do. Some ideas include kickboxing, Tabata, spin, or any HIIT workout DVD will do the trick too. These cardio workouts should be for 15-30 minutes and done no more than 2-3 days a week. For your circuit training days, the same rules apply here as for the other shapes. You’ll need free weights. Do the circuit training 3 days a week. Do 3 rotations through the circuit with no rests between exercises per circuit and 45-60 second breaks once you finish one rotation before starting the next. Combine this with another workout of your choice to total no more than 60 minutes. Straight Shape Circuit:

Deadlift overhead press
Walking lunges
V-raise
Fencer’s lunge extension
Side to side plank push-ups or just plank push-ups
Diagonal lunge and curl.

Apple Shape. An apple shape is rounder in the middle section, shoulders and hips are often smaller than the waist, and legs and arms can be thin. Some apple-shaped celebrities include Oprah Winfrey, Lindsay Lohan, Drew Barrymore, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Apple shaped usually means you want to reduce the belly fat and size. [caption id="attachment_393" align="alignleft" width="434"] www.justjared.com[/caption] The workout regime for an apple shape usually includes fat burning cardio workouts and strengthening and toning moves to reduce the size and appearance of the middle body. So, the circuit information is the same as you’ll find for the other shapes: 3 workouts a week, 3 rotations through the circuit, etc. You’ll need free weights. Here’s the circuit. Apple Shape Circuit:

Weighted bird dog
Rear lunge chop
Pull-down extension
Push-up mountain climbers
Windmill split squat
Weighted walk up

Recommended cardio workouts for your shape are actually much the same as the straight shape. Try kickboxing, Tabata, spin, or any HIIT workout DVD. These cardio workouts should be for 15-30 minutes no more than 2-3 days a week. Change up your workout routine from time to time. No matter what your body shape is, once you are working your exercise routine regularly, about every three to four months you need to change it somewhat. Otherwise, your muscle memory kicks in and the muscles stop working hard to do the same tasks. You can make changes in a number of ways. Slow the moves down or only do part of the movement for an exercise. You can deepen the intensity by tensing the muscles completely for the entire time you do an exercise. You can also switch out to different movements that work similar muscles. Don’t forget your eating plan. No matter what workouts you do or how consistent you are about them, if you are eating unhealthy most of the time, you won’t get the outcome you want. There is no need for you to be crazy about it unless you have an underlying health problem that requires you to stick to a strict eating plan. If you want to lose weight, figure 85-90% of the time you should be eating healthy with 10-15% of the time allowing some treats or extras. If you are not trying to lose weight but get your body in better shape, figure on 70-80% healthy and 20-30% of extras or treats. Final thoughts. You are amazing and you should feel great about yourself, no matter where you are on your fitness journey. See the beauty in yourself and accept that some of what makes you truly beautiful is found in your flaws. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t choose to enhance some things and play down others if it helps you feel more comfortable in situations. Study ways to dress for your body shape. Check out what the celebs are doing and consider whether you would like wearing something similar or if you wouldn’t wear that even if someone offered you a small fortune. It’s all up to you. Choose what makes you feel at ease and then go out and own it.

10 Best Remedies for Sore Muscles

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:36:48 +0000

From the time we are born we experience muscle soreness. These are called growing pains. Then, when we reach maturity as an adult, we challenge our muscles 24/7. Think about it – we can make our muscles hurt just by sleeping in a bad position or we can be subjecting our back to an inferior mattress. During our waking and active hours, we can have a spontaneous tendency to overexert our muscles with the latest and greatest exercise regime. On the other extreme, we can just give up on exercise and sit in front of the computer or TV and allow our muscles to degenerate. Muscle soreness can be caused by overexertion during exercise that may cause slight tearing of the muscle tissue that eventually heals itself. And, fibromyalgia or arthritis may be contributing to your pain. Cramping of muscles – those leg cramps – are caused by over exercising, lack of mineral intake, and dehydration. Whatever the cause of your muscle soreness today, glance over this list and discover a remedy for some new, soothing, and surprising relief.

Rest. Cure your sore muscles by taking a reprieve from your routine for a day or two. Resting your sore muscles – eating healthy, and drinking a lot of water may just be your number one remedy. If your daily routine requires a lot of exertion, ask a family member or a friend to help. Or, just let the weeds grow in the garden and flower beds for a couple of days.
Movement and Stretching. When you are stiff and sore because you pushed your body outside of its regular exertion zone, movement – stretching and walking, for example – may be a simple cure for your discomfort. Remember, if you push your body over time, it will build the strength needed to complete your regular daily routine with less pain. After you finish mowing and weeding your yard, don’t just sit and rest for a long period of time. This causes your muscles to stiffen and become sore when you start moving again. Instead, rest briefly and hydrate yourself before walking around and stretching your tired muscles until you fully cool down.
Apply Heat or Cold. During your rest, a must-do muscle relaxer is a hot bath or shower. The hot wetness relieves tight and knotted muscles you’ve pushed hard with your body and mind. Also try an ice pack applied to your aching, bruised, or swollen muscles – no longer than 20 minutes – will reduce soreness and swelling.
A Soak in Epsom Salt.You may have forgotten about the [caption id="attachment_417" align="alignleft" width="198"] www.seven-health.com[/caption] remedy your parents used for their sore muscles when you were a child or you may be a millennial who never heard of Epsom Salt. Whatever your era of cures, you can buy Epsom Salt at any local supermarket or pharmacy, and it’s quite inexpensive.

Dissolve a couple of cups of Epsom Salt in a warm bathtub and soak away your aching muscles for at least 15 minutes. Epsom Salts – comprised of magnesium sulfate – are a natural muscle relaxant because they reduce swelling by extracting excess fluids and toxins from your tissue. It is generally recommended that you limit your Epsom Salt soaks to three times per week. Disregard this remedy if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart complications. In such cases, you can use a cup or two of baking soda in place of the Epsom Salt. That will have a similar effect.

Supplement With Oral Magnesium. Muscle aches, soreness, and cramps may be caused by a low level of magnesium in your body. While you can purchase a magnesium supplement at any local supermarket, pharmacy, or health food store, you may want to consider simply adjusting your daily diet. There are many foods high in magnesium that you may not know about but like almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, ground flax seed, and cocoa powder. Some other food sources you may not have explored containing high magnesium levels are black beans, Swiss chard, spinach, and molasses.
Massage Therapy. Speed up the healing of your sore [caption id="attachment_418" align="alignleft" width="220"] www.massageschoolsguide.com[/caption] muscles by stimulating the blood circulation in the affected area with massage therapy. Professional massage therapists combine their masseuse skills with room temperature healing essential oils for extra relief. So, if your partner is helping you out with a massage, make certain they include some of these essential oils:

Muscle cramps: lemongrass oil with peppermint or marjoram oil
Muscle spasms: basil or marjoram oils with Roman chamomile oil
Muscle tension: marjoram, peppermint, lavender, or Roman chamomile oils

Combine two drops of the essential oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil and let the massage begin!

Apple Cider Vinegar. Drinking a glass of water with one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar may help you find relief for your sore muscles and leg cramps. Or, you can just slurp down a tablespoon straight – if this is too strong for your tastes, try some pickle juice. Apple cider vinegar is also good as a rubbing aid directly on your sore muscle.
Blackstrap Molasses. There is a high content of magnesium in blackstrap molasses, so try a tablespoon added to your morning cup of coffee or dissolved in a cup of hot water to find relief from muscle soreness. This can also help with charley horses and restless leg syndrome.
Switchel Recipe. A sure-fire, old fashioned recipe that helps relieve chronic muscle pain is Switchel – a combination of the benefits of apple cider vinegar and blackstrap molasses – a remedy that rivals high priced packaged sports drinks:

½ cup apple cider vinegar ½ cup sugar or honey ¼ cup molasses 1½ teaspoons of ground ginger Mix these ingredients together and then add them to 2 quarts of water, then mix until dissolved, chill, and serve over ice.

Coconut Oil. Two to three tablespoons of coconut oil with [caption id="attachment_419" align="alignright" width="183"] http://www.thepaleosecret.com/2015/01/high-fat-intake-can-slow-brain-aging-process/[/caption] your daily cooking – or applied like butter – will help to loosen up and ease sore muscles. So, if you don’t have the taste for apple cider vinegar, molasses, or the Switchel recipe, try to relieve your ailments with a good daily dose of coconut oil. You can find coconut oil in your local grocery, supermarket, or health food store.

Wondering how get rid of cellulite? These treatments actually work!

natalie — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:33:13 +0000

Just because a woman is slender, and fit does not mean she won’t be faced with cellulite appearing on her body at some point during her life. Cellulite affects almost 90% of women because genetics and cellulite go hand in hand. Cellulite and Genetics If your mom or grandmother had cellulite, you also have a chance of developing it since the condition runs in your family’s genetic makeup. In fact, depending upon your family gene variant, you could be at low, moderate, or high risk for developing a severe cellulite condition. As you progress into womanhood – don’t wait to see signs of cellulite – ward it off before it appears. Maintaining a healthy weight, diet, and exercise definitely play important roles as does heredity in your fight against cellulite. Proactive Treatment and Avoidance of Cellulite There is a torrent of misinformation on the Internet about how to avoid or treat cellulite. Don’t blame your mom and start searching for a plastic surgeon. Also, avoid the temptation of purchasing over-the-counter products costing more than your car payment. Here are some non-invasive as well as invasive methods of treating cellulite or proactively avoiding it altogether. Women produce a hormone known as estrogen that helps blood move smoothly through the body. As a woman ages, her body naturally produces less estrogen, which results in poor blood flow and circulation. This restriction of blood circulation causes a decrease in collagen production in conjunction with the breakdown of the woman’s existing connective tissue. This hormonal role results in the appearance of cellulite. Non-invasive Cellulite Treatments Tip #1 High-Intensity Exercise. Exercise can help prevent and reduce the appearance of cellulite because the condition appears when the connective fibers beneath your skin become loose or weak, losing their elasticity. By stretching and strengthening these connective fibers, the appearance of cellulite can be reduced. Firming and toning the muscles around the condition will tighten your skin and make cellulite less noticeable. Yoga exercises focusing on the buttocks and thighs help provide strength-training to boost blood flow circulation and build muscle. As an added benefit, high-intensity exercise burns away excess fat that exacerbates the appearance of cellulite. Tip #2 Weight Resistance Training. Your metabolic rate for burning calories raises as you gain muscle through weight training. Weight training increases your metabolism, allowing your body to tap into its stored fat. Because muscle connecting tissues trap cellulite, weight resistance training helps rearrange these tissues and evens out the appearance of cellulite. In turn, body fat loss through weight resistance training alleviates pressure between the connective tissues and your upper layer of fat – reducing cellulite. Tip #3 Diet. Certain whole foods are out there and available for you to fight cellulite. Produce items containing a high water [caption id="attachment_430" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.alabasterliving.com[/caption] content – 90% – such as cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, and bell peppers are in this category. Eating a well-balanced, vegetable enhanced diet reduces inflammation within your body and helps achieve a healthy weight. A diet that fights cellulite also includes a lot of water. Stay hydrated by eating high water content veggies, along with other fruits and vegetables – and drink water. Tip #4 Topical Creams. Studies have shown that some topical cream products containing retinoids – or retinol in the over-the-counter department and drug stores – may temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. These retinoid topical cream products create a skin physically thick enough to help hide cellulite concaves and dimples. There is also some proof that creams and scrubs containing caffeine, ginger, green tea, or black tea – stimulant ingredients – improve blood flow circulation beneath the skin. breaking down fatty cells, thereby reducing the appearance of cellulite. Tip #5 Laser Treatments. [caption id="attachment_431" align="alignleft" width="150"] celluliteremovalcentro.com[/caption] Laser, radio-frequency, and massaging techniques are non-invasive forms of treating cellulite that work to reduce the unsightly appearance of cellulite. Even though these treatments are short term and do not have lasting effect, they produce visible positive results. TriActiv and VelaSmooth laser treatments have been shown to greatly reduce the appearance of cellulite. However, these options require 10 to 15 sessions before showing improvements and, after that, monthly maintenance. The radio-frequency Thermage CL laser treatment has shown results that last for 6 months to a year. Laser treatments can help make your arms, thighs, butt, and tummy look better by eliminating unsightly cellulite. Invasive Cellulite Treatments Tip #6 Injectable skin filler treatments. Restylane and Radiesse are injectable dermal fillers primarily used to plump up sagging cheekbones and remove facial wrinkles. These types of injectable skin filler treatments also reduce the appearance of cellulite – although temporarily, lasting up to 3 months. Basically, these skin fillers even out your dimply and concave skin in cellulite-plagued areas of your body. Tip #7 Endermologie. This is a non-surgical vacuum-type [caption id="attachment_432" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.physiofitwoman.ie[/caption] procedure. It has been proven to lessen the appearance of cellulite. The procedure involves rolling a suctioning medical device over a client’s skin – those topical areas being affected by cellulite – pulling and squeezing these spots for 30 minutes. Usually, two treatments per week for up to 10 weeks are required before results are visible. Tip #8 No Dermatologist Required. You don’t need to seek out a dermatologist to receive cellulite treatments – such as Endermologie and other non-invasive laser procedures – because medispas have an abundant presence in today’s marketplace. These medispas have trained and licensed technicians to perform treatments with your selected non-invasive device. Tip #9 Avoid Liposuction. This invasive treatment is not a solution to reduce or eliminate problem cellulite. In fact, liposuction has been proven to make cellulite distribution uneven exacerbating your problem cellulite. Tip #10 Avoid Smoking. Cigarette smoke reduces blood vessel flow within your body. When blood vessel flow is reduced, collagen formation is weakened and disrupted. This results in connective tissue becoming stretched, which allows underlying fat to show through your skin in a dimply form – cellulite.

Top 10 Beaches in Southern California to Show Off That Bikini Body

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 21:43:33 +0000

Everyone who’s anyone works hard at getting their body into summer tip top shape if they live near the California coast. These are the 10 best beaches to show off all of that hard work. [caption id="attachment_439" align="aligncenter" width="2500"] www.tripadvisor.com[/caption] Laguna Beach. Despite the occasional tendency for strong tides, Laguna Beach is one of the most well-known and popular beaches, largely due to its calm, clean water and warm, clean sands. It’s located in Orange County and is one of the most fashionable cities in the area. The rich cultural ambiance often fosters a relaxed, chill atmosphere, perfect for taking strolls or naps, or joining a volleyball match. The beach area is narrow and has a backdrop of hills and dips, so come prepared to hike if you are exploring the town. Laguna Beach was originally an artists’ colony, and even today, art is one of the big draws. Many of the large buildings have ocean murals, and every summer they host the Pageant of the Arts where the best-known of the Masters’ paintings are re-created using people. If you’re there for the beach during the day, the art is worth checking out in the evenings. [caption id="attachment_440" align="aligncenter" width="586"] www.latimes.com[/caption] Coronado. Not only is Coronado known for the beautiful Hotel Del Coronado, but it’s also known for its glittering waters and luxurious Coronado Central Beach. The beach spans behind the glamorous houses of Ocean Boulevard for 1.5 miles. It’s a popular destination for anyone interested in swimming, boogie boarding, body surfing, or even building a sand sculpture. In addition, the sand and sea of Coronado can be seen filled with whale watchers from December through February each year. Northern Coronado’s Dog Beach allows dogs to run free in the surf with their owners. [caption id="attachment_441" align="aligncenter" width="800"] 45surf.com[/caption] El Matador Beach. Ah, El Matador Beach . . . the perfect escape for anyone looking to get away from the chaos of busy city living. Located on one of Malibu’s most beautiful stretches of white sandy beaches, El Matador Beach is a mecca for relaxation. Whether you decide to enjoy it with a picnic or on a blanket near the water with your nose stuck in a book, El Matador Beach is sure to have a little slice of heaven for everyone who decides to visit this Malibu gem. [caption id="attachment_443" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] www.secondfocus.com[/caption] Venice Beach. If you’re looking for a traditional beach with white sand and surfing, Venice Beach isn’t the beach for you. Why? Because Venice Beach is so much more than a traditional beach! In fact, it resembles more of a circus than anything. Located on a 3/4-mile stretch, Venice Beach actually HAS a 3-ring street circus and is a hot spot for a diverse group of people, including artists, weightlifters, philosophers, and more. This unique beach has something for everyone, including a boardwalk riddled with flea markets, restaurants, and little shops. [caption id="attachment_444" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] 10856372, USA, United States of America, Californi[/caption] Santa Monica. Santa Monica is known for it’s famous Santa Monica Pier. Why? Because it’s a little amusement park right next to the water. Who wouldn’t want to spend a day at a place like that? With a historic boardwalk filled with amusement park rides and other attractions like fair food, little shops, and an aquarium, no one will get bored visiting Santa Monica. Walk, bike, or skate the pier and enjoy the sun, sand, and people you’ll find there. [caption id="attachment_445" align="aligncenter" width="568"] www.destination360.com[/caption] Newport Beach. Newport Beach has been a popular destination for beachgoers for years, but they’re not the only ones in love with Newport Beach. With a glamorous harbor filled with luxurious yachts and million dollar bungalows dotting the coastline, this beach is also a popular destination for the wealthy. But, again, they’re not the only ones enjoying the beauty of this beach. With its shopping district, alluring sandy beach, and busy piers, Newport Beach has something for everyone, including surfers, sunbathers, and those going on family picnics. [caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] traveldreamscapes.blogspot.com[/caption] Hermosa Beach. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, Hermosa Beach is the beach for you. It’s well known for its selection of outdoor beach activities — volleyball, sunbathing, surfing, and swimming — all take place on a stretch of 1.5-mile sand. Hermosa Beach also plays host to its famous boardwalk, known as the Strand. It is often frequented by joggers, bikers, and the casual walker milling about between numerous restaurants and bars that dot the Strand. If you are lucky or well-connected, you can stay in one of the many homes that face the ocean with their back door or patio area opening on the Strand. [caption id="attachment_451" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] www.flickr.com[/caption] La Jolla Cove. One of California’s hidden gems is protected by the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. La Jolla Cove is a favorite destination for scuba divers and snorkelers, thanks to the crystal clear waters and up to 30 feet of visibility beneath the surface. Even though it’s one of the smaller beaches, it’s also one of the most beautiful. Surrounded by breathtaking sandstone cliffs, La Jolla Cove is THE most photographed beach in Southern California. [caption id="attachment_452" align="aligncenter" width="700"] www.catalina-tickets.com[/caption] Catalina Island. Catalina Island is a hub for outdoor activities and your typical beach attractions. The difference between Catalina Island and other beaches is that it’s an island! It’s located 22 miles from Southern California’s coast, and visitors to this popular destination feel like they’re on their own little private island getaway. Enjoy activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and numerous paths available for hiking during the day. Then, check out the window-shopping, art, and restaurants in the evening. There’s no shortage of fun at Catalina Island. It even plays host to grazing buffalo! Getting there is easy, just catch one of the scheduled boat rides over. [caption id="attachment_453" align="aligncenter" width="550"] www.tripadvisor.com[/caption] Crystal Cove State Park. Crystal Cove State Park is a water lover’s dream. Stretching nearly 3.5 miles, it’s a more secluded beach than most, making it an ideal, quiet escape for those looking for a break from busier parts of town. The park is well-known for its tide pools and coves, and the 23 miles of steep, rocky trails strewn about the park are perfect for biking, hiking, or horseback riding. The park is still primarily in its natural state and a bit on the wild side which makes it a unique place to be among most SoCal beaches. So there you have it — the 10 best beaches in Southern California to visit and show off that bikini body you’ve been working so hard to create. Go have some fun!

7 Reasons Why You Should Try Pole Dancing Fitness

natalie — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 22:07:59 +0000

Bored with your regular workout routine? Not feeling challenged enough? Maybe it’s time to try out a pole dancing fitness class. It will really leave your muscles burning and quickly tone up your upper body, improving your flexibility. The best thing about pole dancing fitness? It’s fun! Check out these seven reasons why you should ditch your old workout routine and try pole dancing fitness! Lose Weight. Everyone wants to lose weight and would prefer a routine that doesn’t take years until you see results. That’s why pole dancing fitness is so great. In one workout alone, it can burn over 400 calories! The best part about it is that it’s fun — much more fun than slaving away on the treadmill for weeks just to lose one pound. Tone Your Muscles. Losing weight is only one benefit you’ll see when you try out pole dancing fitness. You will also see a huge difference in your muscles. After only a couple classes, your muscles will tone up, transforming you into a more physically fit, lean, mean, dancing machine. It’s Empowering. One of the leading reasons why pole dancing fitness is growing in popularity is because it’s empowering. It’s a workout that caters specifically to women, and it empowers them to embrace a workout that some view as sexual. Pole dancing isn’t just for strippers anymore. It’s a fun workout empowering women to overcome challenges and tackle self-confidence barriers. Who wouldn’t want that from a workout routine? Female Bonding. It’s no secret that women feel more comfortable working out with other women. That’s another reason pole dancing fitness is so great — because you will be surrounded by other women. Not only giving you a chance to try out something new and get in shape, but you also make new friends along the way. Its Multiple Exercises in One. Pole dancing blends multiple workouts into one, which is why it’s such a great full body workout. It combines endurance, strength training, and flexibility training in a way that class goers feel like they’re doing yoga, Pilates, TRX, and Physique 57 all at once — in 5-inch heels no less! It’s a unique workout targeting every part of the body in only 1 hour. It’s Challenging. While fun, pole dancing fitness is challenging. But don’t let that scare you. After all, the best thing about trying new, challenging things is they’re often the most rewarding experiences. Having the willpower and determination to try out pole dancing fitness also helps boost your self-esteem and confidence, bringing us to our next point . . . Improved Self Confidence. Because pole dancing fitness helps you lose weight and tone up, it’s no wonder many women leave class feeling more confident about themselves. It helps improve body image. When you feel more confident about yourself and your body image your new confidence has a tendency to spread out and touch other aspects of your life. So you likely will see improvement in relationships and more confidence in the workplace. Don’t be shy. Now’s the time to take a step out of your comfort zone. Try pole dancing fitness to become a better, more improved and empowered you.

7 Top Reasons to Workout With Your Partner

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:08:22 +0000

Working out takes dedication and motivation. Often, it may seem much more tempting to lounge on the couch and watch reruns of your favorite sitcoms while gorging on little cheesecake bites. So why not spice things up a bit and begin working out with your significant other? In doing so, you can motivate and encourage each other to meet the other’s goals and spend some quality time together. Besides, chances are you’re apart from each other a lot during the week because of work and other commitments that keep you away in different places. Why not turn working out into a time you can reconnect and bond? Check out these top seven reasons why you might want to seriously consider working out with your partner: Quality time [caption id="attachment_593" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.ebony.com[/caption] One of the best ways to decompress from the workday is to hit up the gym. Spend some quality time together catching up on your work days and complaining about co-workers and bosses while doing a hill workout on the elliptical, or between reps of bicep curls. And you don’t have to confine your workouts to the gym. Taking a power walk through your neighborhood will get the blood pumping just as effectively. You spend enough time away from each other during the day as it is, why would you want to work out apart as well? Shared interest [caption id="attachment_597" align="alignleft" width="150"] blogs.extension.iastate.edu[/caption] If you both workout separately, it’s probably a shared interest. Incorporate this into your relationship by adding it to the list of shared interests and hobbies that you can do together as a family. Whether it’s biking, running, hiking, weight training, what have you, it’s always great when couples share interests because you’ll be happier and have a more fulfilling relationship. Support and motivation [caption id="attachment_589" align="alignleft" width="150"] fittipdaily.com[/caption] There’s no one in the world that will support you and can motivate you as well as your partner does. Your partner wants to see you succeed in your goals, and will push you to keep going along the way. Chances are, you both have your own workout goals - whether it’s weight loss, training for an upcoming marathon, strength training competition or something else. A healthy dose of competition won’t hurt either. Things like competing to see who can log more steps in a day or who can bike the most miles in a week will help push you and your partner towards achieving your health and fitness goals. By working out together, you can motivate each other and cheer each other on as you each reach your goal. It’s fun to have someone to celebrate successes with. A deeper connection [caption id="attachment_592" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.sodahead.com[/caption] It’s no secret that exercising releases endorphins in your brain making you feel happier and less stressed. But did you know that it also increases the libido and evokes intimate feelings? This is great for relationships! Who would have thought that working out together could actually have a positive impact on the more intimate side of your relationship? In fact, studies show that couples who regularly exercise together have a better, healthier sex life than couples who don’t work out together. Just something to consider… Respect [caption id="attachment_599" align="alignleft" width="150"] wide-wallpapers.net[/caption] Taking care of yourself shows that you respect yourself and want to be the best and healthiest person you can be. It also shows your partner you respect them enough to take care of yourself. If you work out together, that respect goes both ways, resulting in a happier and more fulfilling relationship. Balance Often, women who work out alone favor cardio workouts, while men who workout alone tend to favor strength training. Both kinds of exercise have benefits, and when couples work together, both get a more balanced workout that includes both cardio and strength training. You might even learn — and like — workouts you wouldn’t otherwise consider trying before working out with your partner. Safety. [caption id="attachment_600" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.gettyimages.com[/caption] Strength training, running, biking, hiking…there are many different workouts out there that are safer when you have a workout buddy. Who better to watch your back than the one who cares about you most? So there you have it. A nice list of reasons why you should consider dragging your partner along with you on your next workout. You are apart too often during the workweek. Turn workouts into a time to catch up on gossip, bond, and try new things.

