Self Magazine

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You know how some restaurants highlight their lighter offerings in an attempt to woo their healthier customers? Well, at Panera Bread, some of the healthiest and most flavorful options don't appear anywhere on their menu. It turns out that earlier this year, Panera Breads nationwide started offering a new lineup of "power foods" with lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and veggies as part of its all-new Hidden Menu. These six "power foods" items aren't promoted in-store, but fans and followers of Panera's social media channels will get the inside scoop. Lucky for you, we've got the inside scoop now, too. Check out the six pack here — plus the skinny on each of 'em.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Hydro ride, pool biking, aqua cycling . . . whatever you want to call it, the low-impact workout that's hugely popular across Europe in countries like France, Italy, and Germany is finally making a splash in the States, too. And let us tell you — it's definitely interesting!

Currently, the Euro trend is being offered at only a handful of places in the United States, and the first boutique underwater cycling studio opened its doors to curious New Yorkers this past week. Three ambitious SELF staffers (myself and my editor included) tested the hydro bikes at AQUAStudio NY, a gorgeous TriBeCa studio that boasts modern, Zen-like decor that felt more like a Russian bathhouse than a gym. "I just want to live here!" a student in our class gushed.

But the new trendy studio, with its pint-size pool is oceans away from the high energy, lane-to-lane packed pools in many European classes, which often take place outdoors with the instructor on a bike on deck. (Need a visual? Check out the crazy YouTube vids.)

What's it like?

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Scarlett Johansson rocks that magic combo of curves, confidence and fitness that somehow inspires a we-can't-help-it obsession in us all. I mean, girl is gorgeous. As femme fatale Black Widow in The Avengers — which won several MTV Movie Awards this past weekend — she looks so damn comfortable in that skintight body suit, she got us jonesing to get a bodacious superhero body, too.

To the rescue: L.A.-based trainers Bobby and Alicia Strom, who worked with Johansson while she was prepping for the role. "She really puts 100% into getting ready for whatever role she needs to play," says Bobby. "When she was going to be in The Avengers, she wanted to be more athletic and toned."

So, what's the first thing you learn in Action Star 101? You need to get a core hovering in that "rock solid" zone. "She was being shot around in a harness, doing kicks and jumps," says Bobby. "She [needed] to be strong enough not to get hurt doing stunts."

The trainer had Johansson strengthening her core with a tough super move that combines the Inchworm with knee tucks. Check out this totally homemade but insanely awesome how-to video featuring Alicia Strom (who's sporting super-chic Victoria's Secret VSX Sport Line, btw). Once we nail this move like Scarlett did — watch out world, catsuit here we come!

Get Scarlett's catsuit-worthy move.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Sigh. You graceful ballerina. What is it about the allure of your long lines, "I got my ish together" posture and cloud-walking glide? Watching a ballerina on the move always reminds us it would probably be a good idea to unfurl our hunchbacked shoulders every now and then (like our moms told us to!). One ballerina we're crushing on in particular? Misty Copeland, soloist at the American Ballet Theater and spokeswoman for Dr. Pepper.

Not only is the girl ridiculously talented and uber graceful, she's also got a strong physique and hot bod to boot. "It's one of the few art forms that you have to start at such a young age. It really takes years to shape and mold the body," says Copeland, who took her first ballet class on a Boys & Girls Club basketball court.

Since some of us may not be able to dedicate years to the craft, Copeland gives us a for-dummies-style guide to the first building block of ballet: the Plie. "The technique creates these long, lean muscles so you're incredibly strong but in a delicate way," she says. "Something as simple as the plie will strengthen your quads, inner thighs, and calf muscles." One move to ballerina legs? Done.

Read on for the move.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Game on — and it's your willpower up to bat! We asked nutritionists across the country how to hit concession stands without putting thousands of empty calories on the scoreboard.

Do: Choose Grilled Chicken

These sandwiches are a stadium slam dunk. A ballpark burger can pack up to 500 calories and as many as 10 grams of artery-clogging saturated fat (and that's before cheese and toppings), but the sandwich often comes in at around 300 calories with half the fat.

