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DVD Review: Joy Bauer’s Slimdown Workout

Michele Bell — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:30:27 PST

Ready to slim down but not willing to kill yourself to make it happen? It might be time to check out Joy Bauer’s Slimdown Workout ($13). As much as I'd love to head to the gym for an hour or two every day, it's not always an option for a mother of two. Joy Bauer, a mother herself, knows what it's like to only have a few moments to yourself to tune up the body.

In her new fitness video, Joy Bauer, nutritional expert of NBC's Today Show and former gymnast, shows how easy it is to stay trim with two simple 20-minute cardio workouts. But it's not just her; she's teamed up with professional trainer Lisa Wheeler. The tall, svelte blonde essentially leads Joy in the routines. I'm not quite sure why she didn't make the cover since she does much of the directing, but it's a good thing she's there as she's much more than an inspiring figure. Lisa helps show the modified versions of exercises and points out Joy's perfect form, which makes you check your own along the way. To keep the viewer engaged, Joy sprinkles in her tidbits of wisdom and pointers. She also makes you feel normal when she says, "Don't feel bad if you can't do this, guys!" as she wobbles herself.

To see what I liked about the exercise and to see a teaser video, just

read more. Like the DVD cover says, all you need to get through this workout are a set of small (two- or three-pound) weights and a mat. Once you've got that, you're ready to roll. The five-minute warmup is simple and fairly standard. After your body is in the groove from all the marching, squating, and lunging, it's time for the first 20-minute cardio session. Complete with squats, kicks, and jumping jacks, there are also some fun moves like the grapevine and running man, to keep it light and fun while getting your heart rate up and pumping. For a while there, I began to feel like I was in training to be a Dallas Cowgirl or a Laker Girl with some cheerleaderesque motions. When all the dancing stops, you are down on all fours ready for some core and arm work. The push-ups, plank, and other mat moves provided a nice ending to the first round of cardio by strengthening the abs. Now if you're up for a second round of cardio, the next session definitely breaks a sweat much quicker than the former. If you only have time to do one or the other and you want more burn and perspiration, go for the latter. Lisa and Joy get the blood pumping immediately with a little jumping and a lot of weights - alternating between the two. It starts to feel a bit like an old aerobics class as you move into the grapevine, the Charleston, and some old-school hamstring kickbacks. It made me yearn for a high-cut leotard and a neon headband. All kidding aside, my arms, glutes, and abs certainly felt the burn from the all-body workout. And, similar to the first cardio session, Joy and Lisa end the second one with a few mat exercises to tighten the core, arms, and glutes. I'd definitely recommend the DVD for anyone looking for a couple of quick cardio routines. Though they are both different in what they offer, they are both simple enough to follow, fun to do, and easy enough to modify. It's no wonder Joy's hair stays perfect and her makeup flawless in the first 20-minute routine as the exercises aren't sweat drenching, but they are effective and you feel the burn. It would be the perfect afternoon amp-up to fit into a busy schedule. If you're looking for a fast way to squeeze in a dose of muscle work and sweat, the second round of cardio is the answer. And, if you've got 40 minutes to while away, why not go for both and start that trim down quicker than you can say cheesecake! As for the cooldown, it was much like the warmup - basic and expected. Now that I've mentioned cheesecake, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up Joy's finishing polish on the DVD. She offers her viewers her top 10 weight-loss tips, healthy snack options, and diet friendly meals that had me reaching for a pen and paper. My favorite so far? The vanilla pumpkin pudding. It may be worth the DVD purchase for that recipe alone! Take a look at the video and tell me if you'd be willing to give it a go.

Do You Eat the Same Meals Daily?

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 03:47:00 PDT

Are you one of the millions of Americans following a diet right now? If so, you may be chowing down the same ho-hum eats day after day in hopes of dropping a pound or two . . . or 10. The Today Show nutritionist, Joy Bauer, recently doled out some advice that I thought was worth echoing.

She warns dieters not to repeat the same meal two days in a row, even if it's healthy and low-fat. The change in menu will keep one from getting too bored with their eating habits and help them stay the path and meet their weight loss goals.

Do you have a meal time routine that stays the same or do you change up your food choices every day?

Recipe Review: Joy Bauer's Blueberry Banana Muffins

FitSugar — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:30:00 PST

I love baking, and while I do my best to lighten up many of the sweet nothings I regularly make, there is a such a thing as going too healthy. When I read the recipe for Joy Bauer's blueberry banana muffins, I was stoked because I had three past-their-prime bananas in my fridge waiting to be incorporated into something tasty. When I read the ingredients, including whole wheat flour and oat bran, I should have known that my muffins would not look like the magazine photo. But my inner health nut got the better of me, and I baked away.