Winners Never Quit: How to Make Good Habits

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:38:59 +0000

Whether you’ve met your weight loss goals or are still working on them, it’s important to develop good habits and routines to help you along the way. After all, you don’t want to be one of those people who work hard and finally reach your goals, only to quit working and inevitably fall back into back habits. You might be surprised to find that most people who start a workout regime quit within six months! So what’s the secret behind those who do manage to stick to working out for the long haul, meeting their health and fitness goals year after year? It’s simple — they make a habit out of working out and staying fit. That’s the secret. And here’s how you can make fitness a habit for you… Be consistent. When trying to establish a meaningful workout regime, consistency is key. You can’t workout once or twice a week and expect to get model thin, let alone reach your health and fitness goals. Consistency is the most important component of a successful workout routine. Whether it’s training for a half marathon or strength training, you need consistency with your workouts. This could be as simple as working out every other day, or doing a session of yoga every morning before work. The sooner you incorporate working out as a regular component of your day-to-day life, the easier it’ll be to make working out a habit. A good rule of thumb is that once you start a workout regime, don’t go more than three days without working out again. If you let too much time go between working out, you will have a hard time building endurance and muscle mass. And it will be extremely difficult to consider working out as a habit rather than an inconvenient task you need to pencil into your day. Hold yourself accountable. It’s easier to quit something when no one is holding you accountable. It’s easy to push workouts off with mental promises to yourself that you’ll get to it later. We all know how this goes. It’s Saturday morning, and you decide to skip your morning run in favor of sleep, but tell yourself that you’ll run later. You won’t, but you tell yourself that you will so you’ll feel better about choosing to sleep instead. [caption id="attachment_572" align="aligncenter" width="275"] en.wikipedia.org[/caption] If you want to develop a good workout habit, you’ll have to put an end to bad habits like this and hold yourself accountable. You can do this by paying to run in a half marathon to motivate you into training consistently so that you don’t end up wasting that money. Get a personal trainer or a workout buddy. You will be more apt to work out if you have something or someone that you don’t want to disappoint or let down. Establish a routine. This cannot be stressed enough. Good habits are easy to establish if you stick to a regular routine. Plan out your day — or even week — in advance. Decide on whether you’re going to do morning workouts, lunch workouts, or evening workouts. Will you workout every day, or every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? These are important things to consider when you’re working on hashing out a routine. Without planning out a routine schedule for your fitness goals, it’ll be easy to skip a workout, and even easier for your workouts to get lost in day-to-day events. Pencil in your workouts and commit to them just as you would a staff meeting or a lunch date. Keep your eye on the prize. Don’t allow yourself to get bored or distracted. If you find yourself getting tired of a workout, change it up and try something new. Are your workouts getting too easy? Challenge yourself with a new activity. Incorporate some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in with your strength training or jogging regime. Try adding a day or two of weight training into your schedule if you typically do more cardio, and vice versa. Try a fun workout class, like Zumba or yoga. After all, it’ll be hard to stay motivated and interested in your workouts if you’re doing the same thing all year long. Don’t be afraid of trying new things, just be careful to do activities on your own fitness level. Avoid activities too challenging and advanced, so you don’t hurt yourself. [caption id="attachment_576" align="aligncenter" width="300"] www.zumba.com[/caption] Watch your form. One component of developing a healthy fitness habit many people overlook is form. Making sure you have good form, no matter what type of activity you’re doing, is important to ensure so you’re getting the most out of your workout and will also helps you avoid injuries. This is especially true of activities like yoga, pilates, kickboxing, etc. If you don’t take the time to learn proper form and technique, you’ll just end up wasting time instead of seeing progress in your fitness goals. Jot down some goals. Set long-term and short-term goals for yourself, and keep them realistic and specific. Simply telling yourself you want to lose weight isn’t good enough. How much do you want to lose? What’s your target weight? Set goals that you can measure and celebrate when you reach those goals. It’s much easier to stay motivated if you have a realistic, measurable goal to work towards. [caption id="attachment_575" align="aligncenter" width="300"] fashionfitnessfood.com[/caption] There you have it — a list of important steps you can take to establish a good habit of working out so you can reach your health and fitness goals. What are you waiting for? Get on your feet and start burning those calories!

Strategies For Keeping the Family Active

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:19:38 +0000

Obesity has become a problem of epidemic proportions in America today. Childhood obesity is an issue that has spawned initiative after initiative on the Federal and State government levels. We keep looking for the motivation to better fitness outside ourselves, and especially outside the family. But if our children are going to develop healthy active lifestyles, they need examples to which they can more easily relate. The motivation should come from within the structure of the family. Here are five simple strategies to help keep your family active, and in motion. Best of all, they are easy to implement. Strategy #1: Plan Outdoor Activities This first strategy will not only promote a heart healthy lifestyle, but it will also be a catalyst for greater family unity. Set aside one day each weekend for a family outdoor activity. For example, in the spring, schedule a Saturday morning family bike outing. When summer rolls around, make swimming and other water sports a regular on your schedule. The fall’s beauty lends itself to nature hikes, while the winter months could be filled with skating, sledding, or skiing as exciting weekend family endeavors. Any outing can be made more special by packing a heart healthy picnic lunch to share at some point during the outing. There may be some pouting and resistance from the kids at first because they’re missing their favorite Saturday morning cartoons. But make it a regular occurrence on your weekend calendar and soon everyone will be looking forward to these events! Strategy #2: Take Classes Together [caption id="attachment_583" align="alignleft" width="144"] www.villasport.com[/caption] Another great way to promote an active family lifestyle is by checking at your local fitness club, YMCA, or community center for fitness classes you can take with your kids. There are many yoga or Pilates classes designed for mom and daughter. Dad, take junior to father and son exercise programs. Kids not old enough to take part? No problem, there are classes that incorporate using little ones as part of parent’s activities. Get the little one’s involved early and as they grow older staying active will be the norm! Strategy #3: Redo The Family Room or “Man Cave” [caption id="attachment_584" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.eatingbirdfood.com[/caption] Most family rooms, and without a doubt Dad’s man cave, are designed for relaxing. That’s right, the focus of these areas of the home is laziness. Big screens, video game consoles, big plush couches and chairs dominate the decor. You can subtly change this dynamic with a few simple adjustments. First, try scheduling family TV time. Reduce the overall time allotted, and at least a couple nights a week, let an exercise show be part of the viewing fare. Keep a basket with items like dumbbells, exercise bands, jump ropes, and an exercise mat in plain view and encourage everyone to make use of them during commercials. If video games are a big attraction, try a Nintendo Wii. They have dozens of titles that require and encourage mom, dad, and the kids to “get jiggy with it!” Strategy #4: Rock & Roll Housekeeping [caption id="attachment_585" align="alignleft" width="150"] fremontartscouncil.org[/caption] This next strategy might be a little edgy for some, but instead of doling out chores individually, try scheduling them for the entire family to do together. Crank up the stereo and play some danceable tunes while you turn laundry, dusting, sweeping, etc. into dancersize! Outdoor chores are made for this. Get the whole family involved in mowing the grass, trimming hedges, and weeding flower beds and family gardens. Time your household cleaning and keep track of the family times, and then week by week try to set new records! Change chores to championships and you will get more cooperation from Dad and the young ones! Strategy #5: Meal Makeovers [caption id="attachment_586" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.vimofit.com[/caption] Redoing the family menu is not an especially kinetic activity you say? Well, it is an accepted fact among nutritionists and family psychologists that families that eat together are healthier mentally and emotionally. Carry that a step further by making your meals more heart healthy. Get the kids involved by letting them pick their favorite fruits and vegetables when you go grocery shopping. Make your protein portions smaller and leaner. How about trying a new fruit or vegetable dish each week? This will bring diversity to the menu and continue to encourage healthy food choices. Discourage second helpings by scheduling a family “dog walk” after the evening meal. You can still go for a walk if you don’t have a pooch! Add some roller skates and/or jump ropes to make it fun for the kids. Finally, make your snacks healthier-- popcorn without a lot of butter, celery with peanut butter, carrot sticks, fresh fruits and unprocessed nuts. Healthy eating promotes more active lifestyles. Give it a try and you’ll see! These five strategies are not the only ones out there but give one or all of them a try, and soon your family’s overall fitness level should begin to soar! The more activities your family does together will help your overall togetherness, as well as mental, and emotional stability. With a little planning, it can go a long way towards raising happy, fit, and healthy kids. Government initiatives are okay, but the best initiatives are the ones you, mom and dad, start in your own family!

Best Advice to Get Your Body Back After Baby

natalie — Sat, 15 Aug 2015 04:17:58 +0000

We see it time and time again in grocery store check-out lines - tabloid and magazine covers showing beautiful pictures of celebrities who have seemingly bounced right back to their glowing, airbrushed selves shortly after having a baby. You glance down at your squishy, 3-month postpartum belly and wonder how celebrities do it! Well, here is some of the best advice out there for new moms to consider when trying to get their body back after the birth of a child. Patience. Let’s be realistic. It took nine months to make your baby, it’s going to take some time to lose the baby weight. Realistically, it can take just as long, if not longer, to get back to your pre-baby weight. The best thing you can do is cut yourself some slack and be patient. Stay motivated by joining a fun workout class, like Zumba or yoga, and reward yourself for small weight loss victories. Lose five pounds, splurge on a cute new top. Lose another five, splurge on a new pair of jeans that DON’T have an elastic waistband. You’re much more likely to reach your goal if you have fun with it and don’t allow yourself to obsess or get depressed. Stay positive! You’ll get there! Breastfeed [caption id="attachment_554" align="alignleft" width="150"] welladjusted.co[/caption] Not only does breastfeeding come equipped with a slew of nutritional benefits for your sweet little babe, but it does wonders in the weight loss department too. Each time you breastfeed, it helps your uterus contract and shrink — effectively shrinking your belly along with it. As a bonus, it allows you to eat an extra 300 or so calories a day! Beware though, breastfeeding isn’t license to splurge on that extra donut no one wanted at the staff meeting. If you’re working towards losing weight, you’ll want to make smart food choices. Which brings us to our next important tidbit of advice… Eat right [caption id="attachment_555" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.fitrxbrentwood.com[/caption] It’s understandable that you want your body back. You’ve been a saint and should be applauded for offering it up to grow a life inside of you for the past nine months. However, one of the last things you should be doing as a new mom is dieting. Especially if you’re breastfeeding, your body needs a healthy amount of nutritious food — meaning regular meals. You’re also going to need a lot of energy to keep up with all of the needs and demands of your baby and all of those 12 am, 2 am, 4 am, and 6 am feedings. Dieting may leave you tired and groggy as well as feeling depleted. Instead, opt for healthy meals with lean proteins and a lot of fruits and veggies. Eating right will go a long way in getting you on track for losing weight. Stay hydrated [caption id="attachment_556" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.popsugar.com[/caption] This cannot be stressed enough. If you want to lose that belly and get your body back, chug that water. Not only is it important to stay hydrated, especially if you’re breastfeeding, but drinking plenty of water will also help speed up your metabolism. It also helps keep your belly feeling full, so you won’t eat as much during the day. An easy way to make sure you’re getting enough water every day is to make sure there’s always a water bottle on hand. Keep one on your nightstand, at your work desk, near the nursery rocking chair, and anywhere else you spend a lot of your time. If it’s on hand, you’ll most likely begin drinking it without even thinking about it! Cardio [caption id="attachment_557" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.pregnancyandbaby.com[/caption] Getting your body back is going to take some work on your part, there’s no getting around that. The easiest way to lose weight is to burn calories, and one of the easiest ways to burn calories is to incorporate some cardio into your daily routine. Walking, jogging, walking/jogging while pushing a stroller or hopping on an elliptical at the gym. There are many ways you can incorporate cardio into your day. And as long as you’re getting your heart-rate up, you’ll be burning calories in no time! Crunches [caption id="attachment_559" align="alignleft" width="150"] currentincarmel.com[/caption] There are right and wrong kinds of crunches for postpartum women. Doing the wrong kind can result in long-term problems. Remember, your body has been through a lot, and many women experience a condition known as diastasis recti, a separation of abdominal muscles. Traditional crunches won’t fix this. Instead, focus on strengthening your Transverse Abdominus, a muscle deep beneath your skin that acts as your body’s natural girdle. There are numerous tutorials out there on the Internet and YouTube that help you target this abdominal area, and it’ll be much more effective than any number of crunches ever will be. Establish a routine [caption id="attachment_562" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.everything-email.com[/caption] Whether it’s squeezing in a power walk in between nap times or waking up a half hour earlier to get a quick workout in before you head for the office, it’s important to establish a routine. Find what works for you and your baby, and stick with it. On average, it takes about 21 days to form a new habit. Make that your goal when trying to establish a new routine. Before you know it, it’s become second nature. Enlist help It took two to make your baby. You’re not in this alone. And let’s face it, you’re going to have a harder time getting your body back if you’re on baby duty 24/7. Enlist some help from your significant other, and don’t forget your family, and friends so you can get a longer workout in a few nights a week or make a healthier meal. Cut yourself some slack. You don’t have to be Supermom all of the time. Sleep…yes, it is possible [caption id="attachment_560" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.peacefulsleepsolutions.com[/caption] Ask any mom and most will tell you that they’re sleep deprived to some extent. Unfortunately, sleep is a key component to losing weight, so it’s no wonder some new moms struggle with this aspect. Failing to get a sufficient amount of sleep each night results in a slower metabolism and really dampens any motivation to exercise. So sleep when the baby sleeps and enlist help from your significant other. Take turns with night feedings, or have your partner take the baby for a couple hours on the weekend so you can get an uninterrupted nap. As a new mom, every bit of sleep you can squeeze in will help with your weight loss goals. Stay positive and make healthy lifestyle decisions. You’re not on this journey alone, and with a little motivation and discipline, you’ll have your body back in no time!

Tips for Eating Healthy On Vacation

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:23:32 +0000

It’s finally here, that special trip with the family or that special someone. A chance to put life on hold for a week or two. Yes, the chance to suspend the everyday humdrum, no cooking, no cleaning, no counting the calories. Really? We have a tendency when we travel to forget that, just because we put everything on pause, too much is still too much! Of course, we want to enjoy that special time away, and we don’t want to, nor should we, deprive ourselves of the native cuisine. So here are a few tips allowing you to continue a healthy lifestyle and enjoy your meals without the guilt or the Monday morning after bathroom scale surprise. Tip #1: Resist the Urge to Splurge As mentioned above we like to put life on hold when we take that special vacation trip. One of the first things we let go of is our diet. After all, we can increase the reps at the gym when we get home, right? Wrong! Resist the urge to splurge. You stopped eating that big bowl of vanilla Swiss almond ice cream right before bedtime at home. It should be no different when you are on the road. If you are going to have that ice cream, have it during the day while you are out seeing the sights. Another thing we do is treat eating out as a treat. This leads to the self-talk that says, “Well I deserve it.” Remember most of us eat a meal out at least once a day. So even on vacation keep it in check and keep in mind there is nothing special about that meal in the hotel restaurant. Tip #2: Trim the Plate When you go to that special destination, you can maintain your proper nutrition intake by controlling your portion sizes. To help you stay trim - trim your plate! Just because it is on the plate does not mean you have to eat it. Renowned television chef and restaurateur, Bobby Flay said that no matter where he has a meal he leaves a third of it on the plate. If you feel that’s wasteful, try asking your server to cut your serving in half, or perhaps share an entree with your travel companion. Tip #3: Have it Your Way When traveling, do not be afraid to order what you like from the menu, but ask the server to adjust your plate to help you maintain your healthy eating habits. If you’re having a delicious piece of fish, but it has a rich sauce that is full of excess fat, ask for the sauce on the side or none at all. Having a burger for lunch? Pass on the cheese and the mayo. Make adjustments that serve you. Restaurant owners and chefs are far more willing to adapt to your preferences than you think, so you can have it your way in more places than Burger King! Tip #4: Immerse Yourself In the Surroundings & Sample the Local Cuisine Why do we go on vacation? To see and enjoy different places and vistas. Well enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and yes, tastes of that city you have always wanted to visit. Keep in mind that the optimal word is ‘tastes.’ Feast on the scenery and the ambiance of your vacation spot and sample the cuisine. If you do it that way, you will get to taste more of the native fare. Tip #5: Stay On Your Feet A good way to keep it light and healthy is by staying on your feet. That’s right. Do as much of your sightseeing as possible while walking. Find the special areas and attractions and take them in on leisurely strolls. By walking more when you do eat you’ll burn up those extra calories and who knows, you may find that special souvenir while on your sightseeing hike! Tip #6: Plan Your Treats Who can go to Disney World, Six Flags, or The Mall of America and completely resist the numerous special sweet treats that are everywhere? Hey, you are on vacation, you are not expected to. Try this, before you go to that thrill seeker’s paradise Find out the signature treats at your destination, and make a plan to have just one per day. This way you’ll enjoy that special confection without overindulging. Tip #7: Water, Water, Everywhere - Make Sure There Is Plenty To Drink Vacation time is the perfect time for everyone in the family to get their recommended daily servings of water. Make sure there are plenty of bottles of cold water in your hotel room, vehicle, and in your travel bag when you are out and about. Water is a great way to stay comfortable and stave off hunger pangs. Tip #8: Make Healthy Menu Choices Make healthy choices when ordering from the menu. Easier said than done for most of us, because most healthy choices are not as appealing as the big, juicy, decadent specialties on most menus. Okay, I get it, but at least view the healthy fare. Again, the food industry is aware of what the health trends are just like you, and they are building menus with healthier offerings that are delicious as well. So when you see one that you like, order up. You might just be surprised at how appetizing that portion of the menu really is. Tip #9: Veggie Tales What do we mean by veggie tales? Simply make more of your eating out meals heavier in fresh vegetables and fruits. Look for dishes that feature vegetables that can be substituted for proteins. Instead of sugar-filled cakes and pies for dessert, look for naturally sweet desserts that feature fruit. Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, and apples -- more and more dessert items in fine dining spots are featuring fresh fruit centered delicacies that are high on taste and much lower in calories. During your travels, make sure you get five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Tip #10: Eat to Live - Don’t Live to Eat Our final tip is simple, do not make your meals the focal point of your trip. That’s tough in places like New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, just to name a few. These destinations are notable for either the uniqueness or the variety of the restaurant choices available to the tourist population. Be smart, pick those places that tantalize your palate, but eat when you’re hungry and push away from the table when you are comfortable. It is easy to get into the “we just have to try…” mode! If you allow your talk to turn in that direction, your vacation can morph into an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives” pretty quick! Keep in mind during your travels that you came to enjoy new places, historic sights, unusual events, and the other members of your party, whether they are family or friends. If you hold onto this one simple thought, your eating experience can become an extension of your trip and not a foreign feast. Enjoy the pause in the routine and stay on the highway to health and fitness, even on vacation.

6 Simple Tips to Fall In Love With Exercise

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 05:11:20 +0000

Exercise … is there a 4-year old voice inside your head on the verge of throwing a fit … well, that’s because you’ve spent most of your life since you were four thinking exercise is work, no fun, uncomfortable, or just plain miserable. It doesn’t have to be any of those things. When you were a kid, you begged to be able to go to the swimming pool. Running bases for kickball in the street, or shooting some hoops was a blast and what you hated was being forced to stop so you could do homework or something else. Yes, it’s time to make movement fun again, and we’re here to show you how to fall in love with it all over again, just like you were when you were a kid. First, start thinking movement and not “exercise.” [caption id="attachment_502" align="aligncenter" width="400"] victorywithadvocare.com[/caption]

Make it fun. Yep, that’s what we said, fun! Think about what you did when you were younger that you loved doing that included movement. It might have been dance classes, swimming, or tennis. It could also be going for long walks with friends where you could talk about everything under the sun, especially someone you particularly liked, or what you hoped was going to be for dinner that night. When you were doing those things, you never thought of it as “exercise.” You just thought of it as fun. So start your plan by including at least one fun form of movement. If you loved roller or ice skating, or biking – find a place to do that. If you can do it in a fun atmosphere, and not a gym, even better. Just make sure it is fun and you remind yourself, even if you get sore muscles for a while, this is what you have always loved doing.
Eat enough to fuel the workouts. The old way of thinking has been proven wrong. If one of your goals is to lose weight as well as get healthy and fit, make sure you are not cutting your calorie intake too low. Women need a bare minimum of 1200 calories a day and men 1500. But it isn’t just about the numbers. Start eating more fresh and whole foods. Cut back on the junk and processed foods and ingredients. But you don’t have to do that all at once. If you have three or four foods you know are harming you, even though you love the taste, set up a plan to cut back on one at a time. Shift from five servings a week to two, or only allow yourself to eat fast foods on Fridays. Don’t try to change everything all at once. That is stressful and won’t be fun. When it’s not fun, and instead is really hard, you are going to eventually stop doing it. So incorporate changes slowly and allow for occasional times when you can enjoy the foods that love and enjoy when celebrating or have a bit of comfort attached to them inside your head. [caption id="attachment_503" align="aligncenter" width="350"] runningintoshape.com[/caption]
Lock away the scales. Whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight, this change is really about increasing your health for the long-term. And if you have the scales right there next to where you brush your teeth every morning, it’s going to be tempting to step on them and check your progress. Ideally, you should weigh yourself every 4-8 weeks. Yes, that’s what we said. 4-8 WEEKS. If you are used to jumping on that scale a couple of times a day, this might be a difficult transition. So one of the easiest ways to approach this is to lock the scales away somewhere. Mark your calendar for the days you are going to weigh yourself and stick to the schedule. On the days you weigh, plan for a celebration moment, no matter what number shows on the scale.

Our bodies are in constant flux, and depending on how much or little weight you want to gain or lose, sometimes it just takes a bit longer to see a difference. Since that is true, on your weigh-in days, also take measurements, and at least three full-body photos. One from the front - one from the back - and one from the side. Your weight may stay the same, but your inches may change, and you might see a difference in the pictures from one time to the next. Now you’ve done those things, celebrate. Wear your favorite outfit, get your nails done, call a friend and enjoy a long conversation.

Set stepping-stone goals and rewards for when you reach them. When you start this life adventure, set some long-term goals and then split them up into mini goals. If you want to run a 5K in three months, then you need to decide how far you want to be able to run after one month, and two months. Then you’ll want to break that down further. How long and far do you want to run by the end of the first week – and so on. Now figure out rewards for reaching the goals. Get a new workout t-shirt, or crazy fun socks you can wear when you are out running. If you have long hair, find some fun ways to contain your hair while you are on your runs. Make the rewards related to the goal in some way and they will reinforce your dedication, desire, and the fun you are having. [caption id="attachment_504" align="aligncenter" width="300"] www.naturalprocess.com[/caption]
Do it with friends or your partner. Make your activity social. Find a workout buddy, or a few other ladies in the neighborhood that want to go walking together every day. Schedule time on tennis courts with an instructor or friend. Sign up for a couples exercise class with your partner. Look for activities that will help you become healthier, and if those activities aren’t going to seem so fun, then add some fun people to the mix instead. Plan to have everyone bring their favorite portable fruit. At the end, find somewhere you can all enjoy scenery and maybe some fresh air. Then extend the social side of the activity for an extra 15-30 minutes catching up with each other.
Don’t overreach. It can be really easy when you first start a healthier lifestyle plan to go a bit crazy about it. You feel gung-ho and so you sign up for four different types of classes, totally change your diet, and spend hours a day at least five days a week exercising. That may seem like you are being dedicated. Usually, though it means within a few weeks you start thinking just how much time and energy this is all taking and now you have no time to live your life. All your time and energy is going to work, health, and sleep. That’s not what you want to do. Ease into things, start slow and allow yourself time to adjust to one or two changes at a time. NEVER spend more than 60 minutes a day doing your exercises. The benefits drastically decrease after about 45-60 minutes and the risks of injury or overuse of muscles are amplified. Plan for 4-5 days of dedicated exercise – fun movement – each week, and on the other days either rest and recover or move without it being anything other than a way to enjoy life. Go for a stroll and stop to enjoy the sounds of nature often. That’s what you should be planning for in the beginning and long-term as well.