Do: Get Cracking On Peanuts

Craving popcorn or Cracker Jacks? Opt for plain, unsalted, in-shell peanuts instead, says Chicago dietitian Amari Cheffer, M.S., R.D., LDN. They've got heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, Vitamin E and magnesium—and the act of cracking the shell makes you work a little harder to enjoy them. The catch: A typical eight-ounce bag is much larger than one serving (it can have over 800 calories total), so don't eat more than a quarter of it yourself.

Don't: Sip Sugary Sodas

Save a cool 100-300 calories by sticking to sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea or ice water with lemon. But if a ballgame just isn't the same without soda, don't stress, says New York City-based Marissa Lippert, M.S., R.D. Just order a small size and fill it to the brim with ice. "You're addressing your craving strategically," she says, "since your body won't know you're taking in 10- or 20-percent less soda."

Don't: Get A "Personal" Pizza

Seek out a single slice of plain cheese or veggie instead of devouring a whole personal pan pie-size portion (which packs about 200 additional calories). The 'za can actually deliver heart-healthy benefits, since tomato sauce contains lycopene, an antioxidant. "Interestingly, it's been found to be especially well-absorbed in pizza," says Seattle-based Minh-Hai Tran, M.S., R.D., CSSD.

Do: Be Choosy About Beers

Love your ballpark brews? There's no need to deny yourself, just stop at one or two 12-ounce pours. Choose a low-calorie option like Amstel Light (which has just 95 calories), says New York City-based Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D., and author of The New You and Improved Diet. Or sip a stout beer: Guinness is another low-cal brew (you'll get 25-30 calories less than a regular beer) that also happens to be high in antioxidants.

Keep reading for five more do's and don'ts for the next time you are eating at the ballpark!

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

Making sure you look extra presentable for that annual beach trip with the girls is one thing, but how do you think you'd fair if your bikini-clad butt were blown up on big screens across America? Got a little nervous, huh? That's exactly why we've got ultimate respect for Spring Breakers star Vanessa Hudgens, who's clearly got nothing to hide in terms of a perfectly shapely physique. (I mean, look at that thing! Damn, girl!)

"I think her healthy, toned look is something that we all aspire to have," says Lauren Weisman, mind body manager at Exhale Santa Monica, where Hudgens works out on a regular basis. The combo of core work, Pilates, ballet and yoga keeps her body looking extra fantastic.

"That's great," you're thinking, "but what does she do to keep her butt looking so darn perky?" According to Weisman, the answer lies with the Fold-Over Gluteal exercise, a move that lifts the glutes and lengthens hamstrings. The result? Discovering that magic balance between "lengthened leg and really rounded booty," says Weisman. We're sold.

Learn the exercise here.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on POPSUGAR Fitness!

This is kind of awkward: Even though I'm an editor at SELF, I get self-conscious in group classes and thus don't want to attend even though I desperately want to reap the benefits. Basically my life changed in 2011 when Nike relaunched their Nike Training Club app and I was able to do all these cool strengthening, lengthening and toning moves from the comfort of my (albeit cramped) living room — or anywhere else in the world. And someone else agrees with me. Namely this really famous, epic tennis star.

SELF has already sung Nike Training Club's praises before; we've even dubbed it a "personal trainer in your pocket." Well we've fallen all over in love again, and we're about to break some big news to you guys: Serena Williams has JUST launched her Core Power workout on NTC that's available for download and we have the first look — not to mention a few wise words from Serena herself.

Designed to work the core and abdominal muscles, Serena showed us that Core Power uses a stability ball and resistance bands to increase overall core strength, which in turn helps to create a lean, strong body. And when I spoke to Serena about creating Core Power for Nike Training Club, she told me that "the drills featured in the Core Power workout are based on key exercises I do regularly to stay strong. Everything I do on court begins with strength from the core, so it's the perfect foundation for my training as a tennis player." Core Power is also great when tacked on to a great cardio workout — even a run — and also helps Serena target specific muscle groups she feels need extra work. (Although, look at her. Look at her abs. Watch her play! What needs extra work?) Serena let us peek behind the scenes at the filming of her Core Power routine and officially gives you her new Nike Training Club workout from start to finish. Warning: Your abs will be feelin' it later!

Read on for the workout.