You are what you eat. At least, that's the old adage. It's also one I believe in — what you put into your body has a big effect on how you feel. There are foods that fight fat and detox foods. There are even foods that help you sleep better and look fresher. Adding to the list of foods that fuel with a purpose are foods that help ease pain. Whether it's a headache, post-workout soreness, or an injury, these foods will help ease the pain away in a totally natural way.
Just when you thought burpees couldn't get any better, we're here to show you a new variation using one of our favorite fitness tools, the BOSU. Check out this variation of the classic exercise from Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks. Adding a little instability to the push-up forces the core to work more, as does lifting the unwieldy BOSU overhead. To work the middle even more, Lauren adds in a twist after the push-up. Feel your heart rate rise as you challenge every body part with this move.
1. Come into a deep squat holding the BOSU at chest level.
2. Place the ball side of the BOSU on the ground, then jump or walk your legs back to a plank position.
If you're trying to lose weight, you may be confused by conflicting information about how diet and exercise affect dropping kilograms. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to create a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits. Put thes six habits of successful dieters into practise and watch the kilos begin to melt away.
If you're trying to lose weight, you may be confused by conflicting information about how diet and exercise affect dropping pounds. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to create a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits. Put these six habits of successful dieters into practice and watch the pounds begin to melt away.
Good posture not only makes you look confident, but it can also make you look up to 4.5 kilos thinner. No matter how toned those abs might be, slouching curves the spine forward, creating rolls on the belly. It can also make you appear inches shorter than you truly are. From my time in the Pilates studio, I can tell you the majority of my clients tuck the pelvis under and let the ribs fall behind their center, allowing the shoulders to round forward. This makes a giant C-curve out of the spine. And this is definitely not good posture. 
The solution to the droopy spine and tucked pelvis is pretty simple:
This postural tip works whether you're sporting a bikini or a one-piece, wearing a mini-dress or shorts. Not only will you look good, but your spine will appreciate your good posture too.
Good posture not only makes you look confident, but it can also make you look up to 10 pounds thinner. No matter how toned those abs might be, slouching curves the spine forward, creating rolls on the belly. It can also make you appear inches shorter than you truly are. From my time in the Pilates studio, I can tell you the majority of my clients tuck the pelvis under and let the ribs fall behind their center, allowing the shoulders to round forward. This makes a giant C-cure out of the spine. And this is definitely not good posture.
The solution to the droopy spine and tucked pelvis is pretty simple:
This postural tip works whether you're sporting a bikini or a one-piece, wearing a halter dress or short shorts. Not only will you look good, but your spine will appreciate your good posture too.
The next time you go to do an elbow plank, kick it into high gear — literally — with this elbow plank variation. Adding a donkey kick to a basic plank requires extra strength, as it will challenge your core while toning your glutes and hamstring. Here's how:
Consider holding Downward Facing Dog for five long breaths between sets.
Yoga and fitness instructor Mandy Ingber helps keep Hollywood's elite, like Jennifer Aniston, toned and trim. Earlier this week, we treated some of our POPSUGAR Fitness readers to a Class FitSugar taught by Mandy at LA's SmogShoppe and sponsored by St. Ives. Since we know you all can't hop down to Southern California for a yoga session, we are highlighting a few of our favorite moves from the class, along with Mandy's words of wisdom.
Stay tuned! Later this Spring we will have two new 10-minute Class FitSugar workouts featuring Mandy.
The next time you go to do an elbow plank, kick it into high gear — literally — with this elbow plank variation. Adding a donkey kick to a basic plank requires extra strength, as it will challenge your core while toning your booty and hamstring. Here's how:
Consider holding Downward Facing Dog for five long breaths between sets.
Just when you thought burpees couldn't get any better, we're here to show you a new variation using one of our favorite fitness tools, the BOSU. Check out this variation of the classic exercise from Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks. Adding a little instability to the push-up forces the core to work more, as does lifting the unwieldy BOSU overhead. To work the middle even more, Lauren adds in a twist after the push-up. Feel your heart rate rise as you challenge every body part with this move.
1. Come into a deep squat holding the BOSU at chest level.
2. Place the ball side of the BOSU on the ground, then jump or walk your legs back to a plank position.
Looking for a new move to work your lower body? One exercise you may want to try are Romanian deadlifts. They're a great way to work your hamstrings while also working your quads and butt.
Here's how you do them:
New to this? Then use a lighter pair of dumbbells until you get stronger — you don't want to strain your back. Already a pro? Then try doing it on just one leg.
Looking for a new move to work your lower body? One exercise you may want to try are Romanian deadlifts. They're a great way to work your hamstrings while also working your quads and butt.
Here's how you do them:
New to this? Then use a lighter pair of dumbbells until you get stronger — you don't want to strain your back. Already a pro? Then try doing it on just one leg.