Stop thinking of it as exercising and start thinking of it as movement. Movement that’s extending your active years. Movement that’s keeping your health care expenditures down for later years. Movement that’s expressing life, passion, joy, time with people you love, and doing all the things you love to do alone or with others. If you are looking for a few more ideas on how to fall in love with “movement,” check out 7-tips-to-fall-in-love-with-exercise.

Introduction to Meditation and 8 Mudras

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 20:16:00 +0000

Who doesn’t need a little Zen in life? In this fast paced, always needing more, over-stimulated world who wouldn’t benefit from some meditation moments. This may just be that balance you need. In yoga, Mudras are hand gestures, and there are two kinds. One is touching the tips of various fingers with the thumb or lightly pressing down on the joint closest to the tip of a finger with the thumb. These touches are intended to affect different parts of the body, depending on which finger is touched. If you want more details about mudras-hand-gestures, then click the link. You can believe in the power of Mudras, knowing that acupressure and acupuncture have a solid base in medical treatments for most. Or, if you don’t believe that, just look at them as a way to add beauty, elegance, and grace to your yoga routine and think of it this way, when you feel beautiful, you feel physically good. Here are the eight hand positions used in yoga.

Gyan. [caption id="attachment_527" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.spiritvoyage.com[/caption] The air is the first of the five elements of the body. It governs the creative process, mental health, and the intellect. It is also associated with Anahata, the fourth Chakra. This Mudra increases the element of air in your body. This gesture is like making an okay sign, you touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger and leave the rest of your hand open with fingers extended. It enhances your memory and cognitive processing. It also helps you stay focused and alert while boosting creativity enthusiasm, and forward thinking. You can do it any time.

Vaayu. [caption id="attachment_529" align="alignleft" width="150"] alternative-healing-for-you.blogspot.com[/caption] This gesture helps you be calm. It looks like a squished okay sign. You bend your index finger down toward the base of your thumb and then lay your thumb over the top joint of your index finger. It helps balance your nervous system and any over-activity with your hormones. It is also good when you are feeling anxious or troubled. Where the Gyan mudra increases air in your body, the Vaayu decreases air. It also can be used at any time.

Aakash. [caption id="attachment_535" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.naturopathysendhwa.com[/caption] This represents the second element – space (or ether). It is a more subtle element and makes it possible for a person to resonate with the cosmos or universe. Space is associated with the fifth Chakra (Visuddha). The hand movement is to touch the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the thumb with the rest of the hand open. Its purpose is to increase the element of space inside the body, and assists detoxification of metabolic waste. The Aakash eases your thoughts from negative emotions such as fear, sorrow, and anger. It also is claimed to help those who suffer from congestive issues after a meal – in the ears, chest, head or sinuses. It can be done anytime, but is best when performed between 2-6 am/pm, and should not be done for more than 30 minutes a day, especially if you are an of agile-athletic build.
Shunya. This decreases the space element in the body. To perform this Mudras, bend the middle finger down toward the base of the thumb and let the thumb press lightly down on the first joint. It is used to relieve ear problems such as pain of the inner ear, tinnitus, and impaired hearing. It also helps if you have nausea or travel sickness – both often related to the inner ear fluids. If you are feeling extreme numbness in the head or chest areas, this is the Mudras to use for relief. It can be used anytime, but should only be used when dealing with the problems mentioned here.
Prithvi. With this gesture, you start dealing with the element of earth. The earth element works with bones, tissues, and the functions of the nose, primarily your ability to smell. This gesture also deals with the element of fire, which controls metabolism, growth, glands, and the temperature of the body. The hand gesture is made by touching the tip of the ring finger to the tip of the thumb. This mudra is for strength. It increases the earth element (1st Chakra – Muladhara) while decreasing the fire element (3rd Chakra – Manipura). This gesture boosts the healing process with new tissue growth and building muscle. It also helps when you are tired, have brittle bones, hair, nails, and dry skin by improving vitality, endurance, and strength. So this is excellent if you have an overactive thyroid and have trouble maintaining weight. You can do it anytime.
Surya. [caption id="attachment_539" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.tumblr.com[/caption] This one increases the fire element and decreases the earth element. The hand gesture is made by bending the ring finger toward the palm and pressing down lightly with the tip of the thumb on top of the first joint of the finger. This helps if your regular body temperature is low, or if you are cold enough that you are shivering. Surya is helpful if you have an underactive thyroid, gain weight easily, have constipation, indigestion or reduced appetite. It also helps your body start to sweat and if you have vision problems. You can do it anytime, but keep it to less than 30 minutes at a stretch, or your body may start to overheat.
Varun. [caption id="attachment_540" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.4remedy.com[/caption] The fifth and final element of the body is water and is represented in the 7th and 8th Mudras. The water element impacts joints, tissues, skin, tongue, and taste. Water makes up 70% of the human body, so these are important gestures. Water is the 2nd Chakra – Swadhisthana. This hand gesture is done by touching the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb. Varun increases the water element in the body and is useful when you have painful joints, arthritis, and problems tasting things. If you have muscle cramps from dehydration or hormones, this is the one to use. It is also helpful for dry hair, eyes, skin, eczema, and problems with the digestive system, including indigestion, constipation, mouth and throat issues. You can practice it anytime but if you have water retention issues, don’t use it.
Jal Shaamak. [caption id="attachment_541" align="alignleft" width="150"] bluebirdbliss.co.uk[/caption] The final gesture is for stability. This decreases the water element in your body. The hand gesture is made by bending the pinkie finger toward the palm and pressing down lightly with the tip of the thumb covering the top of the first joint of the finger. The rest of the hand is open with the fingers extended. It is helpful if you have sweaty palms, runny nose, watering eyes, or excessive salivation. It also helps ease edema (swelling) and water retention. You can use it anytime.

Meditation. Meditation is not one of the Mudras, but combined with the hand gestures can help you find peace and clarity. It also can lead you to answers you’ve been seeking and better self-awareness. There are seven different yoga positions for meditation. These are Lotus pose, Half Lotus pose, Accomplished/Perfect pose, Thunderbolt pose, Ankle Lock pose, Easy pose, and Burmese pose. But if you don’t want a particular pose, get comfortable, wear non-binding clothing, then sit with your arms to the side and legs slightly open. Now close your eyes, breathe deep and let you mind be free. Don’t try to force your thoughts in any direction. If you have trouble with that, chant inside your head as you do what you chant – “breathe in … breathe out … breathe in … breathe out.” Keep chanting it until your mind lets go of everything you have been stressing about or planning and just let it take you wherever it goes. There you have it, simple and easy information about Mudras and meditation. Try these for a few weeks and decide for yourself how much good it can do for you.

12 Great Ways to Add Extra Movement to Your Day

natalie — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 20:07:25 +0000

No matter who you are or how busy your days seem, there are always ways to sneak in some extra movement. You don’t necessarily have to set aside an hour block of time to do that. Just get creative while doing many of the things you already do. We came up with 12 times when you can add movement to your day and some types of movement we think are a good fit for those moments. Most of the times when you can add movement were inspired as we read 11-sneaky-ways-to-move-every-day. But we tried to get original with some of the possible movements you can sneak in at those times.

[caption id="attachment_548" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.queenofpaws.com[/caption] Add a bonus workout when you walk the dog. If you have a dog, there is going to be some frequent walking. Don’t aim for really short walks, your dog also needs some freedom to move and explore often. Remember though that dogs tend to “see” with their noses, so many times they want to smell everything. If that is the case with your dog, it doesn’t mean you have to stop moving. You could continue to walk in a confined area, do some deep knee bends, or even do some air punches.
Whenever you are waiting in line, do calf raises. Oh, the many places we wait in lines, grocery stores, shopping, buying tickets at the movie theater, DMV, and a host of other places. Waiting in lines provides the perfect opportunity for leg work, body twists from the waist, even modified stretches over the top of your head or across your body. If nothing else, you’ll be providing a break in the monotony all the others in line are facing. And quite possibly, you’ll inspire others to start doing some stretches, calf raises, or other moves they think to do.
Use commercial breaks for bursts of movement. Depending if you watch network or cable channels, and what time of day or night you are watching, commercial breaks could last anywhere from 3-8 minutes. Every commercial provides a chance to get up and move. You won’t be missing any action or plot. So, jog to the bathroom and back, or do walking lunges all the way to the kitchen and fill your water glass. You could even stay in your seat and do a variety of air punches, jabs, crosses, and hooks. [caption id="attachment_493" align="alignleft" width="150"] foodal.com[/caption]
Dance around the kitchen while you wait for the microwave or other item cooking on the stovetop for a few minutes. Who doesn’t love to dance? If your spouse is nearby, do a couple of laps of the living room, kitchen, and dining room with a waltz. You’ll enjoy a little couple closeness, and both you will add extra steps in your day. If your kids are there, teach them the funky chicken and laugh yourselves silly while building a lasting memory. And if you are alone, do whatever dance moves you like. Hum a tune, and move to the beat. The humming can tell you how your breath control is improving during movement.
Parking. Go an extra floor or two higher when using a parking garage and do the stairs – coming and going. You can also park at the far end of a parking lot when you go shopping or when you arrive at work. When you go out to dinner, take a taxi, but have them drop you off a block away from your destination. Or if your vehicle permits, offer to be the shuttle service for fellow employees or other people attending an event. You can drop them at the front door and then find a place to park a reasonable distance away.
Do walking lunges while you are on a phone call. You will probably want to do this with your office door closed, or when you are alone. If you are concerned about doing lunges, then instead pace quickly around your office while talking on the phone. Bluetooth technology makes this so much easier to do. Another possibility is to walk but raise your knees as high as possible with every step.
[caption id="attachment_546" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.arkansashighways.com[/caption] Take public transportation to work one or two days a week. Get off a stop before the closest one to your office and add those extra steps. Just plan for those couple of extra minutes it takes to walk the distance. You don’t have to do that both to and from, but if you have the time, why not? Whether you are standing or sitting, work a muscle that doesn’t always get used. Sitting – try some thigh squeezes, holding your inner thighs together and keeping tension on the muscles. Or press the small of your back against the seat back and pull your shoulders back while tightening that area on the sides of your back just below the armpits. If you are standing, tense all the muscles in your body and hold them tight for as long as you can. The tension will work the muscles in ways you might accomplish through bending, squatting or calf raising. [caption id="attachment_522" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.healthysmileswenatchee.com[/caption]
Do wall squats when you brush your teeth or hair. Or just do regular squats if you don’t have a wall close to the sink that will work. If you have knee problems, you can still do these, just keep your balance with one hand on the ledge of the sink and squat just part of the way down. If you don’t want to do a lot of up and down, do just one extended squat. You will feel the burn quickly if you go a quarter of the way into a squat and hold it for a minute or more. Several areas of your legs will let you know that you are getting a good burn working those muscles.
[caption id="attachment_543" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.joyfulfeetsblog.com[/caption] At your child’s soccer game or T-ball, walk the length of the field several times. You will get a better view of the action because you’ll be closer to it. As long as you don’t act like one of those crazy parents, no one will care. If you drop your child off for music or dance lessons, don’t just sit in your car or the practice room. Get up and move around. If the building has stairs, Climb several flights of stairs a couple of times. The lesson time will fly by, and you’ll feel rejuvenated. You could even take a book on tape with you and do triple duty.
Suck in your lower abs and hold them in for 60 seconds. Whenever you first sit down, no matter where it is, your desk at the office, your favorite easy chair to watch television, the dinner table, or the waiting room somewhere. Suck in your gut and hold it in as tightly as you can for at least 60 seconds. That works those muscles the same as if you do several crunches, and most people won’t even know you are doing it.
[caption id="attachment_545" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.joyfulfeetsblog.com[/caption] Set an alarm at the office for every 90-120 minutes. When it sounds, get up and move for at least five minutes. Head for the restrooms one flight up or down from where you are and use the stairs. Walk to the water cooler or fountain that is farthest from your office. If you got to the vending machine, then make sure you contemplate all the choices while squatting progressively lower to see all the options and then doing calf raises to check out the ones at higher levels. Now, remember the good you just did with that movement and weigh it against whether or not you really want that item in the machine.
At every stop light you hit when you are driving, do Kegels. Kegels build strength in your pelvic muscles. If you are unsure what to do, hold the same muscles tight that you would if you have hold it until you can get to the bathroom. Work the muscles for both elimination options. For these, you can hold some, and some you want to tighten and immediately release, repeating that process 5 or 10 times in quick succession. And guys – these are beneficial to you as well, so start doing them. If you crunch your back side muscles, your butt will tighten and have less sag over time.

So those are just some possibilities. Hopefully, having read our suggestions, you will think of some additional ideas that can work even better for you and your schedule. When you get more movement into your day, the oxygen levels in your blood increase, and that helps you think clearer, feel more alert, and have more energy. And you can get all of those benefits just by adding in a few of the suggestions above on a regular basis.

5 Minute Long Lean Legs

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 01:49:03 +0000

Who doesn't love a quick workout? This is a great video that is sure to get you long lean legs. If you have the time, then do it a couple rounds.

Men's Top Running Shoes in 2015

natalie — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 01:56:27 +0000

Whether you are a seasoned runner or a rookie runner buying new running shoes can be a process. This video is a great break down of the men's top running shoes in 2015. So check this video out and make your purchasing process easier.

5 Ways A Morning Run Will Change Your Life

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 02:07:58 +0000

Are you seeking direction in life? Are you stumbling, and need motivation? Maybe you just started running. This video is not only running motivation, but also change for your life. Check out the 5 ways a morning run will change your life.

57 Year Old Man Sets New Guinness World Record in Planking

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 03:57:20 +0000

It is crazy what the human body can do. Check out George Hood, a 57 year old man as he broke the Guinness world record in planking. George planked for over 5 hours. This is a testament at just how far you can push your body.

This Girl Can

natalie — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 19:36:45 +0000

This is an inspiring 90 second video that celebrates woman in all shapes and sizes. It empowers woman to break down barriers because girls can.

77 Year Old Body Builder

natalie — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:44:05 +0000

Say what? That's right Ernestine Shepherd, is a 77 year old body builder. Check this video out showing that you are never to old to start your fitness journey. This woman proves that hard work and dedication at any age is limitless.

High Intensity Interval Training Video

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 01:34:17 +0000

Check out this HIIT video from the Love Your Body Series. It will get your heart pumping and your body moving. There is no better way to start or end your day. So push play.

Inspiring Before and After Weight Loss Transformation

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 01:52:26 +0000

There is something to be said for drive, commitment, and dedication. Watch this short video as a young girl, Samantha, starts a fitness and health journey. She transforms her herself to a better healthier person. The motivation is fierce and her results are remarkable.

12 Meal Prep Ideas That Are Both Genius and Functional

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:08:24 +0000

Life is hectic and sometimes you just don’t have the time to stop and fix something healthy and then clean up afterward – let alone actually consume what you made. Well, we totally understand, our lives are busy too. So we went looking for some answers. And we found some great ideas to share with you. These ideas allow you to do all the prep, making, baking, clean up, freezing, and portioning at one time – when you have the time to do it. Then you have lots of options to grab and go in your cupboards, fridge, and freezer. Here are 12 ideas we want to share with you.

Do you love a smoothie? [caption id="attachment_624" align="alignleft" width="150"] 1000pizzadoughs.typepad.com[/caption] Check out this idea. Get all the fixings for your favorite smoothies ready in bulk! Then make up a couple of batches and pour the drink into a muffin tin – no liners. Place the pan flat in the freezer and leave it there for several hours until they are frozen solid. Remove them from the tin and put 2-3 of them in separate plastic bags. Make only enough smoothies to fill the muffin tins you have available for freezing. The next time you want to enjoy a smoothie, grab your pre-measured bag and throw the muffin-shaped smoothie cups into the blender. You’ll have a nice cold drink quickly, without all the mess and cleanup. One and done.
Keep lots of clear single-serving sized containers and resealable plastic bags handy. [caption id="attachment_623" align="alignleft" width="150"] 1000pizzadoughs.typepad.com[/caption] What’s great about buying in bulk – it is usually a lot less expensive. When you buy single serving sizes, it is so much more costly. But when you buy bulk, it can be easy to overeat, especially on snack items. Here’s the trick to saving money and having single servings. Buy in bulk and immediately distribute that item into single-portion clear containers or plastic baggies. An added tip is to make it as difficult as possible to get to the ones that may trigger you to eat other less healthy foods. You know which foods fall into that category for you right? When you have them all portioned out, it is easier to stick with just one serving. It is also easy to grab a bag to take with you when you are in a hurry and know you’ll be rushing about for several hours.
Do you eat a lot of the same baked protein (maybe chicken)? [caption id="attachment_625" align="alignleft" width="150"] dailyburn.com[/caption] Hold onto your hat for this idea. Get out your 9x13 baking pan and start with a length of foil at least 2½ times the length of the pan. Start the foil at one end of the pan and about one-third the length of the pan, build a foil wall. You might want to add a piece of cardboard in between the layers of foil, or just several layers of foil. Then go another one-third distance and repeat. Lay the remaining foil down covering the rest of the pan. Now you have three compartments that you can cook chicken with different flavors, spices, or sauces. You won’t feel guilty for not making full use of the oven when it is on because doing all of the chicken in one option gets boring. Instead, you can bake three options – or two if you want to split the pan in just two compartments. This saves time, your sanity and gives you lots of choices for the week. You can enjoy part of each and pop the rest into the freezer in individual sized packets that you can microwave later.
Make up a quadruple batch of protein ball cookies. [caption id="attachment_626" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.thecattylife.com[/caption] There are lots of recipes for these out there, you can find a good one at the link listed below. When you make them, go ahead and prepare a bunch of them. They are easy, they just need a bit of mixing to incorporate all the ingredients and roll them into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball or a bit smaller. After that, freeze them while they are separated and on a pan. Once they have been in the freezer for several hours, take them off the pan and place them n a freezer bag (or several of them). They are small, so they thaw quickly, but because they have just the right amount of moisture, they can also be a really satisfying frozen sweet treat. You’ll love having a bunch handy for yourself and your family. Once you get the basic concept for the recipe, you can play with it and add in or delete a variety of foods for different flavor combos. You might even make the basic recipe and then separate it into 3 or 4 batches with each batch having different added ingredients.
Prep lots of veggies right after you buy them. [caption id="attachment_627" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.thecattylife.com[/caption] Use a spiralizer tool or chop up your veggies and put them in sealed bags (remove as much air as possible) or plastic containers. Uncooked and chopped squashes such as zucchini and butternut squash can last in your fridge for 3-5 days. Other hearty veggies like carrots, peppers, onions, turnips, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. will last up to a week. These will work great to add to your dinner entrees or as side dishes. Of course, they can also be enjoyed in salads and for snacking.

Another thing you can do is pre-cook some base veggies like onions, celery, mushrooms and freeze them in freezer bags. If you do them in small portions and lay them in thin layers, then they will be easy to grab. You can immediately throw them into your pan when you are making meat sauces, soups, stews, and the added oomph of flavor in casseroles.

Roast veggies. [caption id="attachment_628" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.tablefortwoblog.com[/caption] Yep, these too can be done in bulk. Some veggies that work great together are sweet potatoes, winter squashes, onions, beets, carrots, turnips, and cauliflower. Cut them all into similar sizes and toss them in a bowl with seasoning and some olive oil or melted coconut oil. Spread them in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Bake them at 350˚ until they are tender. But if you want to go one better – after these are in the oven, prep some asparagus, snap peas, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, and green beans. Use that same bowl to get these coated and place on a pan, then place them in the oven. These won’t take as long to cook. You can divvy up your vegetables into separate servings for a few meals during the week and freeze some too so you can reheat quickly. Try these additional steps. Prepare brown rice or quinoa while the veggies are roasting. Also, pull out some previously cooked protein servings. Now, make your own frozen dinners. You’ll have the starch, the protein and lots of veggies for each meal Add a bit of fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice to brighten and moisten the flavors and you’ll feel pampered with every meal.
Don’t have time for all the veggie prep. [caption id="attachment_629" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.fruitcentermarketplace.com[/caption] It might cost you a bit more, but buy a large veggie tray and then just bag up the various veggies for snacking. They probably won’t be cut small for easy cooking, but they will be easy for grab and go snacks. If you want to make the grab and go even more delicious, pour a tablespoon or two of your favorite healthy dipping sauce or hummus in the bottom of a pint or quart-sized Mason jar with a lid. Add veggies to fill the jar enough, so the veggies remain standing, and you have veggies and dip to go. If you want some multigrain crackers to go with it, put some in snack-sized plastic baggies. Then grab that with your veggies and dip and you’ll have plenty to keep you going while you run errands, attend meetings, and then pick up the kids after school.
Another great muffin tin idea. [caption id="attachment_630" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.alaskafromscratch.com[/caption] Did you know you can get “hard boiled” eggs by baking them? That’s right. Put one egg in each spot in a muffin tin – allowing you to hard boil 12 or more eggs at a time. No water is needed. Place your filled muffin tin in the oven at 350˚ and bake for 30 minutes. When they are done immediately put them all in a bowl of iced water for 10 minutes to stop them from cooking further. Place them in the fridge for on-the-go snacking or adding an extra protein boost to salads or other meals.
Healthy meals in a jar. You can do salads in a Mason jar. Just put your dressing on the bottom, then the veggies that aren’t going to get soggy – like peppers, radishes, cauliflower or broccoli, add any other veggies you want in your salad and at the top is where you put the lettuce. If you make several at a time, put a folded square of paper towel on top of the lettuce, and it will help keep your veggies crunchy. Salad is not your only option. Try a burrito bowl or a skinny teriyaki bowl in a Mason jar as well. Be creative! Experiment with some of your favorite entrees to, see if they will work in a mason jar for enjoyment while you are on the run.
Have a freezer meal prep party. [caption id="attachment_632" align="alignleft" width="150"] http://goo.gl/Pwdw5y[/caption] Check out some freezer meal possibilities on sites like Pinterest and adjust as needed to meet your healthy lifestyle requirements. Print some recipes out and talk with some of your friends and neighbors to see who might be interested in gathering to make meals together. Each of you can take a recipe and prepare enough so everyone can take one home. If you have 10 people doing it, then everyone will walk away with 10 different freezer meals. Make sure that everyone gets copies of the recipes and instructions, so they will know what is in the meals and how to make more if they want. Do that every 60-90 days with new menu options each meeting. By year’s end, everyone will get to enjoy a wide variety of dinner options.
Buy fruits and berries in season. [caption id="attachment_633" align="alignleft" width="120"] www.wellrecipeblogs.com[/caption] If you have fruit orchards nearby, check for roadside fruit stands selling freshly picked items, often at better prices than the local grocery store! Now, you can do the canning trick which is good, but takes a lot of time and energy, but give this a try. Rinse and soak berries and whole fruits in a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar – soak for 5 minutes. This rinses away much of the bacteria that can be harmful as well as spoil the fruit faster. Now freeze (and cut if needed) the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and do the same with cut fruit. Put what you want to be mixed together in the same freezer bag or keep each separate. You’ll be able to enjoy fruit all year long in a variety of different ways. Blueberries and grapes are great to just pop right into your mouth from the freezer. Other berries and fruits are great in smoothies or mixed with 0% fat Greek yogurt – add some raw honey or a packet of Stevia, mix well and you’ll have a healthy frozen yogurt treat.
Make a batch of breakfast bars. [caption id="attachment_636" align="alignleft" width="150"] chemicalfreelife.tumblr.com[/caption] Or make two as long as you’re doing it. There are some great recipes using oatmeal, quinoa, or even protein powder to make breakfast cookie bars that are wholesome and filling. They are also a breeze to grab and go right from the freezer if you’ve frozen them in individual portions. They will thaw out quickly and you’ll be good to go before the hour is over. One such recipe can be found at quinoa-breakfast-bars. Check the internet for more and as long as you keep to the basic batter, you can choose the items that you want to add. This way you’ll get the little bursts of flavor you want most when you are munching away on your cookie.

Many of our ideas were inspired by this article at Dailyburn. If you have a favorite time and energy saving tip for food prep, please tell us about it in the comments section.

Best Ab Workouts For a Flat Stomach and Six Pack Abs

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 05:34:54 +0000

Working out can be a great experience with tremendous rewards. Much of what we love most are those exercises that will rip and strengthen the abs, however. Here, you will find a list of the best ab workouts that provide results, burns fat, and sculpt your body the way you want.

Ab Workouts: Arms High Partial Sit-up

[caption id="attachment_276" align="alignnone" width="427"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

This is a great core workout. Just find your typical sit-up position. Now reach toward the sky with your arm and keep them there. From there, you continue your basic sit-up as arms remain in an upward reach.

