FitSugar

Hilary Duff Hearts Pilates

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:45:00 PDT

Pilates has been all the rage for a while now, but now the younger generation of Hollywood hipsters is getting hip to working their core. Could Pilates be how Hilary Duff went from being self described as too skinny to being in the best shape of her life? She credits her long and lean body to doing Pilates 3 times a week.

It is no secret that I love Pilates too, and here's why:

Flat Belly: The most fundamental move in Pilates is pulling your navel to your spine with every exhale to engage your deep abs. You keep the deep abs engaged while you inhale too. Working your deep abs flattens your belly and decreases the diameter of your waist. When you work the tops layer of abs, the 6 pack muscles, they bulge out. Not only is that not too attractive, it doesn't support your spine or pelvis. Every breath you take is another opportunity to work your abs.
Long and Lean Muscles: Pilates is all about controlling motion, this way you work the muscles as they shorten and lengthen. This way when new muscle is formed it is long, not bulky.

There are more reasons and more pics of Hilary, so read more

Springs: It is the spring resistance on all the Pilates equipment that makes them unique. The play in the springs forces you to control your motion in every exercise. Plus as the spring becomes taut it provides more resistance, challenging your muscles even more.
Flexibility: You work all your joints through their entire range of motion, so your muscles get stretched in almost every exercise. This also helps those muscles lengthen as they strengthen.

My only word of caution: If you find an instructor you love, don't tell everyone you know about her. Hilary's only complaint about Pilates, as she told Self magazine, is her teacher is so over booked since she raved about her to all her friends; she has trouble getting an appointment.

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How Supermodel Miranda Kerr Got Her Prebaby Body Back

Self — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:17:28 PST

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

Sure, your chances of becoming a Victoria's Secret model may be as remote as winning the lottery, but looking like one is an entirely different story. When Miranda Kerr needed to tone up fast after giving birth to son Flynn with actor Orlando Bloom, she turned to FITiST celebrity trainer Andie Hecker to whip her back into supermodel shape.

"She came to me shortly after Flynn was born so we needed to I focused on pulling her abs back to Victoria's Secret model-flat and strengthening and toning her arms so she could easily and safely tote her growing baby around," says Hecker, founder of LA-based dance studio Ballet Bodies.

Their workout routine consists of Pilates fused with ballet techniques, a fat-blasting combo that burns 300 to 500 calories per workout. "Ballet Bodies is a classical ballet-based workout," she explains. "It's actually a workout that utilizes true ballet fundamentals placed atop Pilates, traditional personal training, and various cardiovascular activities such as jumping and kicking."

To do Kerr's postbaby arm workout at home, incorporate these four moves into your regular workout four to six times a week. Add one- or two-pound hand weights for "optimum muscle exhaustion and results." Get the workout after the break!

From the Community: The Fab 15 Total-Body Circuit Workout

Fit Community — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:24:05 PST

Reader FitFabCities has a simple 15-minute workout for you - no equipment needed! She shared it with us in our FitSugar Community.

Want to know how Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Sofia Vergara, Penélope Cruz, Minka Kelly, and Brooke Burke get their killer curves? Well, their superfit shapes come courtesy of Gunnar Peterson. Gunnar is one of my favorite celebrity trainers, and he’s the go-to guy for actresses, models, musicians, and even professional athletes who count on being in amazing shape for their jobs.

Learn more about this workout after the break!

5 Ways to Make Moving a Habit

Leta Shy — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:52:25 PST

We all should take time to relax, but sometimes we don't realize just exactly how sedentary our lives can be. Even if you devote an hour to exercise most days, if you're not moving a lot the rest of the time, you can be doing more harm than good. So start making moving a habit with these five tips.

Keep track: One of the best ways to encourage yourself to move is to get a fitness monitor that tracks your steps. You don't have to invest a lot - while more sophisticated trackers (like these five fitness monitors) track your steps as well as your exercise (some can also distinguish between walking on flat ground and when you're going up steps), you can buy a basic pedometer for just a few dollars.
Try a one-minute move: Whether you're folding laundry or watching TV, multitask by building muscle while you work. Take a one-minute break to dance around or do squats, lunges, or planks, and you'll raise your heartbeat as well as your energy levels.

Read on for three more ways to making moving a habit.

Oh Please! Worst Gym Pickup Lines

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:51:19 PST

It's Valentine's Day and maybe you have found love at the gym (I met my hubby in a yoga class!) While there's nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting during a workout, some people take it a little too far. Sometimes Cupid's arrow really misses the mark. To celebrate these awkward blunders, we've rounded up some of the worst pickup lines overhead at gyms. Maybe one of these has been used on you?