Not only is an at-home workout excuse-proof, since it's free, it will only cost you calories! Check out this full-body circuit workout that fits in your living room. It takes about 20 minutes to do, and other than a chair, it requires no props.
Instructions: After warming up with light cardio for five minutes, repeat each three-exercise circuit twice, resting for 60 seconds after completing one rep of an entire circuit.
Click here to download a PDF of the workout that you can print. It looks best printed in color and fits on one page. Hang the workout up on your fridge to remind yourself to work it.
A solid warmup sets you up for a solid workout. When it comes to prepping for strength training, an active warmup primes the joints and muscles, prepping them for the heavy lifting. For a proper warmup, Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks recommends getting the heart rate up a bit with five minutes of cardio, like running on a treadmill, jumping rope, or using an elliptical, followed by three to five minutes of dynamic stretching. Lauren suggests doing at least three of these dynamic stretches before heading to the weight rack. Or do all five moves for a very thorough warmup.
Rocking Lunge
Give an active stretch to both your hips and hamstrings with the rocking lunge. Start in a deep lunge with your left leg forward; you can even bring your right knee to the floor. Straighten your left knee to rock your weight back and onto your right foot, lengthening the left hamstring. Flex your left toes as you rock into the hamstring stretch to lengthen the calf a bit too. Return back to your deep lunge, and repeat for a total of 10 times on each side.
Toy Soldier
A walking kick, the toy soldier stretches out the back of the leg, both hamstrings and calves. Step forward on your right foot, and kick your left leg forward, bringing your left toes toward your right hand. Step onto your left foot and kick the right leg, bringing the right foot toward your left hand. Take 20 steps total.
Why do we love circuit workouts? It's simple: they torch calories while building muscle. So we created this efficient full-body circuit that combines several exercises to work multiple body parts at once. And since you can easily do this workout in the comfort of your living room, it's excuse-proof, too. It takes about 20 minutes! All you need is a set of dumbbells between five and eight pounds. Even if you don't have weights, you can still give it a go.
Instructions: After warming up with light cardio for five minutes, repeat each three-exercise circuit twice, resting for 60 seconds after completing one round of an entire circuit.
Find the printable version here.
Skip the crunches and challenge your entire body when working your abs. Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks is a fan of the hanging knee tuck for toning the upper body while targeting the abs. It's a challenging move that truly pays off. You use the abs as you pull the knees to your chest, and as you lower the legs back down, the abs work to keep the torso stable. Plus, just hanging from the bar works the arms and upper back quite nicely.
Learn more about this exercise after the break.
I must admit, I am not a true fan of the elliptical. My husband, however, loves the machine, which is why we have one. Mostly, I use the elliptical when I need a cardio fix but want to give my joints a break. The workout is less pounding than running and more convenient than cycling. Unfortunately, I find the machine boring. I keep my elliptical workouts fresh by playing with all the elements the machine has to offer: pedaling backward and alternating between pushing and pulling the handles. Adding intervals also spices up my time on the machine and I even like to work my core and go hands-free.
Here is a workout that keeps me ellipticizing for 35 minutes and hopefully it will work for you too. To check out the workout, keep on reading.
Many a runner has been sidelined by knee pain caused by the iliotibial band (aka the ITB). But knowing how to deal with this long band of fascia, which runs down the outside of the thigh from the pelvis to just below the knee, can help keep an overuse injury at bay. Knowledge is power, and we want to help keep you on the road.
First off, fascia is a stiff connective tissue (like tendons and ligaments) that surrounds muscles, bones, and joints, providing both support and protection. It's like shrink-wrap; once fascia becomes tight, it tends to stay tight, causing pain and injuries. When the ITB shortens, usually due to poor biomechanics (like losing your running technique when tired), the fascial band can pull the knee cap out of alignment. The faulty alignment creates inflammation in the joint and pain when bending the knee. This injury, known as iliotibial band syndrome, occurs in more women than men, most likely due to the wider female pelvis.
To avoid overuse injuries, it's important to keep this thick band of fascia flexible, especially if you're training for a race and upping your weekly mileage. Keep reading to learn how.
You can do anything for a minute! Equinox trainer Lauren Fairbanks shared this nugget of inspiration with me during a recent treadmill workout, which features 60-second bursts of speed. During the run, the pace for intervals keeps increasing until you get close to hitting a seven-minute mile — but only for a minute. With this quick-paced workout, you will likely not feel fully recovered before you start your next interval, but this will only make you a stronger runner. Lauren says, "You should feel pretty tired, or better yet, have a runner's high, after finishing."
Time flies when you're running fast; there's not a chance you'll get bored with this workout. Ready to put Lauren's one-minute mantra to the test? Check out the workout when you read more.