Ab Workouts: Barbell Rollout

[caption id="attachment_277" align="alignnone" width="594"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

For many, equipment options can be few and far in between. By taking the barbell, you already have, you can use it as a rollout to work out those abs. Simply get on your knees and roll your upper body forward and back while reaching out to grasp your barbell.

Ab Workouts: Russian Twist

For your upper body and torso, these ab workouts will get you lean and strong. Take one weight off your barbell and hold the weighted end with both hands. The weightless end should be on the ground and used as a pivot point to put resistance on your torso as you also pivot.

Ab Workouts: Exercise Ball Crunch

[caption id="attachment_281" align="alignnone" width="483"] gymowl.com[/caption]

We all love our stability balls, but not all of us use them. By sitting on yours, you can then get into a sit-up position and increase the impact of your ab workouts because having to balance on the ball while doing your sit-up forces you to increase your ab muscle stability strength. This is a great way to get fit. It's also a great way exercise for getting rid of lower back pain by building up the muscles in your core.

Ab Workouts: The Dip Raise Combo

Here is a killer ab workout that requires some coordination. When you have two horizontal beams for gripping, you can hold your body up with arms straight in a typical pull up formation. Dip down from there and then swing your legs forward and upward as your arms raise you toward the beams.

Ab Workouts: Flutter Kicks

[caption id="attachment_282" align="alignnone" width="600"] getlooose.com[/caption]

Most people would say that flutter kicks are a pain. They are. Lay on your back; raise your heels roughly six inches and then create a scissor-like motion while keeping your legs above the ground. We’re trying to get you tight abs here.

Ab Workouts: Frontal Squats

[caption id="attachment_283" align="alignnone" width="1200"] squatgirl.com[/caption]

You’ll either love or hate this ab exercise. Squats will work the core like nothing else. Just be sure to keep your back straight and squat down to a 90-degree bend in your knees. Keep your bent knees slightly behind where your toes are to get the maximum results.

Ab Workouts: Cable Woodchop

[caption id="attachment_284" align="aligncenter" width="420"] www.mensfitness.co.uk[/caption]

There are many techniques to apply when using cables to workout your core. By standing erect, you can then hold cable harnesses out before you then twist your upper body in the opposite direction. If you keep the picture of chopping wood to the of where you are standing, that’s the motion you want. You’ll be targeting the obliques and inner core with every move.

Ab Workouts: Leg Raise

[caption id="attachment_371" align="alignnone" width="600"] fitdadchris.com[/caption] As long as you have furniture, you’ll be able to do these great core workoutss. Just lie on your back, grab hold of something like a bench when it’s situated above your head, and from there, slowly raise and lower your legs while keeping together. The more you can do without bringing your legs back to the ground, the bigger will be the impact on your muscles.

Ab Workouts: Russian Twist with a Medicine Ball

[caption id="attachment_285" align="aligncenter" width="500"] http://www.womenshealthonline.com.br/printwhlist?nid=150291[/caption]

Believe it or not, these are not just for boxers. This is an ab exercise sure to rip up that abdominal. From a seated position with your legs out in front of you, hold a medicine ball outward and twist from side to side.

Ab Workouts: Mountain Climbers with Medicine Ball

[caption id="attachment_286" align="alignnone" width="594"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

Now take your standard alternation of legs with mountain climbers and place your hands instead on a medicine ball. This move increases the impact as you are forced to not only do the mountain climbers, but to hold your body in balance on that tricky medicine ball.

Ab Workouts: Plank

[caption id="attachment_372" align="alignnone" width="555"] http://lovemyyoga.com/plank-pose.html[/caption]

The plank is a standard ab exercise that provides great results for the inner core. Simply assume a pushup position but with your elbows on the ground. Hold for up to 15 seconds at a time or more. Keep the line from your shoulders to your knees (or feet) as straight as possible.

Ab Workouts: Plank to Superman

[caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="225"] http://greatist.com/move/plank-variations-for-core-strength[/caption]

Here’s another ab exercise that requires some coordination. With your average stability ball, you can assume the plank position with arms stretched to the floor. From here, you’ll then bring your legs to you without bending them. This is while the stability ball rolls with your legs. Repeat and enjoy.

Ab Workouts: Pull to Knee Raise

[caption id="attachment_669" align="aligncenter" width="594"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

By taking a typical pull-up and then raising your knees toward your chin, you enhance a common exercise and invigorate your abs.

Ab Workouts: Push-up Rocket

[caption id="attachment_375" align="aligncenter" width="415"] www.menshealth.com[/caption]

These are push-ups with a bit of an explosion involved. Once you are down within a push-up rep, simply explode upward so your body and arms elevate above the ground surface.

Ab Workouts: Reverse Resistance Crunch

[caption id="attachment_668" align="aligncenter" width="493"] www.mightyfighter.com[/caption]

This is a standard exercise that you know. What you can do to enhance it is add a resistance band attached to your feet’s arc while holding the loose end in your hands. Now you can have resistance when returning to your starting position in a crunch rep.

Ab Workouts: Seated Knee Tuck with Medicine Ball

[caption id="attachment_661" align="alignnone" width="594"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

When you find a bench to work from, be sure to sit perpendicularly on it. Place a medicine ball between your ankles and then stretch your legs out. From here, simply lift your legs while bending your knees to the chest, bring them down and repeat.

Ab Workouts: Side Plank

[caption id="attachment_662" align="aligncenter" width="620"] www.mensfitness.co.uk[/caption]

A side plank works all necessary muscles for a great six pack. Use the same method with your elbows for plank, but use only one to remain in position on either your left or right side.

Ab Workouts: Sit-up and Throw

[caption id="attachment_663" align="aligncenter" width="594"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption]

Do a routine sit-up but with a medicine ball. When you reach your knees, simply throw the ball to a wall or partner. Catch the ball on the return so that you can have it when you recline back down.

Ab Workouts: Suitcase Deadlift

[caption id="attachment_664" align="aligncenter" width="850"] www.bodybuilding.com[/caption]

This is like a normal deadlift. The difference is that you keep the barbell by one side: either the left or right. From there, bend at the hips and use one arm to grip the barbell and then lift using legs to raise you.

Sculpting a Flat Stomach and Chiseling Killer Six Pack Abs

These are great ab exercises and core workouts for women who want a flat stomach and men who want killer six pack abs. But it's important to remember that ab workouts cannot specifically target the fat around your midsection to get rid of belly fat. "Spot Reduction" is a widely publicized fallacy in the fitness community. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to lose body fat all together. While these ab workouts cannot target belly fat specifically, these strength training routines are better than cardio oftentimes for burning fat and losing weight. So, if you’ve been looking for a jammed pack way for tightening your abs, then be sure to try these great ab workouts. With proper diet and regular exercise, these ab workouts will get results.

Extreme Weight Loss: Amazing Before and After Pictures

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:43:08 +0000

Courage is contagious, and when someone triumphs over body and mind to transform themselves, it inspires all those around them. Of the many extreme weight loss transformations, the editors of SHAPE Army share the top 3 most incredible, inspiring body and life transformations.

Extreme Weight Loss Transformations: Wendy Mills

[caption id="attachment_609" align="aligncenter" width="620"] http://www.oxygenmag.com/content/content/8506/Wendy-Mills.jpg[/caption] Wendy Mills. At 46 years old, Wendy knew that 50 was not far away, and so she set a goal to be the healthiest and fittest she had ever been by the time she reached her 50th birthday. She started her quest weighing 225 pounds and was 5’5”. Her day job is as a Chartered Accountant in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. Her weight loss goal starting out was to lose about 100 pounds. Knowing that such an extreme weight loss goal would take some time, she started slowly, setting small goals. And it was working great. By giving up a few of processed and junk/fast foods and walking more she lost 55 pounds. More than halfway there, but then she got stuck at 170 pounds.

Overcoming the Plateaus that Threaten Weight Loss Goals

It seems that every success story involving extreme weight loss includes the discouraging set back of fitness plateaus. These plateaus occur when your body stops responding to your diet and exercise efforts. But if Wendy Mills can teach us anything, it is to not give up, rather switch it up. You’ve adjusted to the changes you have made, so in some ways overcoming a fitness plateau is like starting a new plan with new rules and new changes. But Wendy did not give up or in. She was scared – yes, but she decided to sign up with a personal trainer and add weight training to her fitness routine. Over the following months, her goals shifted and started to become more fitness and strength related than about just losing the weight.

Investing in a Home Gym

She made the investment in some equipment for her home, weights, medicine balls, a bench, and resistance bands. Most of those are relatively inexpensive so you could probably duplicate the equipment she chose for your home without it busting your budget. Just buy one or two items with each paycheck for a few months and you’ll have a good selection. Having the equipment in her home meant she could do easy reps at home and increase the good results. By age 48 she had reached her extreme weight loss goal weighing 124 – 101 pounds less than where she began. She is now setting her sights to remain just as fit at 60 and beyond. Her motivation is still strong.

3 Tips for Extreme Weight Loss Success

Wendy suggests three ways to help you stay the course.

Find someone who will hold you accountable, maybe a workout partner.
Keep a record of your choices and progress along the way.
Set monthly goals and resist the urge to weight or measure yourself more than once or twice a month.

Extreme Weight Loss Transformations: Denise Fields

[caption id="attachment_611" align="aligncenter" width="620"] http://www.oxygenmag.com/content/content/8506/Denise-Fields.jpg[/caption] Denise Fields. Denise is 31 and 5’3”. She is an Attorney and lives in Kansas City Missouri. She started at 200 pounds, and her size 14 clothes were getting too tight for her to comfortably wear them anymore. Shrinking wardrobe can be a great motivator sometimes. She set a goal to lose 70 pounds and in the process “purge the pudge.”

Changing Your Diet for Extreme Weight Loss

The first thing she did was look at her diet deciding what to change and how to make her eating selections healthier. Before the purge, she would have mocha for breakfast thinking that was a clean choice. That ended, as well as most of her meals coming from restaurants of one kind or another. Instead, she started eating six small meals a day and bought spices and marinades to try as she began to do most of her cooking and meal prep from home. Turns out she loved the healthy foods she made much more than the restaurant options she had been eating.

Get Moving: Discovering the Right Workout for Your Weight Loss Goals

Next, she mastered the ability to eliminate excuses from her life. Which for Denise, meant any excuse for not getting movement into her days. Even when she had a crazy busy schedule, she made sure she was getting three strength-training and five cardio sessions every week. She experimented with different workouts until she found one she absolutely loved, running. Once she found that, exercise became so much easier because it is now fun and not work. She dropped 50 of the 70 pounds she wanted to lose in less than a year and then the plateau hit. Related Article: Learn How to Start Running with a 5K training Plan. > >

The Best Diet and Exercise Programs for Extreme Weight Loss

She went on the offensive by getting tighter with her eating, measuring more precisely, and cutting back on foods that might cause problems. She also began drinking more water daily, and in her strength training sessions, she focused on just two muscle groups per session. Then she added Tabata to her training – it is a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. She knew stopping at that point meant failure in reaching her 70-pound weight loss goal, so she pushed forward. And in another five months she hit that goal. She went from 40% body fat to 22% and is now enjoying her size 6 outfits.

Tips on How to Lose Weight and Transform Your Life

Denise offers some advice on how to overcome exercise plateaus for those who have similar extreme weight loss goals.

Change up the type of cardio workout you do about every four weeks. One effective way to overcome exercise plateaus is to switch up your routine with high intensity interval training.
If you are running or walking as a big part of your exercise routine, look for a variety of courses you can follow, different terrains, and also change the pace.
Every once in a while, sprint for a part of your route.
And finally, change the distances. That will keep the experience fresh and challenging.

Extreme Weight Loss Transformation Jenna Dunham

[caption id="attachment_613" align="aligncenter" width="620"] http://www.oxygenmag.com/content/content/8506/Denise-Fields.jpg[/caption] Jenna Dunham. At 36 and 5’4, Jenna weighed 203 pounds. She is a stay-at-home mom living in Florence, Kentucky. One of her favorite songs to do a cardio workout to is “Copacabana” by Barry Manilow. After giving birth the third time, Jenny was feeling frumpy and discouraged. But when she decided to change that, what she spurred herself on with was telling herself, “I can do anything for one minute.” She started on a treadmill, then added some weight training, and then upped her game to sprints and advanced strength-training. Want a Flat Stomach and Ripped Six Pack Abs like Jenna's after her extreme weight loss transformation? Check out these great ab workouts from SHAPE Army.

It's About Health and Fitness, Not Extreme Weight Loss

For Jenna it wasn’t just about extreme weight loss, it was about becoming fit. Her goal was to transform her body and life by adopting a Healthy Living Lifestyle. Her extreme weight loss was just a result of her ultimate goal towards fitness. Within six months, she was down 70 pounds and had moved from 31% body fat to 17%. She stuck to a clean diet and added Pilates, and she also found a soul-mate workout with circuit training. She keeps the largest pair of pants she ever owned (XL maternity ones) to help her remember how much she has accomplished. She’s a happier mom now and knows she has the tools and understanding to give a fit and healthy lifestyle gift to her three children as well.

Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Jenna bounced back from three pregnancies, and she did it like a champ. But behind the scenes it was a lot of hard work and consistency. Losing weight after pregnancy can be very difficult, but Jenna has some advice for anyone with a small or extreme weight loss goal:

She suggests you lean on your strong network of supportive friends and family for those times when you are feeling weak or vulnerable.
Change things up by trying new fitness classes and routines so you don’t get bored.
Keep a journal with your goals for each day, week, and month, as well as what you are doing. Writing everything down helps many people stay accountable to their goals.

Share Your Success Story

If you've had a great transformation in your health and fitness using diet and exercise as primary tools to do so, we would love to hear about it. It doesn't matter if your transformation is not an extreme weight loss. Even an inch, even a pound, even a simple change in mindset, is a victory worth celebrating on your journey to a healthier life. Tell us your success story in the comment section below. Where did you start, what was your goal, what made the change imperative when you started, and what are some of the tips that worked best for you? For more extreme weight loss transformations check out 10-most-inspiring-success-stories.

100 Years of Fitness in 100 Seconds

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:41:57 +0000

Check this video that showcases 100 years of woman's fit fads and movements. It is crazy how far we have come in 100 years. This makes me wonder what 100 more years will look like.

The 6 Healthiest Protein Powders to Add To Your Smoothies

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:20:32 +0000

Buying a protein powder should be easy, right? It’s protein, it’s powder, but it’s not that simple. You find the isle where they have it thinking there might be a few brands and if you’re lucky maybe even a few flavors, and then your mind is blown. Yes, it’s protein, but what kind of protein do you want? And then you notice that some of them have sugars added, and others don’t. Some have GMO-free soy, and some come from grass-fed beef. Oh my, you just came for protein powder and find yourself at the equivalent of one of those super car sales lots. Looking at the protein powder version of several makes and umpteen models, electric, hybrid, and all-gas. But wait, there’s also the diesel option. That’s what it seems like when you are shopping for protein powder – you are overwhelmed with choices. But it doesn’t have to be like that – not when you are armed with some basic information. First, there may well be a right decision, but it’s not going to be a one fits all option. So we did some research and found out about the six healthiest protein powders and what each one is best for. Let’s start. [caption id="attachment_928" align="alignleft" width="150"] Casein protein powder[/caption]

Casein protein powder. Casein is the main protein in milk, but it is not quite as efficient at muscle building as whey protein. It does, however, leave you feeling full for longer and is a great addition to either your oatmeal or morning smoothie. If you want an enhanced muscle building effect, mix it with whey protein powder in an after-workout boost drink. Look for “micellar casein” that offers the longest lasting effect. Casein also works well when you add it to a drink before going to bed at night. Choose one made with organic, grass-fed dairy or free of growth hormones. If you have it in your stores, Naked Casein is a good choice. Try this post-workout smoothie with your casein protein powder:

Banana Peanut Butter – 1 serving, inspired by banana-peanut-butter-power ½ C 0% fat Greek yogurt ½ C milk 1 banana – for an extra creamy smoothie use a frozen banana 1 T peanut butter 1 large handful of baby spinach or kale ½ t vanilla 1 scoop casein protein powder Optional – several shakes of cinnamon Blend all ingredients together until smooth and enjoy. [caption id="attachment_931" align="alignleft" width="150"] professionalwhey.com.au[/caption]

Egg white protein powder. Yep, it’s dried egg whites turned into a powder, and it digests slower than whey but faster than casein so it will keep you feeling full longer, but not as long as casein will. This is a good choice if you are allergic to dairy, but not eggs. It also fits well if you follow a Paleo eating program. The preferred choice would be those made with cage-free organic egg whites, but that can be difficult to find. So next option is not a powder, but organic pasteurized liquid egg whites. A great brand of the powder is GEO Organic Plain Egg White Protein Powder. This also works great in post workout smoothies. Try this recipe:

Cran-Beet Crusher – 1 serving, inspired by cran-beet-crusher 1 C tofu – medium ½ C fresh or frozen cranberries ½ medium beet ½ peeled cucumber or whole peeled Persian cucumber 1 celery stalk 1 C kale ½ C fresh squeezed orange juice or other citrus juice 2 t raw honey or pure maple syrup 1 scoop egg white protein powder Optional – add 1 T raw cacao nibs Blend all ingredients until smooth. [caption id="attachment_929" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.morethanmary.com[/caption]

Hemp protein powder. Hemp is not as high in protein but is a good source of fiber and amino acids. So if you mix it with pea protein or rice protein – together they become a complete protein source. This is a great choice if you aren’t looking for as much of a protein boost and more of a nutrient blast. Check the label – if it says “hemp protein” it still has most of the fiber, oils, and other nutrients. If it says “hemp protein concentrate” there is more protein, but they have stripped away more of the fibers, oils, and nutrients. Manitoba Harvest HempPro 50 or 70 are good choices. Try this recipe with hemp – since it has some other course items, the fiber in the hemp won’t be the only texture in it.

Blueberry-Banana-Almond-Kale Smoothie – 1 serving, inspired by Blueberry Almond ½ C almond milk ½ C kale – stems removed and then leaves chopped ½ frozen banana – peeled ¼ C frozen blueberries ½ T raw almond butter ½ T chia seeds 1 scoop hemp protein powder Optional – add ¼ t lemon or lime juice to make the flavors pop [caption id="attachment_933" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.expertprotein.com[/caption]

Pea protein powder. Pea protein is made from yellow peas and is the one that digests the easiest in your system. If you have a sensitive digestive system, this is the one that will probably work best for you. However, like rice protein and hemp protein, it is not a complete one, so try mixing it with one of those to get the full amino acid grouping needed. This is great for vegetarians/vegans who don’t like having too much soy in their diet. If you like the pea protein, but want one with more protein – go for “pea protein isolate.” A good brand to try, if it is available, is Swanson Organic Pea Powder Protein. Try this great smoothie recipe with your pea protein powder:

Kale Apple Smoothie – 1 serving, inspired by Kale Apple ¾ C coarsely chopped baby kale ¾ C chopped cucumber – with skin ½ C coarsely chopped Gala (or Granny Smith) apple 1 small rib celery chopped ½ C ice cubes 1 t fresh lime juice (or orange juice) ¼ t raw honey 1 scoop pea protein powder Optional – 2 T chopped raw pecans Blend all ingredients until smooth. [caption id="attachment_934" align="alignleft" width="150"] learni.st[/caption]

Soy Protein Powder. To make soy protein powder, they remove the hulls and fat from the soybeans and then dry it before grinding it into powder. It has higher levels of amino acids that may help boost your immune system, brain functions, and digestive system. It is also the most effective and complete plant-derived protein. However, if you are a woman with a history of estrogen-related cancers or other problems, or if you are a man with lower testosterone levels, you probably want to limit any soy products in your diet. If you don’t have those issues and are vegan or vegetarian, soy may be ideal for you. Like other protein powders – isolate contains more protein than the concentrated version. A good one to try if this seems like what you want is Bob’s Red Mill Premium Isolated Soy Protein Powder. A fun smoothie recipe to try with it is:

Just 5 Smoothie – 1 serving, inspired by Just 5 ½ C frozen blackberries (or blueberries) 1 scoop soy protein powder 1 C baby spinach or kale ¼ avocado ½ C unsweetened almond milk Optional – splash of fresh squeezed orange juice to brighten the berry flavors Blend all ingredients until smooth. [caption id="attachment_935" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.acneeinstein.com[/caption]

Whey protein powder. Whey protein powder is made from cow’s milk and is the best protein source of all of the powders. It is also the best for building muscles, so it’s great for post-workout as well as other times of the day. If your goal is to build muscle quickly, this is your best bet. Whey protein isolate or whey protein hydrolysate are 90% or more protein, so they have fewer carbs, less fat, and less lactose. If you want a cleaner option with a little less protein (80%), go with the concentrate. Opt for the organic grass-fed version with no trace hormones, pesticides, or grain-feed byproducts. A good brand to try is Now Foods Whey Protein Isolate. This one is great to add to your smoothies or try it with hot cereals or to replace some of the flour (in whatever form) for healthy cookies or other treats like:

Coconut Protein Balls – 32 servings (1 ball each), inspired by Coconut Balls 3 C pitted dates, chopped 4 scoops whey protein powder ¼ C cacao nibs 1 ½ C raw almonds 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder ½ C warm water 1 C unsweetened coconut flakes Optional: a pinch of ground coffee Combine the dates, almonds, coffee (if you are using it) and water in a food processor and grind. If you have small chunks still, that works well. Add the mixture along with protein powder, nibs, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Mix all with a spatula until thoroughly combined. Spread coconut on a baking sheet or other flat surface and then roll 32 balls in the coconut. Put balls in the freezer on a tray not touching each other and let them freeze. Then put them all in a freezer bag and enjoy as needed. Now a few other tips about buying your protein powder:

Whatever one you decide on, check the ingredients and make sure that protein is listed as the first item.
Check for any artificial sweeteners. Manufacturers use these to keep carbs lower, but the only one that you want to see here would be erythritol (Stevia), which is actually a natural sweetener, just not from sugar cane. Erythritol has essentially no carbs or calories and unlike artificial sweeteners, or natural sugars does not impact your blood sugar levels.
The shorter the ingredient list, the better.
If you can only buy one package, go with unflavored or vanilla to give you the most options in how you use the powder.
If you buy organic or non-GMO in other foods, look for that in your protein powder as well.

Want more information and ideas, go to best-protein-powders.

The Trainers List of the 20 Worst People at the Gym

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:26:51 +0000

You pay good money for your gym membership, so you want to be able to get the most of your workout when you arrive. If you get there about the same time everyone else is there, you are probably going to end up waiting for one or more machines, that’s to be expected. But when the gym is full like that, you should also expect people to behave with courtesy. Sometimes they will disappoint you, though. Hopefully, you haven’t picked up any of these bad behaviors. If you recognize yourself or someone you know in the following list, it’s time to make some changes.