To see if my muffins turned out anything like those pictured above,

read more. As you can see, my muffins look nothing like the magazine's. They are not light and fluffy, but rather squat and bumpy. For some reason the muffins did not rise at all. I used relatively new baking soda and baking powder, so it was not they they were stale. Plus, I followed the directions, filling the muffin tin 3/4 of the way. When I made the recipe, it yielded 12 instead of the six the magazine says. While the muffins are edible, they are just not very tasty. While none will go to waste, I will not be making this recipe again. Have any of you tried this recipe? If so, share your results in the comments section below. Source

Snack Attack: Inexpensive and Nutritious Snacks (and Meals)

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:30:00 PDT

I've been a big Joy Bauer fan; she kind of has a tough love approach to eating. In her book, Food Cures, she gives great tips and tidbits on how to eat right, easily.

Joy has a little column/blog on Yahoo health, and her most recent entry about finding inexpensive, healthy snacks was right up my alley, particularly since I am always complaining about how expensive it is to be healthy.

Here are highlights:
Afternoon Snacks:

5 cups air-popped popcorn (2 tablespoons Jolly Time kernels) = 5 cents
1/4 cup raw almonds = 20 cents
1 Polly-O string cheese (from a large bag at a wholesale club) = 16 cents
1 apple = 50 cents
1 Nature Valley granola bar packet (from a large box at a wholesale club) = 16 cents

For some inexpensive and healthy meal ideas, just

read more Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and English Muffin = $1.20 Two scrambled eggs cooked in nonstick spray; serve with toasted whole-grain English muffin topped with 2 teaspoons of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Lunch: Taco Bell = $1.98 Two "fresco style" healthy chicken or bean tacos (extra salsa) Dinner: Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Shrimp = $1.70 2 oz dry Mueller's whole-grain penne (1 cup cooked) with ¾ cup marinara sauce and 3 ounces frozen shrimp. Source

Diet Myths: True or False

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Nutritionist Joy Bauer is on a one woman mission to dispel many diet myths.

Answer the following statements as true or false.

Take the Quiz

Shaq's Big Challenge: Episode One

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Raise your hand if you watched Shaq's Big Challenge last night on ABC? You know my hand is raised -- In fact, I tivo'd it! I have been a bit apprehensive about the whole show from the beginning with my fears that they would exploit overweight children for Shaq's fame, but that was not the case at all.

Last night we met the team (Shaq, Joy Bauer and Dr. Carlon) as well as all the kids enrolled in the program (two 11 year old boys, a 13 year old boy, two 14 year old girls and another 14 year old boy). The ultimate goal? Getting those kids fit by the end of six months.

The team's first task was to assess the kids' current level of fitness, which was not good. The average girl 10-14 should be able to complete 30-37 curl-ups and 10-15 push-ups in one of minute each. The average boy aged 10-14 should be able to complete 35-45 curl-ups and 14-30 push-ups in one minute of each. The majority of the kids on the program could not even complete one single rep of either exercise.

The thing I found most interesting about it all was the role that the parents played. Most of them enabled these children to become extremely overweight whether it is from being overweight themselves, seeing it as a cultural norm or because it is was just easier to feed the kinds junk food or let them play video games 24/7 rather than face the music. We can only hope that other parents in the same boat watching the program may realize that overweight children are a family problem, not just something that falls only on the kid's shoulders.

These kids amazed me with how supportive they were of each other and themselves -- I am definitely anxious to watch the next five episodes (only 6 total). Shaq did a good job of balancing humor with seriousness. While it was strange that his massive Miami mansion got about as much airtime as the kids, I am still impressed with the show overall.

View 7 Photos ›

Source

Make the Most of Your Metabolism

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Most of what controls your metabolism is not under your control, some folks have fast metabolisms and others have slow ones. Also, as we age our metabolism slows down. Scientists have estimated that metabolism slows about 5 percent per decade, beginning at age 40 as we lose muscle mass and increase body fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so when you lose muscle mass your caloric needs decrease. Luckily you are not completely at the mercy of your genetics - There are a few things you can do to keep your metabolism up.

Basically, metabolism is the total of all body processes that burn calories - your basal metabolic rate (calories burned by simply being alive) plus your activity factor since we all know that exercise burns calories.

The basal metabolic rate includes the energy we need for body processes, including digestion. About 10 percent of our calories are used to process the food we eat. This phenomenon, known as the thermic effect of food, is influenced by how much, how often and what we eat. In addition, food can directly affect metabolism by altering the way the body functions, which changes the amount of energy it needs.