Read on for some cringe-worthy come-ons:

I know milk does a body good, but baby, how much have you been drinking?
Your daddy must have been a baker, because you've got a sweet set of buns.
You look like a cool glass of refreshing water, and I am the thirstiest man in the world.
Do you have tickets? [you say, "Tickets?"] Yeah, do you have tickets? Tickets to the gun show. [he flexes biceps]
I know an activity that’s fun and burns 350 calories an hour . . .
Are your legs tired? Because you've been running through my mind all day long.
Do you squat here often?

Keep reading for more cheesy gym pickup lines.

Heavenly Massage Technique to Try on Your Valentine - or Yourself!

Zelana Montminy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:21 PST

Not sure how to express your love this year come Feb. 14? We say go for an experiential, hands-on gift and give your valentine the ultimate tension-relieving neck rub this year. Watch this video to learn the pin and stretch method to lengthen overworked muscles in the neck, upper back, and shoulders. This quick and easy massage is perfect for after a hard workout, a long day at the office, or to simply unwind and get in the mood.

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

From the Fit Community: Can You Really Make Your Muscles Longer and Leaner?

Fit Community — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:23:17 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wanted to know: are all those claims about creating longer and leaner muscles through exercise true? She asked an expert and posted the answer in our Fit Community.

You've probably heard it numerous times before - a workout that promises to give you longer, leaner muscles (we've often heard this said about PIlates or ballet-based training methods) . . . so can this really be true? Can a muscle truly become longer and/or leaner?

I asked "The Exercise Doctor" Michele Olson - PhD, creator of the Perfect Legs, Glutes, & Abs DVD, and professor at Auburn University Montgomery - to answer this for us. She has studied various forms of exercise extensively and published research on Pilates.

"Muscles are already comprised of 'fat-free' (aka lean) tissue, so any amount of muscle is, by definition, lean. You can't have 'leaner' muscles," says Olson. "If you were to add more muscles from resistance training, you could increase the amount of lean muscle you have and, therefore, have more lean muscle." But most of these methods (such as Pilates or ballet-/barre-style exercises) use relatively light to moderate resistance, which is not enough to create a significant increase in the amount of lean muscle mass you have.

Read on to learn more about if you can make your muscles long and lean.

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout

Self — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:39:32 PST

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

Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. "Piloxing is the first fitness program that blends the best of Pilates, boxing, and dance into a high-energy, hour-long interval workout," says Jensen, who created the hybrid class. "I put a lot of focus into balance and alignment, which can be thrown off when you're pregnant. You also get a great cardio workout, and the boxing element tones your arms and legs."

Although Jensen has tweaked Duff's workouts to accommodate her pregnancy, she's quick to point out that the mom-to-be is no slouch in the gym. "Since Hilary was already in good shape, she's able to do everything but at her own pace with a few modifications like taking more breaks to drink water and catch her breath when her heart rate goes up and not doing advanced ab exercises," says Jensen.

As her due date draws near, the former Lizzie McGuire star is also preparing her body for the hardships of labor. That means plenty of arm, leg, chest, and core exercises. "For now, I'm focusing on her core muscles because I want those muscles intact so she has an easier delivery," says Jensen. Just don't expect Mrs. Comrie to stay bedridden for very long since "Hilary loves being healthy and has always been very active. Once she gets the OK from her doctor, we're really going to kick it up a notch," says Jensen. "She's tough with amazing form, so I'm able to work her hard and really kick her butt!"

Want to stay fit throughout all nine months of your pregnancy (or even if you're not eating for two!)? Incorporate four moves into your regular workout routine to get buff like Duff. Read on for the moves.

Bacteria Is Not Bliss: How to Keep Your Yoga Mat Clean and Germ-Free

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:36:17 PST

We're knee-deep in cold and flu season and although practicing yoga is a great way to strengthen your muscles and your immune system, doing Child's Pose with your face pressed into a dirty, germy mat is a surefire way to sign yourself up for a case of the sicks. You can protect yourself by keeping your mat clean with these tips.

Bring a towel to class to absorb your sweat, and also wear long pants. The more sweat you can absorb and not allow to pool on your mat, the cleaner it will be.
Choose one side of your mat to practice on. That way, one side always stays clean and only the other side comes in contact with the germs on the floor.
Before you practice, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly to avoid passing germs onto your mat. Then after class, roll up your yoga mat and place it in a mat bag or tote to protect it from outside germs.

Don't let your mat make you sick. Keep reading for more essential tips to keep your mat germ-free.