Hoarders [caption id="attachment_943" align="alignright" width="150"] www.instagramal.com[/caption] This is by far the worst showing of what no one wants to deal with in the person ahead of them in line. The hoarder comes to the machine and stays way longer than is socially acceptable. It is bad enough when they stay too long at a station. But the worst offenders grab several pieces of equipment that they can only use one or one set of at a time, like weights and bands and a few other items. They lay them all around them and use each one for long stretches of time, but will not concede use of the other items claiming loudly and to all who will listen they are using them right now.
Mediocre super-setters A super-set is when you are alternating back and forth between two different exercises. It works great to maximize your time at the gym, but it’s going to tick a lot of muscle-bound people off when you are doing it at peak hours with a “full house.” If you are going to do this, at least make sure the two pieces of equipment you are tying up are close together. That way no one is trying to track you down to learn if a machine is still being used. Here’s the rule of thumb to follow – if the gym is busy, super-setting should not be done. If you want to show up at 3 a.m., that will probably be a good time for the luxury super-setting workout.
Just like a wrecking ball...oooh oooh Yep, you guessed it, the person singing along with the tunes playing on their earphones. And they aren’t doing it in a low whisper either. Even if you have an amazing singing voice, which let’s face it, most people just aren’t THAT good, it’s not polite. It’s distracting, and people are not there for a concert. They are there to work out. They might even be there to work out some aggression or frustration, so you singing at the top of your voice a little off-key might just get you tossed out on your ear.
Texting menace [caption id="attachment_947" align="alignright" width="150"] www.newslinq.com[/caption] This one isn’t really hurting other people. But according to recent studies, most gym goers end up wasting up to 35% of their time there texting, reading and replying to emails, and taking phone calls. They might also be checking their Twitter feed or updating their status on Facebook. Really, if you are going to waste more than one-third of your time at the gym, why not just go for a shorter workout and then leave to do all those things. To stop this flagrant misuse of your time, leave the iPhone in your gym locker, or turn it on airplane mode. Don’t look at it for anything unless it is to switch playlists for a better workout song.
Mr. (or Ms.) know it all Despite all the time you have spent in the gym and everything you may have learned, unless you are a personal trainer for that person, don’t tell them what they should do. Also, don’t tell them how they need to change their moves. Even, if it is true. If you know the person already, you can always ask if they have ever considered doing that move by …instead of how they are doing it now. That’s about as far as you should ever go. We can hear that little voice in your head, even from where we are … “but, I learned the right way, and he’s not doing it right…” Here’s the thing. A lot of moves are similar but done in different ways will work different muscles. Since you have no idea what objectives and goals that person is working on, you should just keep yourself out of that equation.
The imitator Seeing someone do a move with a certain amount of weight and thinking to yourself, “we’re about the same size, so that’s the weight I’m going to use as well.” You make that decision even though you’ve never done the move before, and you’ve only seen it from a distance and, of course, the guy doing it just before you. He may or may not be doing it correctly, and you don’t have any idea what weight he started with on his first attempt. He might have been doing that move every day for the last five years, and even he admits it’s a bit heavy for him. You step up thinking “I got this.” Instead what you got is an injury that may take weeks or even months to heal. Not a good choice.
The liability Don’t be getting too close to others when they are doing their work, this is especially true when weights are involved. You could be limiting their full-range of motion, or you could be putting yourself in the pathway to an injury. Give people the space they need and give them the stink eye if they start violating your space. Also, keep your space clear of other items. Water bottles, plates, or anything hard that could go flying and hit someone (including you) if a weight is dropped and lands on it.
The space invader This guy is a close cousin to #7 – the liability. They share some common traits. If someone is standing too close, politely ask them to give you more room. If they continue to do it, or come back and do it again – talk with a staff member. If it is an ongoing problem with that guy, it may be time for him to hit the road permanently.
Barefoot Barney Working out barefoot can be a great feeling, it can also be good for stability issues. If you have some hygiene issues with your feet, or you are one of those people whose feet are much more stinky than the average person, scrub them down with plenty of soap right before you start your workout. Alternatively, always wear your shoes and socks while at the gym. If you want to do some barefoot workouts, do those at home or outdoors in wide open spaces.
Can you spot my every move lifter? For the most part, there are only two lifting moves that require a spotter. Those would be chest press (including fly variations) and squat lifts. Don’t be that guy always asking for a spotter for every lift you do. Other people at the gym are there to work out for their goals. Sure they can and probably will be happy to help when it is a safety issue. But please don’t infringe on their time unless necessary. If you happen to be one of the rare exceptions that does need a spotter much more often, then you should hire a trainer. He can be there to assist you with every workout or bring a friend who understands that is the reason he’s there.
Spoiled Brat [caption id="attachment_949" align="alignright" width="150"] www.gentlemansgazette.com[/caption] If you use a portable piece of equipment, put it back where it belongs when you are done with it. Don’t expect someone else to come along and clean up your messes. Your maid or mother are not there to make everything right again for you. You joined the gym for a workout, just figure that part of the work you are getting done is carrying those heavy weights back to their spot. And by the way, if your mom or maid is picking up after you still – maybe it’s time to become an adult.
The Exhibitionist [caption id="attachment_950" align="alignright" width="150"] www.suggestkeyword.com[/caption] You’re at the gym, you are occasionally shifting and flailing, and lifting your legs in pull-ups to add a bit more difficulty to your routine. So please put on some underwear that will keep your stuff where it is supposed to be and out of the public eye. If you want to show off a bit, strike a pose and show us your biceps or triceps. Just don’t show us your family jewels. And ladies that goes for you too. Put on the appropriate foundation garments for a good workout. The gym is not a peep show.
Pick-up artist If you think someone at the gym is attractive, you can always make a passing comment to them when they are waiting for a machine or taking a minute to enjoy some juice. Don’t linger and certainly don’t leer. It’s not attractive, it’s downright creepy and yucky. Just like you, members of the opposite sex are there to get in a workout, not to hook up. Being friendly is fine, but staring or staying too long is just not cool. If you are certain she’s interested, try to make eye contact. If it works and they maintain eye contact for more than a glance, you might have a chance. You might mention the possibility of coffee one morning before work and see how that goes. But if she won’t make eye contact with you, you are probably freaking her out more than just a little – or she’s so uninterested in you that you aren’t even registering on her radar.
The conversationalist If you can carry on a normal conversation with a friend while you are both doing your workout, maybe treadmills, bikes or ellipticals, then you are just not working hard enough. If the workout you are doing bores you, start adding some other machines to your program. Maybe try some workouts outdoors and away from the gym some of the time. If you are feeling the need for some socializing, then arrange for time after the workout when you and your friend(s) can sit down. You might decide to enjoy a treat or sit on a park bench enjoying beautiful weather while you have a lovely chat. At the gym – do your workout!
The dropper Or the drama queen. This guy lifts weights and then drops them at the end of the lift. If you’ve done a long session of lifting to muscle failure, a slight drop may be something you just couldn’t avoid that one time. If someone is doing it at every weight station, he’s not only telling everyone “look at me.” He’s also quite possibly destroying equipment and putting your safety at risk. That drop can bend or warp the bar that holds the weights. When that happens, the weights are not as stable and could either come off the bar, or the bend could compromise how you have to hold the bar putting unnecessary stress on muscles and joints. Many gyms will fine you for dropping weights and if you see someone do it more than once you might want to inform the staff, so your safety is not compromised down the road.
Mr. Grunt You go to the gym, and there are a lot of different noises happening. There’s the whirl of the treadmills and bikes, the looping of ellipticals and stairclimbers. There’s the clank of weights being lifted in the universal gym equipment and the snatches of conversation or instruction from a trainer. And then there’s some grunting going on too. For the most part, grunting is not a bad thing, it’s an expected part of doing certain exercises properly. But then there comes a different kind of grunt, the extended grunt of an animal desperately pulling itself away from danger and toward safety and just not making it. If you’ve pushed yourself so hard that the grunts emanating from you are pitiful wounded animal sounds. It is time to stop that move. You are either on the verge of causing yourself damage, or desperately seeking someone to come along and make sure you are going to survive. Stop, move on to something where you don’t have to make that sound, please!
The sweater [caption id="attachment_951" align="alignright" width="150"] www.warped.cc[/caption] Okay, you came to the gym so you could sweat, and everybody is there for the same reason, so that isn’t the problem. The problem is when your sweat covers the equipment and you walk away without wiping it down and drying it. This person is the older brother or sister to #11 spoiled brat. When you leave your sweat behind, you are leaving behind bacteria. You are also leaving behind a hazardous situation. Wet equipment means the next person’s grip may be slippery, and that can cause them to drop equipment or even fall into equipment unexpectedly. Dude – don’t leave your sweat behind. It’s not pretty, and it’s not shine, it’s just disgusting.
The salesman. You are getting your workout on and along comes a guy or gal offering their personal (or at the gym) training services for their regular price. They are there trying to drum up business while you are there to get your workout done. Even if you are looking for a trainer, it probably isn’t the best choice to go with someone who just comes along to offer you their services. A trainer needs to fit certain criteria that will best help you move forward if that is what you decide you need. There is no way to tell that with Joe or Jill Schmoe, who drops by while you are spinning and says they have the perfect plan to get you where you want to go. Tell them you appreciate the offer but you are not interested in their services at this time. If you’ve got headphones, put them on, even if you don’t bother with the music. It’s the universal symbol for “no time to talk with you now.”
Shrugging Steve Using the squat rack when you are doing shrugs or curls, not cool. The squat rack is for those doing leg work. If you need a place for shrugs or curls, try the Smith machine. But if you are doing bicep curls – you only need a preacher bar or set of dn in the gym, well, knock yourself out.
Ms. selfie Sweaty selfies to post on your fitness page are great. But [caption id="attachment_952" align="alignright" width="150"] secondtononenutrition.com[/caption] either take one very quickly and be on your way or do it someplace where no one else wants to be. Staying at the workout station you just finished to take your selfie while there are two or more people waiting to use that machine is arrogant and inconsiderate. Move it along!

There you have it, the 20 worst gym etiquette offenders as we see them. Want to know more about these characters? Check out worst-gym-etiquette.

Eat Clean on Less Cash

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:27:47 +0000

Clean eating, or choosing foods raised, grown, and sold with the least amount of processing, is growing more popular day-by-day. We are becoming far more conscious of keeping our diets healthful and organic where possible. Many more millennials want to eat in healthier ways, but the price tag on organic product has forced them to save by selecting less expensive processed items. In research conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, it was found healthier diets added as much as $1.50 per day - slightly more than $550 annually - to food budgets. Keeping that in mind, here is a short list of 6 things you can do to keep your diet clean and lean without breaking the bank. [caption id="attachment_754" align="alignleft" width="150"] fitandfiercemama.wordpress.com[/caption] #1: Buy produce in season Buy your fruits and vegetables in season. During the harvest months for various produce, savings can be substantial because of the abundance of product. For example in the month of August you should find excellent prices on raspberries, blackberries, plums, and cantaloupe among others in the fruit area. Vegetables to shop for in late summer include beets, carrots, okra, and, of course, a big staple, tomatoes. Look for sales on all of these at your local market. Want to know what produce is in season? Many magazines and websites publish fairly comprehensive lists month-to-month, so put that search engine to work and keep your diet clean and within your budget. #2: To buy, or not to buy organic? [caption id="attachment_756" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.elephantjournal.com[/caption] Often we purchase produce that is organic when the conventionally grown alternatives present no greater health risk, and at a far better value. Corn, onions, pineapples, avocados, and cabbage are examples of produce that don’t absorb high amounts of crop chemicals. Save your pennies on these items because the organic varieties do not offer a significant health benefit relative to cost. Generate a list of fruits and vegetables that have low chemical absorption and keep it handy when making your grocery list. #3: Store brands are okay. Buying store brands at the market does not mean sacrificing quality. In fact, almost all of your market branded products are packaged by many of the same companies that roll out your name brand canned and frozen varieties. Del Monte, Hunts, and Heinz do a great business by “white labeling” many of their products. White labeling is simply the practice of selling virtually the same product to a major retailer but allowing them to put their own label on the packaging. A $.69 can of black beans with the store’s label on it can be as much as $1.00 cheaper than some brand name alternatives of the same size! [caption id="attachment_918" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.naturesalternatives.com[/caption] #4: Whenever possible, bulk up your shopping cart! There are numerous staples that, when purchased in regular sizes, send grocery bills to the moon! Things like rice, beans, nut butters, spices, and cooking oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, should be bought in bulk sizes whenever you have the opportunity. By making this a part of your shopping strategy, you keep a well-stocked pantry and spend far fewer dollars in the process! [caption id="attachment_919" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.welchs.com[/caption] #5: There’s no shame in buying frozen. Somehow frozen fruits, vegetables, and some proteins have been stereotyped as being less healthy than their fresh counterparts. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because of “flash freezing,” produce is picked, taken directly to the processing company, washed, and packaged the same day. By doing this, fruits and vegetables are not losing their nutrients by exposure to air during shipping and while in grocer’s bins. Another little tip, when you buy fresh, buy local. Making selections the same or next day beats buying produce that is two or three days old when it gets to your market because of shipping time. #6: Don’t let leftovers become waste. How you handle leftovers can help you get the most from the clean foods you build your diet around. Instead of sliding your leftovers into the refrigerator in a piece of Tupperware, use freezer bags or vacuum seal them and store them in the freezer to use for a quick meal later. A final idea to keep it clean and cost effective; when you buy items in season and larger quantities, double a recipe, and give the second half the same treatment as we suggested previously. This can be a time, as well as a cost, saver for you in the long run! Well, there you have it, six great ideas helping you control the cost of eating clean. Remember, clean eating is simply not eating anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. Although the costs of organic, clean foods are coming down little-by-little as more and more of us add them to our menus, if you aren’t careful your food costs can still strain your budget. Keeping our tips in mind can help you keep your diet clean and healthy at far more manageable costs. For greater detail on clean eating on a budget go to http://dailyburn.com/life/health/clean-eating-budget-tips/. Enjoy!

The 7 Best Stretches to Jump Start Your Day and Get a Better Body

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:30:48 +0000

Tell me you haven’t woken up on one of those lazy weekend mornings and stretched and stretched. This way and that, reaching as far as you can above your head and elongating your legs and pointed toes. It is one of those amazing feelings we have all enjoyed. It doesn’t even matter what kind of shape you are in or aren’t. Stretching just plain feels good. Well, you don’t have to limit stretching to those extra weekend minutes while still lying in bed. We have seven great full (or nearly full) body stretches to get you ready to move with fewer aches and pains. You can learn even more about these stretches at early-morning-stretches. Shoulder stretches [caption id="attachment_739" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.sportsinjuryclinic.net[/caption] Do 3-5 stretches for 30 seconds for each shoulder. Stand, or sit if that is more comfortable, holding your back straight. If standing, your feet should be a comfortable width apart, maybe shoulder distance. Now bring one arm up to shoulder height and pull the straight arm into and across your body, so your fingers are pointing to the other shoulder. Now use your free arm to pull the arm and shoulder as tight to the body as possible and hold it there. This move increases your mobility and flexibility as it helps to strengthen and protect your shoulder as it is one of the most delicate joints in your body. Triceps stretches [caption id="attachment_740" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.sportsinjuryclinic.net[/caption] Do 3-5 stretches for 30 seconds for each arm. You can transition into this move easily from your shoulder stretches. Stand or sit just like you did during those stretches. Now raise your arm above your head, bend your elbow and bring your hand toward the opposite shoulder. Your wrist and forearm should be behind your head. With the hand not on the shoulder, resting on the bent elbow and lightly press to extend the stretch. Do not force the stretch too far, but just enough to feel your muscles lengthening to meet the demand. Triceps are small muscles, but they are an important muscle for strength and mobility. Strong triceps also help extend the healthy life of other shoulder and arm muscles for athletic longevity. Butterfly stretches [caption id="attachment_750" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.fitness.com[/caption] Do 3-5 stretches for 30 seconds. Sit on the ground and put both legs straight in front of you. Now, bend both of your knees and tuck them in so you bring the bottom of both feet together and touching as flat as possible to each other. Now gently press down on your thighs with your elbows. You will feel the stretch in your inner thighs and the inner edge of your hip joints. This stretch improves hips and thigh flexibility and mobility. Runner’s stretches [caption id="attachment_741" align="alignleft" width="150"] femfusionfitness.com[/caption] Do 3-5 stretches for 30 seconds with each leg. This works great to do right after the butterfly stretches while you are on the ground already. Now, bend one leg, tucking it in so the bottom of your foot rests as high as possible on the inner part of your other leg. If you can get it, so the back of your heel is almost to the groin, you’ll get the biggest stretch. But you may have to do the stretch for several weeks or months to get that much flexibility. Once your bent leg is in position, lean your body forward from the waist and reach your arm as far as you can. The goal is to be able to wrap your hands around your foot, but if you can only bend enough to hold to the top of your calf, do that. Don’t over stretch risking damage to the muscles and tendons. You should feel this stretch in your hips, knees, calf muscles, and especially your hamstrings at the back of your thighs. This stretch can help many of the common joint pains suffered by runners. Quadriceps stretches [caption id="attachment_742" align="alignleft" width="150"] femfusionfitness.com[/caption] Do 3-5 of these for up to 30 seconds each for each leg. You’ll probably recognize this from seeing runners do it. Stand with your feet close together and your body straight and upright. Now bend one of your knees and raise your heel toward your backside. Reach back and grab your foot pulling it slowly upward. Do not pull jerky or fast, and do not pull beyond what the muscle will move easily. Now hold in position and feel the stretch in the front of your thigh from the hip to the knee. This move improves circulation and can relieve stress in your body as well as easing any back and knee pain. Calf stretches [caption id="attachment_744" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.health.com[/caption] Do 3-5 of these for up to 30 seconds each for each calf. Stand facing a wall, sturdy chair or bench with your feet approximately shoulder-width distance. Now, lean forward with your knees straight and dig your heels back into the ground as you pull your chest as close to the wall as possible. You can get a similar calf stretch, but not quite as much full-body involvement while standing on a step with your foot half way on the step. Hang your heels off and slowly stretch by pushing your heels downward. This move will help relieve hip, knee, foot, and shin pain, as well as safeguard and strengthen your Achilles Heel. Standing side stretches [caption id="attachment_745" align="alignleft" width="150"] pixgood.com[/caption] Do 3-5 of these for up to 30 seconds for each side. Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart. Make the stance wide enough so you won’t have balance issues as you bend from one side to the other. Stretch both hands above your head and if you are leaning to the right side, grab hold of the left hand with the right pulling it slightly as you bend from the waist as far to the left as possible. You should feel this stretch on the side of your body from just below the waist almost up to the armpit. This stretch strengthens and safeguards your core, spine, and back muscles. It can also help if you are having some digestive issues. All seven of these stretches are easy to do, and you should get through them all in just 30 minutes or so. But several of them you can also do while you are doing other steps in your morning routine. Waiting for the coffee, do your calf stretches or standing side stretches. Triceps and shoulder stretches could easily be done while you are in the shower. Which leaves only the ones while you are on the ground for you to figure out something else to do as you stretch. You might put a pile of unmatched socks near your feet and match up a few pairs while you are stretching on the floor. What other ideas do you have about these stretches?

Does Casual Sex, Like Milk, Do the Body Good?

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 01:40:34 +0000

In the twenty-first century attitudes about sex have changed dramatically. With the advent of more effective contraceptives, the women’s movement, and the general secularization of society “sociosexually unrestricted” relationships - casual sex - are no longer viewed with the moral stigma of past eras. Don’t get me wrong, they were still having what we call “hookups” today in the 50’s, they just were not openly discussed in the media and polite society. Women today are more than curious about their sexuality, they are exploring it and enjoying it. But are all the taboos looked upon as myth and religious bugga-boos? It has been nearly 60 years since William Masters and Virginia Johnson began their research into human sexuality. How much of what they uncovered about sex and its positive, or negative effects on human well-being has been confirmed or denied by this new liberal culture? The idea of “friends with benefits” is casually accepted by a large segment of the population. But researchers are still searching for the answers to old questions about how we are affected by the new sexual openness.In a Men’s Fitness article that highlights a Cornell University research study on the topic of casual sex, Ph.D. Zhana Vrangalova shares insights into some positives revealed. Dr. Vrangalova has her doctorate in developmental psychology from Cornell and currently teaches as adjunct professor at NYU.She has conducted several human sexuality research studies focused on the trend of casual sex and its effect on the well-being of the participants. She maintains a blog site called The Casual Sex Project, where she posts people’s stories about casual sexual encounters. Dr. Vrangalova’s study used a group of 371 willing college students as subjects. They documented their sexual encounters over a period of 12 weeks. The group's sense of well-being was monitored throughout the study, and the result was not astounding. The doctor’s conclusions were that those open to “sociosexually unrestricted” encounters (both male and female) had a greater sense of well-being after sex than after not having sex. Her overall conclusion was both men and women who are predisposed to casual recreational sexual activity reported experiencing higher levels of self-esteem and lower rates of anxiety and depression following hookups. Though there have been different studies that report opposite findings, Dr. Vrangalova’s research gives the indication there are positive health benefits - for some people. So perhaps like milk, recreational sex may do the body good - or not.

Marijuana Does Not Produce Creativity

natalie — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 04:36:26 +0000

Men's Fitness reported on a recent study done in the Netherlands that found Marijuana use does not significantly improve creative thinking. In fact, if you use it heavily, it significantly lessens divergent thinking. In the test, researchers at Leiden University divided subjects into three groups of healthy current cannabis users. One group was given placebos, another group was given marijuana with the equivalent THC content of one joint, and the third group got marijuana with the equivalent THC content of three joints. None of the subjects were told the group they had been assigned. Each participant was then required to complete a number of thinking tasks. They were given questions where they had to give the correct answer (convergent thinking) and problems to find new or creative approaches to solve (divergent thinking). The people who received the high THC content level marijuana were found to have significantly decreased ability for divergent or creative thinking. The other two groups were about equal in their ability to perform the tasks. Other recent studies also reported on the Men’s Fitness site give even more bad news for chronic and long-term marijuana users. In an unrelated 20-year study recently published in Addiction, marijuana isn’t just harmful to your cognitive (thinking) ability. But chronic (long-term) use can lead to schizophrenia and an increase in symptoms such as hallucinations and psychotic behaviors. Marijuana is also linked to reduced learning, memory, and attention issues. That’s not to mention that it has also proven to be addictive to some people. And the news just keeps getting worse since chronic marijuana users are also twice as likely to die from crashing their car. Finally, in a study conducted at the University of Southern California with 455 men (163 with testicular cancer and 293 healthy), they found that recreational marijuana users had an increased chance of being diagnosed with testicular cancer germ cell tumors. This type of tumor is more difficult to treat and has a lower rate of recovery. The participants all answered questions about their use of tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs, as well as providing family history information. They found that those who smoked marijuana once a week for a 10-year period had double the chance of being diagnosed with the cancer in comparison to those in the study who didn’t ever use it. Or those who used it less than once a week for 10 years or less. The idea for the cancer study came about because doctors and researchers began to see elevating rates of testicular cancer among men under 30.

How to Cut an Avocado

natalie — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 22:36:41 +0000

So we have all been there. We are in the kitchen struggling to cut that perfectly ripened avocado. There is no time like the present to learn how to cut that scrumptious healthy fat. Check this video out in order to make your life easier when cutting avocados.

Full Body Workout to Beyonce's "Move Your Booty"

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 01:22:48 +0000

Are you looking for a fresh, fun, and upbeat full body workout? Beyonce's "Move Your Booty" workout video will hit all that and more. Don't hesitate to try something new. Hey, make it a party and invite some friends.

Full Body Stretching Routine For Pain Relief

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 23:27:48 +0000

There is no reason to sit around and be in pain. Get up and stretch it out. This full body stretching routine is tailored to target sore and aching muscles, and is the perfect video for those getting introduced into yoga.

17 Year Old Girl With Amazing Strength

natalie — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 21:12:21 +0000

Check this video out. This 17 year old girl has remarkable strength. It is obvious she has put her time in at the gym building her muscle strength. There is no denying that with commitment we are capable of so much.

Why Do We Fall? Motivational Video

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:16:15 +0000

Can you ever have too much motivation? No matter what challenges, mountain you are climbing in life, or just everyday life. Can one ever not find extra encouragement and motivation from a great video? Check out this short video and get that extra motivation your day, week, or month needed.

Yoga For the Complete Beginner

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:32:03 +0000

Yoga, so you are just starting out. You are beginning a new journey and it is yoga. Well, look no further. This the perfect video to start that journey.

The Benefits of Good Posture

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:45:36 +0000

Okay, so now you hear your mother's voice saying, "Pull your shoulders back and stand up straight". Shhh, we won't tell her that she may have been on to something. It really is important to have good posture. Check out this short video and get the benefits of good posture. Hey, the next time you catch yourself slouching. Please do yourself a favor roll those shoulders back, lengthen that spine, and stand/sit tall. What? This is not your mother speaking.

7 Minute High Intensity Workout

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 20:57:02 +0000

Check this out, 7 minute high intensity workout. This means no excuses. We all have an extra 7 minutes in our day. Please, we can squeeze it in somewhere. No excuse, push play.

Exercises For Lower Back Pain

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:08:24 +0000

Lower back pain is not easy to function with. It can make daily tasks seem pain staking and unbearable. These specific exercises are for lower back pain. Check them out and see if they may bring relief to your lower back.

Jillian Michael's: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism Complete Workout

natalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:24:14 +0000

This Jillian Michael's workout is intended to banish fat and boost your metabolism. Get ready for some intense calorie blasting and that heart rate to get elevated. This exercise series is made up of 7 cardio strength training circuits. Get ready to build lean muscle, obliterate fat, and take your weight loss to the next level.

Uptown Funk: Family Fitness Dance Video

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:04:21 +0000

It is Friday night and what do you do as a family? Friday night family fitness, because the family that works out together.... Well, is just healthier and happier. Check out this fun Uptown Funk fitness dance video. Your Friday night will never be the same. Move the furniture and get ready to move, groove, and get healthier as a family.

