FitSugar

Finding Your Deep Abs!

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Finding your deep abs is essential to training your core and for just about every Pilates exercise in the book. Accessing them, however, can be difficult. Here is the easiest path to discover your transverse abdominus (TVA for short), the deepest of all the abdominals.

Sit upright in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Align your head over your pelvis while maintaining the natural curve and keeping the spine long. This is no time for slouching. You need to sit in front of a mirror so you can monitor the movement of your shoulders.
Place your hands on the sides of your waist with your thumbs pointed back and your index fingers forward.
Inhale into the back and sides of your ribs (imagine a balloon filling up with air), not just your chest, without letting your shoulders rise to your ears. This can take a few tries to master. If breathing this way makes you light headed, take smaller inhales - just don't let your shoulders rise.

Who knew finding something in your own body could have so many steps? For the rest of the steps

Exhale by pulling your abdominals toward your spine to force the diaphragm up into the lungs, creating the exhale. You should feel the diameter of your waist decreasing as you do this, since the TVA wraps around the waist and attaches in the back. It helps to make a soft "Haaaaa" sound while you exhale.
Keep inhaling and exhaling in this manner.
When exhaling you want to feel a sensation of the abdominals pulling up from the pubic bone to the belly button, kind of a zipping sensation. To help activate this sensation feel the pelvic floor pulling up, like doing a Kegel exercise.
Once this feels natural (or at least easier), try it lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

This breathing is simple, easy and rather inconspicuous so you can practice at your desk! I have a friend that breathes this way at every stop light (she keeps her hands on the wheel though). Integrate using your TVA when you lift weights, so you're working your deep abs (and helping to stabilize your torso) as well.

Healthy Dose Link Time: Why Being Single Can Sometimes Be Better

Michele Foley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:27:35 PST

Why being single is sometimes better (for your waistline) - Self
Find out what happens to unused muscles - Fit Bottomed Girls
The foods the health experts always keep in their kitchens - Real Simple
Salad shouldn't be boring: rosemary-balsamic roasted grapes and olives - Vegetarian Times
Make it really count! Sex positions that double as exercise - Fitness
How one couple lost 285 pounds together - Daily Spark
Rebecca Romijn says losing baby weight was "hardest thing I've ever done . . . " - Fit Celeb

Make Your Lips Look Fuller in 3 Easy Steps

BellaSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:22:00 PST

Full, sexy lips are high on most people's lists of beauty wants, and luckily, creating the illusion of plumped-up smackers is superlatively easy. Find out how you can get your most impressive pout ever with nothing but four products you already have in your makeup drawer.

5 Ways to Make Your Morning Routine Faster

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:25:54 PST

Do you find yourself skipping makeup and hair in the morning just so you can grab 15 or 20 precious extra minutes of shut-eye? Or worse, are you losing sleep to an overlong makeup routine? Don't do it! There's no need to suffer for beauty in the mornings, and we've got a few beauty tricks up our sleeves that can speed up anyone's maquillage. See five of our easiest ways to make mornings less painful below.

The Prettiest Lingerie We Could Find For Valentine's Day

Noria Morales — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:17:28 PST

Really, any day is good for love and lingerie, but Valentine's Day gets us a little more motivated to add some silk and lace to our boudoir. With the sheer trend promising to be strong for Spring, this is a fabulous time to invest in gorgeous lingerie, specifically bras. A touch of lace peeking out from a delicate top plays right into the delicate, boudoir-inspired aesthetic. We also found a few things that won't be worn outside the bedroom - breathlessly pretty silk chemises, playful teddys - so before Feb. 14 hits, you might want to check out the prettiest lingerie we could find.

Runway-Inspired Spring Maternity Looks

LilSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:03:27 PST

With New York Fashion Week underway here in Manhattan, we went on a search to bring stylish mamas-to-be the most trend-forward finds in Spring maternity wear. Flaunt your fabulous figure, and remember, your baby bump is your best accessory!

A Double Chocolate Souffle Challenge

Camilla Salem — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:10:02 PST

I mentioned that I was going to attack one of my culinary fears head on in the near future. Well, attack it I did and what's more, I came out alive, and covered in chocolate.