According to Joy Bauer, nutritionist and author of the book Food Cures, there are ways to maximize your metabolism. Curious to know what they are? Then

Eat at least 1,000 calories per day (I would say 1,200 calories, myself). Although it is generally true that eating a low-calorie diet will help you take off weight, if you eat too few calories, your metabolism will get slower and slower as it tries to conserve energy. As your metabolism crashes, the weight you take off will most likely creep back on over time. Plus, you'll be more likely to binge on junk food if you reduce your calories by too much.
Eat every four to five hours. A regular meal schedule helps keep your body working to digest and absorb foods. Between breakfast and bed, aim to eat a meal or snack every four to five hours. Try to eat breakfast within 90 minutes of rising - People who regularly eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to control their weight. If you wait to eat until you're ravenous, you're more likely to overeat later in the day. Also, breakfast helps fire up your metabolism after a full night on a slow simmer.
Eat protein with every meal. All foods contribute to the thermic effect, which means that all foods – carbohydrates, fats and proteins – help to give metabolism a gentle nudge higher when we eat them, but protein has the greatest thermic effect of all. In addition, protein can increase metabolism by helping to maintain and build muscle mass.

Source

Weekend Reading: Joy Bauer's Food Cures

FitSugar — Sat, 19 May 2007 03:00:00 PDT

Joy Bauer's motto is: Life is hard...food should be easy, and she sticks to that motto quite well in her wonderfully helpful new book Food Cures. This almost 500 page book is chock full of super useful information. It is part reference book, part cook book, part self help, part educational - there is something fascinating and absorbing on every page. Every time I flip through, I become absorbed in what I am reading and just keep on reading even after I have found the information I was originally looking for.

The book is separated into six sections with one long section devoted entirely to losing and maintaining weight. Other sections teach you how to eat for beautiful skin and strong bones. Also of interest are the sections on how to eat if you suffer from migraines, Celiac Disease, insomnia or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Every section of the book, from eating to avoid cardiovascular disease, to feeding a beautiful smile, or even cooking to avoid arthritis flare ups, contains many helpful tools. Each of these healing sections has an ideal food and supplement lists, ideas for meal plans, and some tasty recipes. My favorite recipes include a Tuscan Bean Dip in the cardiovascular disease section and the Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Lemon Yogurt Topping from the section on Celiac Disease. The pancakes are made with buckwheat flour so they are gluten free.

My favorite feature of the book is the grocery lists. Just reading the lists sends my mind into planning mode, and I dream of all the possible meals I can create from the lists of included foods. This book will teach you how to think about food from a nutritionist's point of view. And that seems like a great way to think to me.

Buy the book from Barnes and Nobles for $13.26, or look for it at your local bookstore.

Dairy and Acne: Is There a Connection?

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 02:30:00 PDT

I was just flipping through nutritionist Joy Bauer's wonderful new book Food Cures and saw this little tidbit about the acne / dairy connection.

It seems that the connection between dairy and acne is not the milk fat like I previously thought, but iodine and hormones. Iodine-fortified feed is given to cows since iodine helps fight infections and iodine can cause acne in some people. Although the amount of iodine in milk is low, it is enough to create acne in folks that are sensitive.

On the hormone side of things, lactating cows are often pregnant while they are in milk production. About 75-90% of milk comes from pregnant cows and pregnancy means hormones. The hormones get into the milk, and then into your system (if you drink milk and eat dairy products). Unfortunately, we all know the connection between hormones and zits.

Bauer recommends taking time off of dairy to determine if it is causing acne outbreaks. Eliminate all dairy from your diet for at least a month and see if your skin improves. If it doesn't improve, dairy is not your enemy. If you do see a positive change, try adding dairy back in your diet by having 2 servings a day for four days. If the acne flares back up, dairy is a trigger for your skin and worthy of elimination.

Fit's Tip: If you do eliminate dairy be sure to take a calcium supplement. Or eat these foods that are high in calcium to make sure you are getting your RDI of the mineral.

For more helpful food cures, you should check out Food Cures. It is chock full of information and tasty recipes. Buy it online from Barnes and Noble for $13.26 - or look for it at your local bookstore.

Stalled Weight Loss? Sore Muscles? Joy Bauer Has 3 Fast Fixes

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:11:12 PDT

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

In her latest book, Today Show contributor Joy Bauer, R.D., explains that if you make the right diet choices, you can boost your mood, improve your memory and even see healthier skin, hair, and teeth (not to mention drop a few pounds)! Bauer gives you her eating prescription in Food Cures, a book that follows her motto "life is hard . . . food should be easy."

Food Cures highlights 17 different conditions or common health complaints and offers solutions or suggestions based on cutting-edge science to eat your way to your goals. We asked Bauer to share three tips to try today for two areas our readers often ask for help with: easing exercise-induced muscle soreness and busting through a weight-loss plateau.

If you experience post-workout aches and pains . . .

Eat salmon twice a week: "The omega-3s are potent anti-inflammatories. I like canned if I'm in a hurry or hoisin-glazed," Bauer says.
Eat one red bell pepper a day: Surprise! Red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges. The vitamin can ease body aches.
Add a few slices of fresh ginger to hot water: "Ginger has the same compounds in it as many anti-inflammatory medications," Bauer says.

Keep reading to see what foods help with a weight-loss plateau.