7 Healthy Taco Recipes for Taco Tuesday

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 03:27:17 +0000

There are few families out there who don’t enjoy making and eating tacos once in a while. In fact, often it ends up being one of those coveted family favorites. Taco nights are usually easy to whip together, and with all of the topping options available, you are sure to please everyone, including even the pickiest of eaters. To help you get a start on planning your next taco night, check out these seven healthy taco recipes you can try, and they’re all 310 calories/serving or less: [caption id="attachment_1035" align="aligncenter" width="700"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Steak Tacos with Red Peppers and Onions Are you craving a hearty taco recipe without all the calories? Try a seasoned steak taco with sautéed peppers and onions, a sprig of fresh cilantro, and a squirt of lime juice. It’s an easy, quick meal idea, and who doesn't like steak? The recipe is as simple as rubbing a beef flank steak with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Then cooking it in a skillet or on the grill to your personal taste before sautéing the veggies. Once everything’s prepared to your liking, sit back and enjoy your masterpiece with a glass of your favorite red wine, and you’ll be in heaven. [caption id="attachment_1037" align="aligncenter" width="700"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Shrimp Tacos Want a little spice with your healthy taco recipes? Give shrimp tacos a try. You can choose to make them mildly spicy, or very spicy, depending on the amount of cumin and chili powder you want to douse your shrimp in. Top them with some avocados, sautéed veggies of your preference, some chopped cilantro, and lime juice, and you have a healthy meal in less than 20 minutes. Perfect for that occasional hectic night when you have to prepare dinner in between soccer practice and dance lessons. [caption id="attachment_1038" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Chicken Tacos Craving a bit of comfort food? Try a chicken taco topped with shredded lettuce or cabbage and salsa. Clocking in at only 248 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving, this healthy taco recipe is the perfect go-to meal for anyone looking to stay on track with a weight loss program. They only take 18 minutes to prepare from start to finish. It is as simple as cooking up a chicken breast and onion in a skillet and topping it with spices (garlic and cumin), cilantro, and any other veggie you want to try. [caption id="attachment_1039" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Crunchy Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with Pineapple Salsa Want to try something a little more gourmet than the traditional taco recipe? Sink your teeth into a crunchy spicy shredded pork taco with pineapple salsa. It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser, as the sweet pineapple and crunchy radishes pair great with the slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone pork loin that make up the filling for these tacos. They’re very easy to make because you simply put many of the ingredients in the slow cooker and go about your day until it’s ready. Now that’s convenience! [caption id="attachment_1040" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Chipotle Vegan Tacos If your heart is set on a vegan taco, try the chipotle vegan taco. It’s a fresh take on the taco, as the chipotle-spiced filling is wrapped in a cabbage leaf instead of a tortilla. The filling is a bountiful mix of chipotle powder, cumin, lime juice, garlic, avocado, tomatoes, and extra firm tofu. Because of this healthy spin on the taco, they only have 166 calories per serving, are low in carbs, and will help keep you feeling light. [caption id="attachment_1041" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Mexi-Cal Tacos Skip the meat and pass the tofu to make Mexi-Cal tacos. They’re versatile enough that you can even add your favorite protein — like chicken or steak — instead of tofu. They only take 25 minutes to prepare from start to finish and are topped with a delicious lime and cilantro sauce and fresh salsa that you can adjust to spicy or mild, depending on your preference. [caption id="attachment_1042" align="aligncenter" width="600"] www.beachbody.com[/caption] Black Bean and Veggie Tostadas If you’re looking for a fiber-packed meal, look no further than black bean and veggie tostadas. They’re very easy to make by topping a baked, whole wheat tostada with black beans and veggies, like lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados. Top it off with fresh cilantro and lime juice, and you will have a fiber-rich meal in only 25 minutes! With these seven different healthy taco recipes, you’ll be able to experiment and explore until you find the perfect one that makes your family happy. The added bonus is that they’re all super healthy, so you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging on taco nights anymore! For more detailed recipe instructions, check out the link for 7 Taco Recipes Under 310 Calories.

Low Calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:27:04 +0000

Fall is just around the corner, and we know what that means — it’s almost Pumpkin Spice everything season. If you’re one of the many people out there who loves pumpkin spice lattes, but are tired of paying a fortune for calorie-laden lattes at coffee shops, then this recipe is for you. It’s time to take control of your pumpkin spice latte cravings and learn how to make your own at home, saving you valuable time and money in the long term.

Low Calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

We have a pumpkin spice latte that isn’t calorie packed, and you can make it at home. With only 110 calories, you can make a delicious pumpkin spice latte in 10 minutes. The recipe is simple enough, and the ingredient list is short. Many of us already have most of those ingredients in our cupboards for baking purposes, so the initial expense of making these lattes in the comfort of your home shouldn’t be too great.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Ingredients

1 cup of nonfat milk
1 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup brewed black coffee or 1 shot of espresso
1 dash of ground nutmeg.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Directions

Simply heat your milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow everything to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until hot. Do not boil! You can tell if it’s ready when you see many small bubbles on the sides of the saucepan. Once this happens, remove the mixture from the heat and mix with a whisk until frothy. Next, pour coffee or espresso into a serving mug and add the milk mixture. End by topping your latte with as much nutmeg as you want.

Looking for other healthy recipes for your favorite drinks? Check out these Healthy Cocktail Recipes from SHAPE Army.

Helpful Tips

And as a helpful tip, once you open that can of pumpkin puree and use what you need for the pumpkin spice latte, portion out the rest of the pumpkin puree by putting 1 Tbsp of the puree into each slot of an ice cube tray and freeze them. Once they are frozen, remove from the tray and put them in a freezer bag in the freezer. You won’t have to worry about storing the partially used can of puree.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Nutritional Info

This recipe makes one serving. It only has 119 calories, 0 grams of fat and boasts a hearty 9 grams of protein!

To find a detailed list of instructions, check out the link to the pumpkin spice latte recipe.

So skip the coffee shop and invest in your health while saving money. Make this fall the start of making your own pumpkin spice lattes at home. Nothing’s stopping you!

10 Fat Burning Workouts Better than Cardio

natalie — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 04:19:05 +0000

You know you need to get more cardio workouts in, but uh, cardio … boring, right? You aren’t sure you can force yourself to do another minute on a treadmill, elliptical, stair climber, or in a spin class. Good news! We’ve got you covered with 10 fat burning workouts that work better than cardio.

Kettlebells. Do all the “arm” exercises on one arm then on the other for one round. Rest for three minutes, then repeat four more times. Once arms are done, do the Turkish getup for five straight minutes. The longer you can go per side, the more calories are burned. This is one of the best fat burning workouts that strengthens your core.

Arms

[caption id="attachment_958" align="aligncenter" width="650"] www.skinnymom.com[/caption] One-arm snatch – 10 reps. [caption id="attachment_959" align="aligncenter" width="400"] www.health.com[/caption]
One-arm clean and press – 8 reps. Hold a kettlebell, bend your hips back, so your chest moves closer to the floor, and weight is just above the floor. Bring bell to shoulder level. Brace your core and press the bell straight overhead. [caption id="attachment_960" align="aligncenter" width="650"] www.skinnymom.com[/caption]
One-arm goblet squat – 8 reps. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned outward slightly, hold kettlebell under the chin and squat as low as you can go.

[caption id="attachment_961" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] trufitbc.com[/caption] Turkish getup – do as many reps as you can in five minutes. Lie with your back on the floor and hold the bell over your chest with your right hand. Bend right knee so your foot is flat on the ground. Bring your upper body off the floor and then push off the ground with your right foot to bring your hips off the floor. Support your body with your left hand. Now sweep your left leg back until you can rest on the left knee. Stand up. Then reverse it all until you are back on the floor. Alternate sides. Keep doing until you hit five minutes.

Intensity intervals. The key to intensity intervals is using moves that challenge the entire body in one exercise, and in doing a couple of the moves back to back before catching your breath and moving again. Don’t allow yourself to fully recover until you’ve completed a full round.

Round one – Burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks (that’s one round) – do this 3 times – first time 10 reps (of the first 3 moves and then jump rope), second time 15 reps …., third time 20 reps. After three times, jump rope for 3 minutes. Rest for one minute at the end. Round two – Walking lunges with kettlebell exchange underneath leg, pushups, lunge jumps, and walk-outs (inchworms). Do three times through – 45 seconds for each exercise. Take a 15-second break at the end of each 45 seconds. After the three times, jump rope for 3 minutes. Rest for one minute at the end. Round three – Traveling kettlebell squats, TRX pull-ups, box jumps, and TRX jack knives. Three times through – 45 seconds for each exercise. Take a 15-second break at the end of each 45 seconds. After the three times, jump rope for 3 minutes. Rest for one minute at the end. Round four – Traveling side lunges, dips, speed skater (lateral jumps), and plank to pushups. Three times through – 45 seconds for each exercise. Take a 15-second break at the end of each 45 seconds. Now stretch out and recover.

Legs and core blaster. Do three rotations of the following (you can do with either dumbbell or cable if you can’t do with a medicine ball):

[caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="500"] nicktumminello.com[/caption] Bulgarian split squat – 10 reps each leg and then rest for one minute. Stand with a bench (lunge length away) behind you. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Rest the top of one foot on bench and lower your body until back knee almost touches the floor. Drive heel into the floor to push back up. Do all 10 reps on one side and then switch. [caption id="attachment_965" align="aligncenter" width="575"] celebrityfitness.menshealth.com[/caption] Single-leg Swiss ball leg curl – Do as many reps as possible with each leg. Try not to rest when you complete this one, just move to the next exercise. Lie on your back resting heels on a Swiss ball. Drive one of your heels into the ball to raise your backside off the floor. Bring the opposite leg into the air. Keep hips elevated as you bend the knee of working leg like you would in a leg curl. [caption id="attachment_966" align="aligncenter" width="700"] www.acefitness.org[/caption] Single-leg glute bridge – Do as many reps as possible with each leg. Rest 30 seconds. Lie on your back bending one knee at 90-degree angle. Bring that foot so it rests flat on the floor and extend other leg straight. Keep your core braced as you drive your heel into the floor and raise hips until your body forms a straight line. Do all the reps on one side before switching to the other. [caption id="attachment_967" align="aligncenter" width="324"] www.womenshealthmag.com[/caption] Plank – 3 sets, hold as long as possible and don’t rest between. Get in pushup position, bending elbows to rest forearms on the floor. Hold ab muscles tight to keep your body in as straight of a line as possible. [caption id="attachment_968" align="aligncenter" width="535"] www.ironedge.com.au[/caption] Medicine ball wood chops – 2 sets. 20 reps each side and rest for 30 seconds after each set. Hold a medicine ball with both hands and stand with feet staggered, left foot in front. Extend arms so they are at the outside of your left knee. Swing arms diagonally hard and fast over the opposite shoulder. Do all the reps on one side before switching to the other. Now repeat the full routine two more times.

Cardio – nontraditional options. If you love cardio but want to switch up your routine, you can use the following fat burning workouts in a circuit. 10 burpees, one minute rest (3 times); 20 hopping lunges, one minute rest (3 times); 3-minute plant, one minute rest; 2-minute plank, one minute rest; one minute plank; lateral skater hop, 20 reps each side, one minute rest (3 times); squat to press with dumbbells, 25 reps, one minute rest (3 times).
Building endurance.

[caption id="attachment_969" align="aligncenter" width="500"] www.mfldev.com[/caption] Single-arm clean – 5 reps (3 times). Hold a dumbbell between your legs using an overhand grip, feet should be shoulder-width apart and core engaged. Bend knees and hinge hips, keep back straight. Dumbbell should be about knee-height. Explosively extend hips, knees, and ankles while doing a shoulder shrug. Catch dumbbell at shoulder height with your knees bent softly. Stand tall and slowly lower weight. That’s one rep. [caption id="attachment_970" align="aligncenter" width="385"] www.details.com[/caption] Single leg box jumps – 5 reps (3 times). Standing on one leg directly in front of mid-shin height box, lower to a partial squat while keeping torso upright. Drive up making just the full foot lands on the box. Stand tall and then lower yourself back down. That’s one rep. [caption id="attachment_971" align="aligncenter" width="300"] www.womenshealthmag.com[/caption] Barbell squat to press – 8 reps (3 times). Use a clean grip to hold barbell. Keep upper arm parallel to ground. Squat by pushing hips back and keeping the body upright. Push off heels to stand upright – while doing this, press the bar and lock it overhead. Lower bar back to the clean grip. That’s one rep. [caption id="attachment_972" align="aligncenter" width="635"] alphabeyond.com[/caption] Pull-up – 8 reps (3 times). Using an overhand grip, grab a pull-up bar. Drive your shoulder blades downward as you hold your core tight and pull your chin over the bar. Lower slowly. That is one rep. Lateral Lunges – 8 reps each side (3 times). Hold a dumbbell like it was a goblet at chest height. Take a step to the right with your right leg, push hips back. Your right foot, knee, and hip should make a straight line. Push off from the heel and drive back up. Do all reps on one leg and then the other. [caption id="attachment_974" align="aligncenter" width="800"] www.strongfitnessmag.com[/caption] Single arm bent-over rows – 8 reps (3 times). Hold a dumbbell using a neutral grip with palm facing upward. Keep knees soft and hinge your hips until your spine is at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Pull elbow back and pull/squeeze shoulder blades into each other at the top of the row. [caption id="attachment_976" align="aligncenter" width="1161"] www.acefitness.org[/caption] Rotational medicine ball slams – 8 reps each side (3 times). Hold a medicine ball at chest height while standing next to a wall. Pivot feet and hips toward the wall using your core to throw the ball against the wall. [caption id="attachment_977" align="aligncenter" width="610"] pixcooler.com[/caption] Ab wheel rollout – 8 reps each side (3 times). Kneel on the floor while holding the axle of an ab wheel. Roll forward until you can’t hold your spine neutral, then roll back until the wheel is under your shoulders.

Dumbbell circuit (fat blasting). This is one of the best fat burning workouts you can do that involves weight training. Do each exercise for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds, then move to the next exercise. Do all the exercises, rest for a full minute and then repeat three more times from beginning to end. Dumbbell goblet squat, pushups, dumbbell row, salute planks, ice skater jumps. This will take you about 20-25 minutes total.
Mixed martial arts - building. You’ll need at least 30 minutes to complete.

Box jump – 6 reps (3 times). Use either a high aerobics step or a box, bend knees, throw back your arms and jump onto the box. Then jump off. That’s one rep. Swiss-ball rollout – 10 reps (3 times). Spread your feet wide apart and rest your forearms on a Swiss ball. Extend your arms while rolling the ball forward until you feel your lower back about to sag. Hold for one second and then roll the ball back to starting position. That’s one rep. [caption id="attachment_979" align="aligncenter" width="300"] www.mensfitness.com[/caption] Push press – 5 reps (3 times). Bend your knees while holding a bar at shoulder level. Explosively press the weighted bar straight overhead. [caption id="attachment_980" align="aligncenter" width="250"] blog.codyapp.com[/caption] Weighted chin-up – 5 reps, then 3 reps, then 3 reps. Perform a normal chin-up with a weight attached around your waist. [caption id="attachment_981" align="aligncenter" width="650"] us.myprotein.com[/caption] Medicine ball slam – 6 reps (3 times). Hold a medicine ball overhead at arm's length, then throw it as hard as possible onto the floor. Catch the ball as it bounces up and throw down again immediately. Each throw and catch is one rep. [caption id="attachment_982" align="aligncenter" width="300"] www.leanitup.com[/caption] Dumbbell bench press – 5 reps, then 3 reps, and 3 reps again. Lie on a bench face-up with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights at the sides of your chest and press them up explosively. Slowly lower them back to your chest – take a full five seconds to lower them. [caption id="attachment_984" align="aligncenter" width="450"] www.top.me[/caption] Plyo push-up – 6 reps (3 times). From pushup position, lower your chest until it is about an inch from the floor. Explosively push yourself back up – hard enough so your hands leave the floor, and you can clap. If you can bring your feet off the ground too, even better. Now when you land, use the momentum to start the next one. [caption id="attachment_985" align="aligncenter" width="660"] loseyoself.wordpress.com[/caption] Front squat – 5 reps, then 3 reps, and 3 reps again. Rest your fingertips on a bar or chair back for balance – now squat down as low as you can without rounding your lower back. Extend your hips to return to standing position. [caption id="attachment_986" align="aligncenter" width="660"] badunkafit.com[/caption] Jump front squat – 5 reps (3 times).Squat until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor (A), then jump as high as you can (B).

[caption id="attachment_987" align="aligncenter" width="354"] bretcontreras.com[/caption] Sled sprint. Around your waist, attach a weight belt with a rope from the belt to the sled. Move so there is no slack in the rope when you start. Step out with one foot well ahead of your center of mass, so your heel strikes the ground first. Your torso should remain upright throughout the sprint – don’t lean forward using body weight instead of strength. You should feel as if your front heel digs and hip pulls are what is moving the sled. Rest 30-60 seconds between sprints for both experience levels.

For elite athletes. Start with a 40-yard sled sprint. Increase the distance of each successive sprint by 10 yards until you do a single 150-yard sprint (12th sprint). Now decrease each sprint by 10 yards until you are back to a 40-yard sprint. For regular athletes. Start with a 20-yard sled sprint. Increase the distance every other sprint by 10 yards until you reach 50-yards and repeat it once. Then decrease back down by 10 yards every two sprints until back to 20-yard sprint (14th sprint).

Strength and conditioning circuit. Do 3 rounds and rest only 45 seconds between each round.

[caption id="attachment_989" align="aligncenter" width="450"] bretcontreras.com[/caption] Dumbbell swing – Hold dumbbell plate ends so they are perpendicular to your body. Hips are sitting back like you would in a deadlift and flex the knees. Swing the weights between your legs and raise the weights by pushing through the heels. You should have hip momentum helping to raise the weight. Your goal is to get so you raise the weight above the head. In a controlled manner, reverse the motion, bringing the dumbbell back to its starting position. That one rep should take about 30 seconds. Inverted row with chairs – Sit on the floor with a chair on either side, seats facing away from each other. Place a broomstick bar on top of both of the chairs. Grab onto the bar tightly. Grab onto the bar with your body straight, now pull your body up with only your heels remaining on the floor. Hold core, hips and butt tight. Aim to pull yourself high enough that your hands are at your sides before you slowly lower yourself back down. Take at least 30 seconds to do this one. Squat jumps. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Lower into a regular squat and then tighten core muscles before explosively jumping upward. Land as lightly and quietly as possible with your lower body back in squat position. Do for 30 seconds. Plank – Hold plank position for at least 30 seconds. Run in place with your knees coming as high as you can get them for 30 seconds. Now do the full round of exercises two more times.

Dumbbells complex. A complex is a series of exercises done moving from one to the next without stopping or putting down the weights – no resting between exercises. This burns calories and fat – and builds calorie-burning muscle.

Choose a weight that still works when you do your weakest exercise (on the Plyo pushup, simply set the dumbbells aside). Rest for 90 seconds after each full rotation, then repeat 3 more times. Here’s a sample complex workout. Romanian deadlift – 6 reps Bent over row – 6 reps Reverse lunge – 6 reps (each side) Dumbbell high pull – 6 reps Overhead press – 6 reps Front squat – 6 reps Plyo push-up – 6 reps Want to know more about what is needed for interval training to make it most effective for fat blasting and weight loss? Workouts help you know more about the procedures.

Weight Loss: 9 Ways to Stay on Your Diet When Eating Out

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:55:10 +0000

Everyone knows how important a healthy diet is when trying to lose weight. But staying on your diet can be difficult when you go out to eat, or simply need a quick meal while away from home. Fortunately there are ways to stay true to a healthy meal plan while eating out if you follow these simple rules.

Advance scouting. You might already know the place you’ll be going and most of the meals they serve. If you don’t, check online to see if they have a menu and information about the different items and how they are prepared. Make your selection ahead of time. If you need to call the restaurant for further information, go right ahead. Check to see if it’s possible to prepare your dish in a special way – like ordering sauce on the side.
Snack healthy before you leave the house. Or even as [caption id="attachment_820" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.thefashionspot.com[/caption] you are driving to the location. Have a healthy snack with some protein and maybe some healthy carbs. An easy thing would be a good protein bar or a handful of nuts. If you have them before you leave the house, stop long enough to brush your teeth so you won’t grab another bar or handful. This extra protein should make it easier to resist the bread tray or chips that have a lot of processed carbs and fats with very little nutritional value.
Place your order first if possible. Okay, if you are on a date, you might want to be a little more polite. But if you’re with a bunch of friends, pop right up when the waiter asks who’s ready to order. Before that, try not to get into any conversations about what everyone is ordering. Hearing about all the less healthy choices everyone is considering is only going to make it more difficult to stick with your previously determined order.
Soup or salad choices. Here’s a rule of thumb – if it is [caption id="attachment_821" align="alignleft" width="150"] abstract.desktopnexus.com[/caption] opaque or creamy looking, avoid it. If the soup of the day is a broth-based soup with lots of veggies, that’s a good choice. If there is a lot of pasta in the soup, eat around most of it. If the salad is fresh and has lots of crunchy veggies, ask for your dressing on the side and use this fun idea. Dip the ends of the tongs of your fork in the dressing getting just enough to lightly coat them about ½ inch up the tongs. Then scoop up a decent-sized mouthful of salad. You’ll get the flavor of the dressing without a lot of extra fat and calories.
Tips on toppings. When it comes to toppings like butter, creams, croutons, or anything else that has a high fat content or fried in fat, skip it. You could use the sauce on the side in the same way as the dressing on the side, or ask for them to hold it off completely. You might also consider asking for a fresher or veggie-based topping. Salsa, fresh herbs, mustard, catchup, steak sauce, etc. can all enhance flavors without adding mayo or other fats to the meal. And if you are doing a salad bar type meal, stick with undressed crisp raw veggies and pass by most of the other options. If you feel a need for a special treat, decide on one topping to allow yourself. Put one small spoonful of it on the side of your plate so you can have a taste of it every couple of bites.
Keywords to scope on your meat order. Just because [caption id="attachment_822" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.gardengate.org[/caption] you are watching your calories doesn’t mean you can’t have red meat. Look for “choice” or “select.” They usually mean the fat content is lower. Also “round” cuts tend to be less fatty. But whatever your choice, make sure you know how they are cooking it. Broiled, steamed, poached, and grilled are all great options. Stay away from sautéed, smothered, breaded, or deep-fried. The same holds true if you order a poultry or fish dish as well.
Skinny up the side dishes. The best side dish is going to be steamed veggies with no butter or sauce. Ask for a few lemon or lime wedges to make the flavor pop on the veggies. Then add a bit of fresh-ground black pepper. Yum. Did you know that lemon and black pepper together will make your food taste salted without any additional salt? If you have a potato, go for a naked baked one. Ask for some salsa to top it off and you’ll have a gourmet meal everyone else wants to taste.
Drinks. Best choices for drinks are water, un-sugared tea, [caption id="attachment_823" align="alignleft" width="150"] wellnessbyhealth.blogspot.com[/caption] or seltzer. If you feel like you want to bust out a bit and enjoy a drink with a little kick, go for one glass of wine or a beer. Just one! Don’t go for a shot of something or a cocktail. Those drinks usually have hundreds or calories with minimal nutritional value. Worse still, if you get a buzz going, it’s going to be more difficult to keep to your eating plan.
Take half home with you. When you first place your meal order, tell the waiter you want a to-go container brought to you with your meal. Most restaurant meals are larger than a suggested portion size. Some are even three or four portion sizes. So, as soon as you get your meal delivered, separate each item into equal halves and put one-half of each into the to-go container. That way, as you are chatting, you won’t be picking at the remaining food on the plate until it’s gone.

Looking for more information on these tips, go to 9-weight-loss-rules.

How to Be Happy : 4 Surprising Habits of of Happy People

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:15:07 +0000

Many of us desire to better know how to be happy. Not only does happiness make life more enjoyable, it can also make your life longer, up to 7.5 years longer according to certain studies. While the things that make people happy are unique per individual the habits of happy people reveal a pattern of behavior similar to one another.

How to Be Happy

Just as there are common habits of successful people, there are common habits of happy people. Certain habits of happy people are well known, such as giving up smoking, and starting a more consistent healthy workout and diet plan and getting adequate sleep. But there are other habits ohappy people that may surprise you. If you are searching for answers on how to be happy, you'll want to read about these 4 surprising habits for happiness. You'll realize that learning how to be happy is more attainable than you may have realized.

1.) How to Be Happy : Be Kind

Kindness. One of the simplest, but surest answers for those wondering how to be happy is to be kind. Kindness is a universal characteristic in most happy people. Like any attempt for self improvement, in order to successfully become a kinder person, you should set a tangible goal that can be recorded, tracked, and evaluated. Try to do at least three minor acts of kindness per day, that you can mark down in a journal. But don't stop there. The essence of kindness is sincerity. So focus on identify spontaneous opportunities for kindness. Start looking around and paying a bit more attention. Your acts of kindness do not have to be big, they don’t even necessarily have to involve other people. Say hello to a stranger, smile at someone who seems to be struggling – better yet, offer to help in some way. Get an extra cup of joe (or even better warm lemon water) for the new employee in your section. Hold the elevator, even if you are in a bit of a hurry. Nothing big necessary. Most of the things won’t take much more time than not doing them would take. But it will lift your spirits, and you may start to notice people get happier whenever you are near.