I found a recipe from Emeril that seemed straightforward and simple, bought the ingredients, and said a little prayer. Surprisingly, this recipe came together very quickly, and with almost no problems at all. The only hitch was that I wasn't sure how much the soufflé batter this would make, so the ramekins I used were far too large and the soufflé didn't puff up over the edges like I'd hoped it would. It would have been better to use four smaller ramekins or two large ones.

This recipe calls for Grand Marnier which adds a nice bright orange flavor to the rich chocolate dessert. And when I say rich, I mean it. One spoon too many of this fluffy soufflé and you may find yourself with a chocolate headache - we've all been there.

Egg whites that have been whipped into air account for the soft texture of soufflé, and must be folded in careful to the chocolate batter so as not to deflate them.

Keep reading for much more plus the recipe.

Like Reading LilSugar? Then Follow Us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!

LilSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:56:49 PST

We know moms are busy and the last thing you need is another site to add to your daily Internet surfing routine, but reading LilSugar is only one way to get the latest baby and parenting news, tips, and trends. We love sharing our latest finds, funny tidbits, cool photos, and sneak peeks - things that often don't make it onto LilSugar - on our Twitter and Facebook pages. We're also pinning up a storm over on Pinterest, where we're sharing all the pretty things - from beautiful nurseries to out-of-this-world birthday parties - we can find around the web. And if that's not enough, you can follow us @lilsugar1 over on Instagram for behind-the-scenes looks at the items that are piquing our interest each day.

Minka Kelly Shares Her Heart-Healthy Fitness and Diet Tips

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:02:38 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Esquire magazine once named actress Minka Kelly the “sexiest woman alive," so walking in the Heart Truth’s Red Dress Fashion Show to raise awareness for women’s heart health should be a breeze, right? Not quite. “I’ve been nervous all week!” Kelly said when we got the chance to chat with her on her new ambassador title with Diet Coke. We caught up with the brunette bombshell hours before showtime to get the scoop on how she lives a heart-healthy lifestyle, the exercises she swears by, and more.

Tell us about your partnership with Diet Coke and Heart’s Truth Red Dress Fashion Show. What made you decide to get involved?

Before I started working with Diet Coke as an ambassador, I wasn’t even aware that heart disease is the number-one killer for women. I figured this would be a chance for me to use my voice and let other women know how important it is to eat right and exercise to keep your heart in good health.

How do you manage to stay in shape, especially with such a busy schedule?

I try to do yoga every morning at 7 a.m.; it’s good to get your workout out of the way early. I also work out with my trainer Gunnar Peterson two days a week on top of that. I owe him a lot of credit for the shape I’m in because I love to eat! I have to work out extra hard to balance my love for food out.

Keep reading to learn how Minka Kelly is trying defying gravity.

In Her Shoes: April Beyer, Matchmaker and Relationship Coach

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:05:36 PST

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, April Beyer, expert relationship coach and matchmaker, gives SavvySugar an insider's look into her unique career. Helping men and women find lasting relationships for almost 14 years, she is the founder and president of Beyer & Company, a matchmaking and relationship consulting firm. She's frequently interviewed and has been seen on Dr. Phil, 20/20, and Good Morning America. Beyond her weekly clients, April writes on her blog, conducts seminars, and is working on a book to help women prepare for love and romance. April tells us what it's like to assist other people on their journey to finding love and happiness.

SavvySugar: Can you tell me about your career path and how your business has grown throughout the years?

April Beyer: I started out in the high-end matchmaking industry nearly 14 years ago. I had worked with a matchmaking company and was there for about six or seven years. I was responsible for many marriages there. In 2003, I decided to venture out on my own and start a relationship coaching and consulting business. Now, I still have my matchmaking company. I work with a handful of highly successful marriage-minded men. I am also a coach and a writer.

Now my passion is to help women better understand themselves first so then they can naturally attract the man of their dreams. I am a little bit more of a holistic dating and relationship coach, but I think of myself more as is a communication and authenticity coach. For me, it's not about teaching people dating skills, it is teaching them relationship skills.

Click here to read more about April.