2.) How to Be Happy: Be Grateful

Be Grateful. Fostering and expressing sincere gratitude is a common habit of happy people. One way to nurture your gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal. But don't make this journal become a chore. According to a study done at the University of California Davis, writing three gratitude items a day can add stress to your life. But, if you record 1-3 per week, then it reminds you of the good in life without creating a stress-inducing expectation. And when it comes to expressing gratitude to others, it’s a random bit of kindness AND a moment when you can feel grateful. Not much better than a two-for-one deal!

3.) How to Be Happy: Reflect On Your Life

Be Reflective. Taking some time to reflect, looking deep into the past events that have influenced your life is another effective answer for those wondering how to be happy. You don’t need to reflect on your past every day, but occasionally look at events from your past and considering how it impacted your life, how it impacted your way of thinking, and if that mentality is objective and productive. You might write about them, or just challenge some of the existing assumptions you have about the event. Looking back on your past, especially when reflecting on difficult times, is a good way to put challenges, both past and the ones you are sure to encounter at some point in the future, into perspective. While reflecting on past struggles, you may notice that at the time, the challenge may have seemed insurmountable, like your world was coming to an end. But having a few years or months on the other side of the challenge endows you with the wisdom of hindsight and objectivity. Notice that now, you think differently about the challenge than you did at the time. Need to make a shift in your thinking? Check out some motivational videos from SHAPE Army. So ask yourself, do you still feel the same? Is there some good that came out of it? Can you say “thank heavens things happened the way they did”? Re-evaluating events in your life, especially the hard ones, can help you realize the good that can come from challenging times, and it can remind you, when you face your next challenge in the future that you have overcome challenges in your past, you can conquer any challenges to come. Of course, do not focus only on the dark times, reflect also on the happy times and experiences that have blessed your life with meaning, success and happiness.

4.) How to Be Happy : Spend Time with Your People

Be Social. If you are an individual blessed with a good group of people, family, friends, and mentors within your social circle, than you have a great advantage in your discovery of how to be happy. Spending time being social, no, not social media time, but actual time with people, hearing their voices, or sitting down to talk with them face to face is shown to increase levels of satisfaction and is a common habit of happy people. Studies have shown that a phone call with a friend helps lower your blood pressure and your Cortisol levels. Cortisol is an important hormone to understand when learning how to be happy because this hormone is associated with stress. Not only will Cortisol make it harder for you to learn how to be happy but it can also have negative impacts on your health. For example, when your body releases Cortisol into your system, losing weight becomes more difficult. That means speaking with a friend is not only a way for you to be happier, but it is also aids your weight-loss plan. The positive impact is even greater when you meet and have personal contact with others you enjoy. If you’ve been feeling stressed, a bit down, or just plain out-of-sorts, call a friend and schedule a get together to enjoy each other’s company. Learning How to Be Happy We all want more happiness in our lives. But for most of us, happiness is something that needs to be learned. Fortunately you can learn how to be happy without having to invest a lot of time or money. Just start watching out for something you can do to help, something you can be grateful for, and someone you can enjoy a little social interaction with.

11 Low Calorie Cocktail Recipes

natalie — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:40:33 +0000

Sometimes you just need a night out to kick up your heels and get a little rowdy. But low calorie alcoholic drinks can be hard to come by. Fortunately, shape army reveals its favorite low calorie cocktail recipes. These cocktails are tasty, healthier, and are mixed with some healthy nutrients. Check ‘em out. [caption id="attachment_905" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Botanical Gin Martini[/caption]

Botanical Gin Martini. Gin has many health benefits being one of the better low calorie alcoholic drinks, especially when compared to the calories in wine or beer. This Botanical Gin Martini was created by bar manager, Mark Aquilinio of Davio's Northern Italian Steak House in Philadelphia. The ingredients for this healthy cocktail recipe includes a dash of vermouth, 2 oz. of Bombay Sapphire Gin, one botanical ice cube, and several frozen cucumber wheels. Combine ingredients (with some plain ice), except botanical ice cube and cucumbers, in a shaker with a strainer. Line martini glass with frozen cucumber wheels and place botanical ice cube at the bottom of the glass. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass and enjoy.

Make botanical ice cubes by chopping two English cucumbers, seeds and peels included. Add 1 oz. of cilantro seeds and one cup of simple syrup in a blender and puree. Strain through a fine sieve and freeze in small silicon molds. Or if you prefer, you can freeze in larger chunks with a wider area so you can shave the botanical ice. Simple syrup is 1/4 C water and ¾ C sugar – heated until the sugar is dissolved.

Club Cosmo. This one has a little cranberry juice, which is good for detoxing your body. Make this Cosmo lighter (approx. 218-calorie), by cutting back on the liquor and replacing with some club soda. In a cocktail shaker combine 1 shot (about 2 ounces) citrus-flavored vodka, 1 splash club soda, 1 splash cranberry juice, and the juice of 1 lime wedge; shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. You’ve just slashed 100 calories and won’t taste a bit of a difference. [caption id="attachment_906" align="aligncenter" width="450"] www.foodgal.com[/caption]
Eppa Superfruit Sangria. Eppa Sangria is the first certified organic sangria. It is only 120 calories per glass and contains twice as many antioxidants as what you’d get in the same amount of red wine. You can buy a bottle for about $12. Just pour it over ice and garnish with an orange slice if you need a quick and easy Sangria for guests or a relaxing night at home on your own.

But, if you want to go a bit fancier, mix one bottle of Eppa Sangria, a couple of different fruits such as a green apple, orange, cranberries, grapes or mangos. Throw in a couple of cinnamon sticks. Chop the fruit up into bite sized pieces and put it all in a wide-mouthed decanter or a punch bowl. Put it in the fridge to chill for an hour and then enjoy the party. [caption id="attachment_907" align="aligncenter" width="800"] thefitfoodiemama.com[/caption]

Faux-jito. This one only takes a couple of minutes to prepare and was created by Emilie Yount at Recipe4Living.com. To make one serving it takes 3-4 mint leaves, a lime wedge (1/8 of a lime), 1 oz. white rum, your favorite low-cal lemon-lime drink (Sprite Zero, Diet 7-Up or Diet Sierra Mist would work well), ice, and just enough sugar to dust the rim of the glass.

Crush the mint leaves until bruised (that’s called muddling them) with the rum and juice from the lime wedge. A mortar and pestle work well, but you can use the back of a spoon against a hard surface too. Don’t shred the mint. Run the squeezed lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip in the sugar. If the sugar is on a shallow plate it works well – you could even use a paper plate. Pour the mixture into the glass and add the soda. Mint is great for helping you feel more alert and energized. [caption id="attachment_908" align="aligncenter" width="400"] www.spaindex.com[/caption]

Ginger Elixir. Ginger is often used to calm motion sickness and can ease an upset stomach. At La Costa Resort and Spa, their Ginger Elixir, from the Legends Bistro and the Spa Café, is often served before a meal to prepare for the dining experience to come. To make one, blend one cup of lemon juice, one cup of ginger juice, one cup of water, and ¼ cup of raw honey. Make sure it is blended well and then serve. This should give you at least 3-4 servings and no alcohol is involved. [caption id="attachment_909" align="aligncenter" width="2975"] cocktails365.net[/caption]
Sage Margarita. Sage has several health benefits and is easily identified by it’s a wonderfully distinct flavor that usually is earthy with a lemony undertone. Sage can help improve memory, relieve a sore throat, calm allergies, and calm tummy troubles. To make this drink, mix 2 oz. of Don Julio Blanco tequila, 1 oz. of Cointreau, 3 fresh sage leaves, 2 oz. simple syrup, and 2 oz. of fresh-squeezed lime juice. Combine all contents in a tumbler, shake, and then put it in a margarita glass to enjoy. If you want to make it especially festive, run the lime around the rim of the glass (before pouring in the mixture) and then dip in a shallow layer of sea salt. [caption id="attachment_910" align="aligncenter" width="736"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]
Peachy Virgin. Here’s another alcohol-free option, it’s from Bethany Frankl. Combine about 2 oz. each of club soda and peach juice, then add a splash of OJ and lemonade in a shaker filled with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice – garnish with a lemon or orange wedge. This one weighs in at only 34 calories. [caption id="attachment_911" align="aligncenter" width="640"] www.countrymusicislove.com[/caption]
Randirita. Country singer Miranda Lambert introduced us to this one the day before Valentine’s 2012. It’s a mix of Bacardi and Crystal Light. The fun of this is you get to choose the Crystal Light flavor to try. One fan said she loves the Vanilla Bacardi with Pink Lemonade Crystal Light – said it tastes like cotton candy. What would be your combo of choice?
[caption id="attachment_912" align="aligncenter" width="400"] www.shape.com[/caption] Skimlet. Lexington Social House in Hollywood serves this light and citrusy cocktail (created by Bar Manager Kyle Ackley). You use a new reduced calorie vodka called Voli Lyte, pineapple juice (great for detoxifying), agave nectar, lime juice, and some fresh tarragon that has over 70 phytonutrients. Mix it together and enjoy over ice. It would also be great as an adult shaved ice on a hot summer evening. [caption id="attachment_914" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] kimchiquan.com[/caption]
Sochu. This is a Japanese distilled liquor made from wheat, barley, rice, or sweet potatoes. It has a low alcohol and sugar content, and lower calories too. One shot of it is only 26 calories, compared with 97 in a shot of vodka or 59 in a shot of sake. [caption id="attachment_915" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.shape.com[/caption]
Vitality Vodka Lemonade. If you like having some texture to your vodka, this one is perfect for low calorie cocktails. Blend 2 celery stalks, one head romaine lettuce, 2 green apples, one cucumber, juice from one lemon and a small piece of fresh ginger. Then add vodka to taste, or if you prefer, use club soda instead.

Looking for more ideas – we pulled these from a couple of sources, new-healthy-cocktail-recipes and health.com.

4 Healthy Reasons for Drinking Warm Lemon Water

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 18:59:57 +0000

What’s your morning hot drink of choice? Perhaps you regrettably answer coffee or tea. With recent studies revealing the negative health effects caffeine can have on the mind and body, many professionals within the healthy and fitness industry are encouraging their clients to give up coffee and other caffeinated drinks. Overcoming a caffeine addiction, especially if your method of delivery revolves around a hot cup of coffee in the morning, can be much easier if you have a warm replacement.

4 Warm Lemon Water Benefits

Hot Lemon Water is a great substitute for morning coffee. Warm lemon water is free of unhealthy stimulants like caffeine, and this citrus drink provides a refreshing taste to wake you up in the morning. But more than anything else you should consider drinking hot lemon water every morning because of the numerous health benefits this drink provides.

1. The Lemon Water Diet

Drinking Warm Lemon Water promotes weight loss. Incorporating warm lemon water into your diet is a great supplement for healthy weight loss. First of all warm lemon water is a no-calorie substitute for a hot drink with lots of added sugar and creamer. Even if you use honey in your warm lemon water to neutralize the sour kick of lemon juice, it’s not a bad option as you get twice the sweetening power with the same amount of calories when you compare sugar to honey. Additionally, the lemon juice in warm lemon water has pectin in it, which is a soluble fiber. That means, even though you aren’t taking in any calories to speak of with the lemon and water, you’ll add some fiber to help feel full. This is the science behind the lemon water diet and other weight loss diets that use lemon juice or lemon water as a main staple.

Heating up your lemon water further promotes weight loss because hot drinks have been shown to trigger satisfaction signals to your brain, ultimately making you feel full.

Interested in more healthy drinks: Check out Shape Army's collection of delicious, low calorie cocktail recipes.

2. Warm Lemon Water Detox

Lemon Detoxes your body. Lemon juice is a common ingredient in master cleanse recipes. There are also several cleanse recipes and detox drinks that call for lemon juice as its main staple because of its ability to detox the body of stored up toxins. Lemon water is such an efficient body cleanse ingredient because lemon juice is chalk full of healthy acids and a high amount of alkali, both known for allowing your body to release stored toxins more easily. For the same reason, warm lemon water is also a great anti-inflammatory, releasing excess fluids from your system. The combo of hot water and lemon wakes your liver, so it works better and harder at flushing the system. And all that flushing and detoxifying, is going to make your skin glow with hydration. As a side effect, it can help clear up blemishes.

3. Drinking Warm Lemon Water Aids Digestion

Warm lemon water helps your digestive tract function faster and more effectively. Another way of saying it, warm lemon water wakes up your digestive tract, and promotes movement. Drinking warm lemon water each morning also helps your digestion because a functioning, moving digestive will begin to absorb more of the nutrients because the system is not locked down like a clogged drain pipe.

4. Warm Lemon Water Treats Acid Reflux and Bloating

Warm lemon water helps people with prevalent acid reflex to cut back on antacids. This is one of the lesser known warm lemon water benefits, but this citrus power drink rids the body of excess acid that builds in your system leading to acid reflex and other uncomfortable, painful after effects of eating. Warm lemon water also reduces the bloat that’s been leaving you sluggish and tired.

Warm Lemon Water Recipe

Want to get started on a warm lemon water diet? Here is a great lemon water recipe from SHAPE Army:

1 C hot water (not quite to boiling – or cooled for a minute or two after boiling)
Juice of ½ lemon – fresh squeezed
- Optional – Cinnamon stick – this can increase the weight-loss effect. Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels, amps up your metabolism, helps burn belly fat, and suppresses appetite.
- Optional – 1 teaspoon raw honey – or to taste

Many of these amazing reasons have been shared in drink-hot-lemon-water. Get some lemons today and enjoy a better day tomorrow.

20 Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:05:32 +0000

Summer is almost over, which means Fall and cooler weather are just around the corner. You know what that means…it’s almost crock-pot season! Slow Cooker Recipes quickly become family favorites. Which is great for the family chef, because truly savory meals can be made with easy crock pot recipes that require little prep and maintenance. The following healthy crock pot recipes are low calorie, nutritional, and delicious! They are perfect for helping your family live healthy. And these 20 different, time-saving easy crock-pot recipes are also perfect for giving you a little bit more family time. So go spend a little more time exploring apple orchards and pumpkin patches, while your healthy crock pot recipes slowly cook to perfection in your slow cooker back home.

20 Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

[caption id="attachment_832" align="alignnone" width="731"] skinnyms.com[/caption]

Cranberry and Pumpkin Crockpot Granola.

Looking for a quick breakfast idea? Try cranberry and pumpkin crockpot granola. It’s filled with nuts and seeds and is lightly spiced with pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract. It’s a great topping for fruit and yogurt, or can be enjoyed as cereal. It’s also low in calories! Making it is simple. Just toss your ingredients in the slow cooker. The ingredients are rolled oats, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, ground flax seed, coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and dried cranberries, into the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 2 hours and allow to cool before storing it in an airtight container. Enjoying delicious crock pot granola isn't limited to the A.M. hours, it also serves as a healthy snack. [caption id="attachment_833" align="alignnone" width="807"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

Easy Crock Pot Breakfast: Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats.

This is another good breakfast idea, and it’s super simple. It’s a delicious mix of canned coconut milk, steel cut oats, pumpkin, vanilla, honey, and pumpkin spice. To prepare this hearty, Fall dish, toss all of the ingredients into the crockpot and let it cook for a good 5-6 hours on low. Top it with some milk or a scoop of 0% fat Greek yogurt and you’ll have a great start to your day. [caption id="attachment_834" align="aligncenter" width="688"] Kale, Roasted Red Pepper, and Feta Frittata[/caption]

Kale, Roasted Red Pepper, and Feta Frittata

If you’re not in the mood for something sweet, opt for something savory. Try this delicious frittata. It’s quick and easy crock pot recipe and can be made for breakfast or brunch. The recipe calls for olive oil, baby kale, roasted red pepper, sliced green onion, crumbled feta, eggs, seasoning, and black pepper. Saute the kale until it’s softened, and then add all of your ingredients to the slow cooker for 2-3 hours on low. Top with a dollop of sour cream, and enjoy! [caption id="attachment_835" align="alignnone" width="824"] nutritionfor.us[/caption]

Crock Pot Banana Bread Quinoa.

If you love banana bread, this is the recipe for you! This easy crock pot recipe combines quinoa, seasonal Coffee-mate warm cinnamon sugar cookie coffee creamer, milk, banana, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. To prepare this banana bread crock pot recipe, simply mash the ripe banana and set aside. Then mix your brown sugar and walnuts together. Toss everything else in the slow cooker, then add the mashed banana. Top with the sugar and walnut mixture and stir to mix. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. [caption id="attachment_836" align="alignnone" width="924"] Cider Beans[/caption]

Crock Pot Cider Beans

Are you looking for a potluck side dish idea? Try your hand at cider beans. They’re super easy to make and are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The ingredients include Great Northern beans, olive oil, yellow onion, carrots, tomato paste, blackstrap molasses, spicy brown mustard, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, kosher salt, black pepper, thyme leaves, and minced garlic. [caption id="attachment_837" align="alignnone" width="901"] veganinthefreezer.com[/caption]

Slow Cooker Spicy Cashews

This is an appetizer idea everyone should try making at some point in their lives. It only takes 75 minutes to make, and calls for cashews, coconut oil, ground cumin, powdered garlic, cayenne powder, smoked paprika, and Himalayan Sea Salt. Simply combine everything into the crockpot, cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and enjoy. [caption id="attachment_838" align="alignnone" width="807"] www.foodily.com[/caption]

Easy Naked Apple Butter.

With no added sugar, this apple butter is a yummy, healthy alternative to traditional apple butter. To make t, all you need are some sweet and tart apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice. [caption id="attachment_839" align="alignnone" width="762"] tasty-yummies.com[/caption]

Creamy Pumpkin Risotto.

Everyone needs to experiment with at least one new pumpkin recipe when Fall arrives. This year, try pumpkin risotto. All you’ll need is some olive oil, dried sage, crushed garlic, chopped onion, arborio rice, vegetable broth, salt and pepper, and roasted pumpkin. Cook the oil, sage, garlic, and onion for about 5 minutes, stir in rice and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer everything to the slow cooker and add broth, salt and pepper. Cook in the slow cooker on high for 1.5 hours and add pumpkin before serving. [caption id="attachment_841" align="aligncenter" width="712"] www.realsimple.com[/caption]

Crock Pot Lasagna with Squash.

This crock pot recipe is as simple as it comes; layer the ingredients and go about your day while the lasagna cooks on low for 3-4 hours. The ingredients include whole wheat lasagna noodles, frozen pureed squash, dried rubbed sage, part skim ricotta cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella, and some spinach. [caption id="attachment_842" align="alignnone" width="803"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

Easy Chicken Crock Pot Recipe: Cider-Braised Chicken Tacos

This chicken crock pot recipe is great for giving your traditional game day tacos a delicious twist for the next tailgate party. They’re a delicious combo of chicken, olive oil, garlic, chilies, chili powder, paprika, cumin, brown sugar, cayenne, beer, apple cider, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and cheese. Serve with crock pot salsa for an even more delicious sounding mix of apples, pomegranate arils, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, and sweet Thai chili sauce. Looking for more healthy taco recipes" Check out these popular, low calorie taco recipes from SHAPE Army. [caption id="attachment_843" align="alignnone" width="2048"] paleocatwon.com[/caption]

Crock Pot Chicken Recipe: Sweet Potato and Kale Stew.

This is another popular chicken crock pot recipe, perfect to satisfy a craving for some comfort food on a chilly fall evening. Put your crockpot to good use and whip up some chicken sweet potato and kale stew. The ingredients include chicken, yellow onion, carrots, sweet potato, garlic, chicken broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, mustard, bay leaves, and kale. Toss all the ingredients, except the kale, into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Add the kale toward the end and stir to combine. [caption id="attachment_844" align="aligncenter" width="626"] http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/vegetarian-stuffed-peppers[/caption]

Crock Pot Side Dishes: Veggie-Stuffed Peppers

Crock Pot recipes can provide delicious, healthy side dishes as well as hearty main courses. Try this stuffed peppers recipe in your slow cooker the next time you're looking for a vegetarian dish. You will need bell peppers, pasta sauce, black beans, corn, onion, rice, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, and cheddar cheese. They take 6-8 hours to cook on low, or 3-4 hours on high, and the recipe serves 6. [caption id="attachment_845" align="alignnone" width="744"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork

This is another easy crock pot recipe that makes a great tailgate dish that is as simple as combining everything into the slow cooker. You need a pork roast, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, Worcestershire sauce, maple extract, and hamburger buns. Cook for 4-6 hours on low, shred the pork, and enjoy! Looking for other healthy tastes of Fall? Try a Low Calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte. > > [caption id="attachment_846" align="aligncenter" width="653"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

A Healthy Crock Pot Soup Recipe: Fall Turkey Thai Soup.

Break out of your comfort zone and try an exotic dish, a Fall Harvest Turkey Thai Soup. It’s healthy, low calorie, low carb, and high in protein. The crock pot recipe is simple. It calls for light coconut milk, cooked turkey breast, chicken broth, butternut squash, green beans, red bell pepper, onion, red curry paste, fresh ginger, and a lime. Toss everything but the lime into the crockpot and cook on low for 5-7 hours or on high for 3-5 hours. Squeeze the lime juice on just before serving, or serve lime wedges on the side. [caption id="attachment_847" align="alignnone" width="901"] smittenkitchen.com[/caption]

Healthy Crock Pot Soup Recipe Black Bean Soup & Toasted Cumin Seed Crema

Cooler weather is the perfect time to enjoy a bowl of bean soup cooked in your slow cooker. Try a new spin on it with this recipe. Use olive oil, red onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, garlic, cumin, black beans, chipotle chiles, hot water, fresh lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. The best part about the crockpot soup? It only takes about 3 hours to cook! [caption id="attachment_849" align="alignnone" width="921"] foodgawker.com[/caption]

Fall Harvest Crock Pot Chili.

Don’t let the combination of pumpkin and chili scare you off. With the additions of cumin, white beans, parsnips, butternut squash, and ground chicken, this crock pot chili recipe is savory, delicious, and healthy and will have your entire family asking for seconds. [caption id="attachment_850" align="alignnone" width="1600"] Root Vegetable Stew[/caption]

Root Vegetable Crock Pot Stew.

Take advantage of the fall harvest and use seasonal veggies in a hearty crock pot stew. Combine white onion, butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, celery, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaves, sage leaves, and sea salt in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add the kale and cook for another 10 minutes before serving. [caption id="attachment_851" align="alignnone" width="620"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

Ginger Cider Hot Toddy.

Hosting a dinner party? Impress your guests with a delicious crockpot cider recipe. This easy and healthy crock pot recipe puts a spin on the Hot Toddy. You will need warm apple cider, 1 bag of tea, honey, ginger, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, and a shot of brandy, whiskey, rum, or bourbon. Interested in more healthy drink ideas? Check out these popular low calorie Cocktails. [caption id="attachment_853" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.sheknows.com[/caption]

Crock Pot Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Perhaps the signature drink of the season, everyone should know how to make their own pumpkin spice latte. All you need is milk, canned pumpkin, white sugar, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and brewed espresso. Add the espresso and milk to your crockpot, whisk in pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla. Cook on high for 2 hours, whisk again and enjoy! [caption id="attachment_855" align="alignnone" width="864"] joythebaker.co[/caption]

Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts.

While not the most attractive dish, it sure is delicious! This healthy crock pot recipe is simple; combine ingredients and add to the crockpot. Cook on high for 1.5-2.5 hours. All you need is flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, ground cloves, ground vanilla, salt, water, pumpkin puree, molasses, honey, canola oil, and walnuts. Try it with just a little soft cream cheese on top for a special touch.

Preparing Delicious Meals with Healthy Crock Pot Recipes

There you have it, 20 different healthy crock pot recipes that are perfect for the Fall, but probably desired through out the entire year. With options for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and even some healthy snack recipes, a slow cooker can compliment any part of your healthy meal plan. Remember, don’t be afraid to be creative. If you think something sounds like it might be a yummy addition, try it out!

Greek Yogurt Recipe : 10 Heavenly, Healthy Recipes

natalie — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 05:00:04 +0000

If you’re looking to spice up your healthy meal plan, consider trying new recipes with Greek yogurt. Beyond the appeal of a rich, creamy, slightly exotic taste, Greek Yogurt is hailed in the health and nutrition industry as a super food that is loaded with protein and calcium. So if you are looking for a healthy recipe to add a little flair to your diet, a Greek yogurt recipe from the following list is just the trick. Eating healthy never tasted so good.

10 Delicious, Healthy Greek Yogurt Recipes from SHAPE Army

[caption id="attachment_857" align="alignnone" width="980"] pulse.ng[/caption]

Greek Yogurt Salad with Red Pepper Harissa and Feta.

Red pepper is known for helping increase your metabolism. Combine this healthy spice into this plain Greek yogurt recipe, crumbled feta cheese, fresh mint, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper for a flavorful and exotic dish.

Greek Yogurt Topped Caprese Salad

For a Greek twist on a classic Italian dish, try topping your Caprese salad with Greek yogurt. Combine plain greek yogurt, cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil and you’ll have a delicious Caprese salad and a new way to enjoy your Greek yogurt.

[caption id="attachment_859" align="alignnone" width="500"] www.lafujimama.com[/caption]

Avocado Basil Parfait Using Greek Yogurt

If Caprese salads aren’t your cup of tea, try an Avocado Basil Parfait. You can make this by combining plain greek yogurt, chunks of avocado, lemon juice, basil leaves, olive oil, salt, and fresh ground pepper for a healthy way to get your yogurt fix.

[caption id="attachment_860" align="alignnone" width="700"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]

Greek Yogurt Parfait with Granola

This Greek yogurt recipe combines savory Granola with Tomato and Cucumber. To make this savory Greek yogurt recipe, combine Greek yogurt with grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped red onion, chopped fresh herbs, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt. Top with crumbled sesame crackers as a granola. It’s a delicious, healthy, and more filling alternative to plain greek yogurt and traditional granola topping.

For other healthy summer time treats, try these low calorie cocktail recipes > >

: noshon.it

Minty Cucumber Walnut Greek Yogurt Parfait.

This Greek yogurt parfait recipe makes a great dish to pack in your lunch on a steamy summer day. Simply combine some plain Greek yogurt with grated and drained cucumber, raisins, fresh mint, chickpeas, toasted walnuts, salt, and pepper. Pack it for lunch by layering the ingredients in an easy to carry mason jar. For more details on how to do so, read here.

[caption id="attachment_863" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.shape.com[/caption]

Mediterranean Veggie Greek Yogurt Parfait.

For a Mediterranean spin on a plain Greek yogurt recipe, combine plain Greek yogurt with hummus, chopped bell peppers, chopped cucumber, lemon juice, chickpeas, kalamata olives, pine nuts, and chopped mint.

[caption id="attachment_864" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.shape.com[/caption]

Beet-Citrus Greek Yogurt Recipe.

Not all Greek yogurt recipes need to be complicated. You can still enjoy a creative take on greek yogurt with simple ingredients. For example, try topping your yogurt with orange segments, shredded raw beets and fresh dill for a refreshing, healthy addition to your morning routine. The citrus from the orange will help add some zing to your morning.

[caption id="attachment_865" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.shape.com[/caption]

Simi Bowl Greek Yogurt Recipe

For another exotic twist to your classic Greek yogurt recipe, try combining quartered fresh figs, diced tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, chopped bell pepper, chopped cucumber, basil chiffonade, crumbled pita chips, olive oil, and sea salt. This delicious combo would make an impressive, delicious addition to a summertime potluck!

[caption id="attachment_866" align="alignnone" width="700"] www.shape.com[/caption]

Zucchini Pesto Greek Yogurt with Tomato

Take advantage of the abundance of vegetables in your garden or at farmers’ markets and try out a dish of zucchini pesto with tomato. Combine Greek yogurt, zucchini pesto, roast cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, crumbled parmesan, a balsamic reduction, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper for a delicious, refreshing side to any meal.

[caption id="attachment_868" align="alignnone" width="600"] www.shape.com[/caption]

Quinoa Herb Greek Yogurt Parfait

Incorporate plain Greek yogurt into a more substantial dish like a quinoa herb parfait and you’ll leave the table feeling light and satisfied. Simply combine Greek yogurt, cooked quinoa, diced avocado, diced cucumber, pine nuts, fresh dill, lemon zest, olive oil, and fresh parsley and you’ll end up with a dish that will be the envy of everyone around you.

Eating Healthy with Greek Yogurt Recipes

With a bit of planning and research, you can liven up your boring meal with a healthy, delicious Greek yogurt recipe, and with all the variations to choose from, you never have to get bored when cooking with Greek yogurt. There are many, many more Greek recipes available on the internet. Get creative and conjure your own flavorful combinations. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You might end up discovering an amazing favorite dish. For more ideas, click here.Greek Yogurt Recipe : 10 Heavenly, Healthy Recipes

How to Start Running: 5K Training Plan for Beginners

natalie — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 04:25:17 +0000

For beginners wanting to learn how to start running, a 5k race is a great starting line. When preparing for any race, but especially if it is your first race, it is important to develop and follow a training program. A good 5k training program needs to be customized to your fitness level, activity level, and individual goals. Fortunately for you, there are training programs out there for everyone, including those who spend more time on the couch and can only walk 25 minutes at a time. With the training program below, you will be well on your way to running your first 5k in only 8 weeks! This is an eight-week program with three days of training per week. The best part of the program is you pick which three days you work out, making it the perfect program for busy people. Ideally you’ll want to have a day between training days for rest or if you’re feeling ambitious, cross training.

5k Training Plan Week One

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 4 minutes, jog for 1 minute. Repeat this 3 times for a total workout time of 20 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Two

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 3 minutes, jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 4 times for a total workout time of 25 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Three

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 3 minutes, jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 5 times for a total workout time of 30 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Four

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 2 minutes, jog for 3 minutes. Repeat 4 times for a total workout time of 25 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Five

Days one, two and three: Walk for 2 minutes, jog for 3 minutes. Repeat 5 times for a total workout time of 30 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Six

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 1 minute, jog for 3 minutes. Repeat 7 times for a total workout time of 32 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Seven

Days one, two, and three: Walk for 1 minute, jog for 4 minutes. Repeat 6 times for a total workout time of 35 minutes.

5K Training Plan: Week Eight

Days one and two: Walk for 1 minute, jog for 4 minutes. Repeat 7 times for a total workout time of 40 minutes. Day Three: Race Day! With determination and motivation, anyone can learn how to start running by completing a 5K. Just follow this simple 5k training plan and you’ll be there in no time! More information about learning how to start running and training for a 5K can be found here.

18 Healthy Recipes: For Grab and Go Snacks

natalie — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:05:49 +0000

Eating healthy is easier if you prepare for success. If healthy meals or snacks are ready to grab and go when you are in a hurry, it’s a lot easier than if you have to stop and make something. If you are like most people, the minute you have to stop and prepare is the very moment you decide to hit the fast food drive through so conveniently placed on your way to wherever you are headed. Plan ahead to avoid this typical compromise. Schedule an hour or two in your week – maybe one hour on Sunday and one on Wednesday evening, when you can prepare several quick and healthy snacks that will last you up until the next prep day. Here are some fun ideas to try when you are getting everything ready.

[caption id="attachment_875" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.ambitiouskitchen.com[/caption]

Quick bread and fruit skewers. Try some easy, healthy banana bread cookies (recipe below) and slices of bananas or strawberries all ready to go in handy plastic resealable bags. Make a few skewers, or just grab an individually portioned bag of fruit and one or two of the cookies and you’re good to go.

Banana Bread Cookies: 2 large mashed bananas and 2 cups gluten-free oatmeal. Process the oatmeal in the blender until you’ve made a course flour. Mix with the two mashed ripe bananas and add whatever healthy items you like to that, raisins, dried fruit, a little vanilla extract, cacao nibs, nuts, nut butter ... whatever you like (about ½ cup total). Then place a medium-sized spoonful of the mixture on the baking sheet for each cookie. Spray the sheet with olive oil or nonstick spray. Flatten the cookies a bit and bake at 350˚ for 9-12 minutes. If you use ½ C of your favorite add-in items, the cookies will be about 60 calories each, and you’ll get about 16 of them per batch. Keep a few out and freeze the rest in individually portioned serving bags.

More Healthy Recipes: Low Calorie Cocktails and other Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

Refrigerator Oatmeal. Make eight servings at a time in ½ pint mason jars – go to Refrigerator_Oatmeal for step-by-step instructions with pictures. Make these in flavors you love in other types of foods. Examples could be blueberry lemon, pineapple coconut & macadamia, pumpkin pie, mocha, raspberry cream or coconut lime. We’d love to hear your flavor combo in the comments. [caption id="attachment_878" align="alignleft" width="150"] heatherpierceinc.com[/caption]
Chia pudding and dried fruit. You can make a larger batch of chia pudding and leave it in the fridge, just scoop out what you want for the meal and add some dried fruit and maybe a few seeds or raw nuts too. Chia pudding is easy to make. For every 1½ cup milk (dairy, nut, soy, coconut – you choose) add 1/3 cup chia seeds and something to sweeten. A few packets of Stevia works great, or you can add 1-2 teaspoons of raw honey or pure maple syrup. Using that amount of each ingredient makes four servings. If you want some chocolate chia pudding, you can either add unsweetened cocoa powder or try making it with chocolate milk (regular or soy are both easy to find). [caption id="attachment_879" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.bonappetit.com[/caption]
Crunchy cashew sesame bars. Check the recipe out at crunchy-cashew-sesame-bars. You’ll get 12 bars you can freeze separately. Grab one in the morning on your way out the door with an apple, orange, pear, or banana and the bar should be ready to eat when you finish your commute. [caption id="attachment_883" align="alignright" width="260"] peterandjessica.org[/caption]
Freezer breakfast sandwiches. Pull out your LARGE muffin tin or individual ramekins and while you are doing other prep work, bake six eggs. Break one egg into each muffin slot, pierce the yolk with a sharp knife, and then bake in an oven at 350˚ for 10-12 minutes. Slide them out of containers after they have set. Salt and pepper to taste. Now start putting together your breakfast sandwiches. Using 6 English muffins, 6 portions of your favorite breakfast meat, and 6 slices of cheese. Compile, wrap them individually in a paper towel and then put in individual plastic resealable bags. In the morning, pull one out, remove the plastic – it’s ready to be microwaved in the paper towel already. Heat at half power in your microwave for 1 minute, flip it over and heat for another minute. Now you can be on your way. The paper towel will keep any spills from hitting your clothes.
Muesli scones. [caption id="attachment_884" align="alignleft" width="150"] elanaspantry.com[/caption] We found another fun one you can make, bake and freeze in individual bags for grab and go goodness. Check out the recipe at muesli-scones.

There are lots more options for healthy breakfasts you can make ahead for grab and go, but we thought you’d especially enjoy those listed above.

Now, what about some lunches? If you haven’t already, stock up on those individual-sized plastic containers and lids – look for them when they are on sale and buy several sizes and shapes.

[caption id="attachment_887" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.houstonfamilymagazine.com[/caption]

Grilled chicken veggie bowls. Healthy recipes calling for chicken are always popular. Even better, you don't even have to grill the chicken if you don't want to. Buy a few rotisserie chickens from the deli section of your market, or get some thick slices of cooked chicken breast from the meat counter. Of course, if you want to cook your own, that will cost you a bit less, and you’ll have more control over how it is prepared. Your choice. Now, in one of your cheapo microwaveable plastic containers, add in ½ cup of cooked rice, quinoa, or legumes. On top of that, put some of your favorite veggies – you can grill or bake them in advance. You can even go with frozen veggies here to keep things easy since you’re going to be freezing these bowls again to keep them fresh. Now add 4 oz. of chicken to the top. The container you use should be the right size, so what you put in fills it almost to the top. If not, add some more healthy veggies under the chicken. Now put the lid on and make sure the seal is tight. Freeze them until you are ready to use, then pull out of the freezer, take the lid off, cover with a paper towel, and microwave for about 4-7 minutes depending on your microwave. If you want a specific recipe to try, grilled-chicken-veggie-bowls would be a good one.
Tuna salad sandwiches. [caption id="attachment_888" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.nwedible.com[/caption] There aren't to many healthy recipes for sandwiches, but this is one of the few, and it is delicious. Make these ahead of time and freeze them. Yep, that’s what we said, freeze them. Make your favorite tuna salad spread. If you usually use mayo, replace half or all of it with 0% fat Greek yogurt. Add some finely chopped hearty veggies like carrots, green onion, sugar snap peas, and jicama. If you want a little sweetness, add finely chopped green apple or fresh crushed pineapple. Now, here’s what makes this work. Use whole wheat sandwich thins and a slice of provolone cheese. Between the sandwich thin bottom and the tuna salad, place the provolone cheese – this keeps the bread from getting soggy. Wrap each sandwich up tight and put in freezer bags. Grab one before you leave the house in the morning and it will be perfect at lunch time. If you freeze these with the top of the sandwich thin still open for about 30 minutes before folding it, you won’t have to worry about something between the spread and the bread on top.
Salads. [caption id="attachment_889" align="alignright" width="150"] www.deliciouslywell.com[/caption] Salads seem to be the staple of healthy recipes. The only disadvantage of salads, is they usually require some prep time. But here is a great idea for making healthy grab-and-go salads. You can even include your favorite healthy salad dressing without having the salad go soggy. The trick is to make salads in small plastic containers or in pint-sized mason jars and then put the healthy salad dressing on the bottom, then a layer of veggies that won’t wilt from the dressing – broccoli, sugar snap peas, raw mushroom slices, cauliflower would all work nicely. Then put either your protein or any fruit you want to add with the protein on top of that. Above all of that put the green leafy veggies. Seal it. If you want croutons, crackers, or the like, put them in a plastic bag and tape the bag to the container. Another easy grab and go lunch ready for the taking - just waiting in your fridge.
Wrap bags. Get gallon-sized resealable plastic bags. Now place the items to make your favorite wrap inside, each in their own resealable plastic bag. You’ll need the wrap – if you want low-carb, there are some great low-carb tortillas you can try, your protein of choice, veggies that will work well, maybe even a little brown rice. If you’ve got access to a fridge at your office, invest in some different condiments that you can keep there. But for this, you could also put some hummus, cream cheese, or 0% fat Greek yogurt with spices in a small plastic container to use as a spread. Now when you’re ready, just compile your wrap and enjoy. Of course, you could do the same and use your favorite healthy bread instead of a wrap too.

Want more healthy recipes from SHAPE Army? Try these healthy taco recipes, a perfect meal for Sunday Football or Taco Tuesday.

[caption id="attachment_892" align="alignright" width="150"] www.nutritionistinthekitch.com[/caption]

Veggie chips. Check around for recipes. There are all kinds of easy veggies chips you can make, usually only needing the veggies, some olive oil, and seasoning baked in a single layer in the oven. If you use two baking pans at a time, you can double the amount by simply switching the placement of the pans halfway through the cooking time. Here’s a recipe you can try for zucchini-chips. [caption id="attachment_893" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.pinterest.com[/caption]
FroYo. This is something you can keep on hand and make in no time. Combine ¾ - 1 Cup of 0% fat Greek yogurt, or low carb yogurt of your choice, with ¾ Cup of frozen berries (no syrup just the berries) and 1-2 packets of Stevia (or if you prefer 1 teaspoon of raw honey). Smash the frozen berries in the yogurt and mix all ingredients together. The frozen berries will partially freeze the yogurt, and you’ll have a wonderful sweet treat in about 1 minute prep time. You’ll know exactly what is in it and that it’s a healthy choice. You could probably safely keep the ingredients in a work freezer too – unless someone sees you making it – then all bets are off. [caption id="attachment_894" align="alignright" width="150"] www.berkeleybowl.com[/caption]
Mixed nuts. Make your own blend of raw nuts and seeds. Then carefully portion them into 1 oz. serving sizes kept in separate plastic bags. Nuts have a lot of protein and healthy fats. That means that a little will give you something to keep going and make you feel satisfied. But be careful, nuts can also be a bit addictive. Limit yourself to only one serving.
DIY freezer oatmeal cups. [caption id="attachment_896" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.tastespotting.com[/caption] Make up a batch of these and leave them in the freezer for easy enjoyment. If you are like us, you’ll like these best while still mainly frozen, diy-freezer-oatmeal-cups.

And now for some dinner options.

Stir fry freezer dinners. [caption id="attachment_899" align="alignright" width="150"] www.superhealthykids.com[/caption] This is similar to the chicken veggie bowls. Only you keep ingredients in separate plastic freezer bags. Bake the meat of your choice, season it well, or marinate with some soy sauce and sweetener. Let the cooked meat rest and when cooled, cut into cubes of about ½ inch each. Portion the meat into amounts that will make up a meal – if you are on your own, then individual sized, if you have a family of four to feed, than enough for the group. Now cut and prep your veggies – if you keep them about the same size, they should cook evenly. For veggies that are denser, like carrots, turnips, rutabagas, consider doing them julienne style so they will cook faster. Also prepare brown rice ahead of time. You can microwave it while you are stir frying the meat and veggies. Want a recipe, go to frozen-stirfry-dinners.
Enchiladas. [caption id="attachment_900" align="alignleft" width="150"] www.kowalskis.com[/caption] Make two pans of your favorite enchilada recipe. Bake them both. Enjoy one for dinner that night, and freeze the other pan. If you don’t eat all the enchilada for dinner, then freeze the leftover ones in individual plastic bags. These will make for easy grab and go lunches or snacks when you need one. Consider putting some un-chopped green onions in a plastic bag with the pan you freeze and keep them on top of the enchiladas, inside the lid or foil covering. This allows you to cut them just before serving, and the fresh cut will release their oils, adding more flavor.
Crockpot meat sauce. [caption id="attachment_902" align="alignright" width="150"] wannabite.com[/caption] Make a batch of meat sauce in your crockpot and then portion it into meal-sized bags. If you freeze these bags lying flat rather than standing up, they will thaw faster when you are ready to use them. Need a recipe – try this slow-simmered-meat-sauce.

Teriyaki Chicken.Prepare everything ahead of time and keep in a large freezer bag. Just drop it all in the crockpot in the morning, cook on low for 8 hours and you’ll have 4-6 servings. Freeze leftovers for lunches. This is all it takes, 2 pounds chicken thighs, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 can pineapple chunks. Serve over brown rice with green veggies on the side.

Many of the amazing ideas we are sharing were inspired by sunday-funday-meals.

6 Minute to Sexy Thighs

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 03:23:16 +0000

Who isn't a little pressed for time? Just about everyone. This 6 minutes to sexy thighs video is perfect. It can be done just about anywhere and needs no equipment. Get ready set and feel the burn to sexier thighs.

Tips to Begin That Healthy Lifestyle

natalie — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 20:44:07 +0000

There is no better day than today. It is the day to begin that healthy lifestyle. There is no excuse. Whether we start with small changes or big ones. The most important part is that we begin. Don't put off a healthy lifestyle for another day. Push play and get some great tips to begin your healthy life.

Motivation for Mind Shift

natalie — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:28:39 +0000

"As a man thinketh, so is he." This proverbial apothegm is a basic truth of the nature of human beings, that any lasting change has to begin within ourselves, before those changes can manifest externally and change our lives. Watch this inspirational video about shifting our mentalities and realizing that lasting transformation must first be rooted in our minds, and central in our thinking. This is the mind shift. Get pumped up with more motivational videos from SHAPE Army. Watch this inspirational video for the motivation you might need to begin with the mind shift that will ultimately put change your life and put you on the road to success.

Motivational Videos to Deflate Your Excuses

natalie — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:37:17 +0000

We have all done it. We have given excuses as to why we don't do something. Well, check this video out. You will stop making excuses. If your are looking for motivational videos that will deflate any of your excuses, or proportionate the obstacles you think are insurmountable, then this is the motivational video you need to succeed.

Motivational Video: Never Give Up!

natalie — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 18:18:48 +0000

What is your calling in life? What motivates you? What goal in life do you want to meet? Today is the day to not give up. It is time to stop dreaming and start succeeding. Check out this motivational video and never give up.

The Steps That Helped Jennifer Lose More Than 175 lbs

natalie — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 19:31:15 +0000

Many people set out to lose weight and adopt healthier lifestyles every year. Some never see their goals achieved, while others like Jennifer Downard, manage to tackle their goals, and then some! Meet this inspiring mom who, with the support of her family and determination, kicked her unhealthy lifestyle to the curb losing an astonishing and impressive 175 pounds! Here’s how she did it. Before Jennifer began her weight-loss journey, she took a good hard look at her lifestyle choices. All through her childhood and young adult life, proper nutrition never entered the picture. She would spend some days as a child eating an entire box of pop tarts. As she continued to grow up and mature, her weight climbed higher. Because she was also a funny person, she never felt the need to lose weight because her humor gave her enough confidence to not let the weight get in the way. As she entered college, her unhealthy habits continued, and her weight escalated. So when did the change occur? What motivated Jennifer to lose the weight and get healthier? It wasn’t until she met her husband and wanted to adopt a newborn that she faced her problem. She would watch other parents at the park and noticed two different types of parents: those interacting and playing with their children, and others sitting on the sidelines. She decided then and there that she wanted to be an active part of her child’s life. To do so, she needed to embrace a healthier lifestyle and lose weight. She started small trying not to look at her new eating habits as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. She gradually began incorporating more water in her day, even if she had to use flavor packets to make it more appealing. Eventually, she went without the flavor packets. She found drinking water before a meal, she felt full faster. She also cut out processed and fast foods, and instead opted for more fruits and something she never ate much of before — vegetables. She embraced this new way of eating and found, if cooked the right way, vegetables like brussel sprouts were actually pretty good! In addition to the healthier eating habits, she began incorporating exercise into her routine. Again, starting small. Ten minutes every couple days dancing to a Zumba video in her home was her beginning point. Gradually adding more minutes to the workouts. She also tried walking, which turned into jogging. To help her stay on track, she joined DietBet.com, a website where you place bets on your weight loss goals. Jennifer’s first bet was $25 that she would lose four percent of her body weight. She ended up achieving that goal and won back that $25, and then some. Today, she works Zumba for more than an hour at a time, she loves to run, and she’s won a pretty substantial chunk of change from DietBet.com — $1,500! But even with the new healthy eating habits, Jennifer attributes much of her success to calorie counting. Counting calories helps her stay on track, and it’s how she decides if she’s allowed to indulge a bit at the end of the day with a frozen greek yogurt or another sweet snack. For her, counting calories helped keep her accountable, so much so she plans on counting calories for the rest of her life, and that’s not a bad thing — especially when the reward has been so great! Now that she’s managed to lose over 175 pounds, Jennifer enjoys shopping in department stores. She also feels more comfortable and confident going out in public with her husband, who has always been on the more slender side. The extra energy she gets from working out and just being genuinely healthier is an amazing benefit to her and makes it easier to keep up with her child. For anyone looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle and drop some weight, Jennifer advises you don’t look at it as a diet. Long-term, meaningful weight loss comes with changes to your lifestyle. She also recommends drinking a lot of water and counting calories. Those are the things that helped Jennifer stay on track. Give them a try! With the right mindset and motivation, you can achieve anything!

Turn Defeat Into A Victory

natalie — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 18:58:06 +0000

It’s about determination and turning failure into success. Stacy Phillips’ weight gain began early. At 12 she was on Weight Watchers with her mother and by the time she married in 1991 she weighed 122 pounds for the wedding. But she’d work hard to lose 40 pounds to reach that weight. Things got worse. During her marriage, she baked and cooked for entertainment and, though not a binge eater or an emotional eater, she put on 10 to 15 pounds every year after the marriage. In 2006, she weighed 168 pounds and sometimes had to walk with a cane because her knees hurt so badly. She had an infant son who already had health problems. One day she was carrying him and tripped and fell. Both she and the baby went flying. Though neither one of them was injured, it was a wake-up call for Stacy. She knew if she had been a normal weight she would have been able to catch herself and regain her balance. But because she was so overweight, she tumbled. Something had to be done, not only for herself but for her son as well. She began a meal replacement diet called Medifast after reading of another woman’s success with it. Working with the plan, she lost 60 pounds and began training for a 5K run. After fourteen months, she reached her goal weight of 128 pounds. She was thrilled and active. But then she learned she was pregnant again and had to give up the program. The weight came back and, after a life-threatening miscarriage, she found herself in the hospital. Within three months of this misfortune, she lost her mother, and her son had a kidney transplant. Her weight was the last thing on her mind. She lived in a Ronald McDonald house during her son’s recovery where healthy eating was difficult. She gave up exercising and as a result, all of her weight came back. She weighed 272 pounds, and felt like a total failure. But, on a Wish Trip to Disneyland with former NFL player Kurt Warner and his family, his wife Brenda told her “It’s never too late to become who you want to be.” This, coupled with her desire to be healthy for her family, gave Stacy the hope and incentive she needed to begin again. She began the meal replacement program and decided this time to make healthy life changes to last a lifetime. She didn’t even set a goal weight. After 18 months, she had lost 142 pounds and weighed 130. Her confidence that she could keep the weight off, so she got rid of all the clothes that were too big for her. This past summer she ran a marathon in Paris. She feels her new-found health contributes to her family’s health, too. The takeaway? Turn any defeat into a victory.