FitSugar

Tyra Gets a Nutritionist to Get Her Shape in Shape

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:17 -0800

You may already know that Tyra's made a lifestyle change, thanks to a little healthy competition with her girlfriends that began last January. While being more active and committing herself to regular cardio sessions certainly helped her tone up, an episode of Tyra's show this week reveals that her slim-down is in large part due to working with a nutritionist and drastically changing her eating habits. With recent studies debating that weight loss has less to do with exercise, and is more about food, Tyra's revelation seems a timely bit of healthy advice.

Overall, I'm totally impressed with Tyra's take on getting fit - proclaiming the episode "Get Your Shape in Shape," she emphasizes the focus on individual body type, rather than on being skinny, and offers constructive tips for shaping up your shape - like making a decision to get healthy for yourself and keeping a food journal to monitor what you're eating.

A true believer in the power of food, Tyra also claims that new eating habits put and end to her "stomach attacks," which she suffered from since she was 10, and reveals that her weight loss is 80 percent attributable to diet and 20 percent attributable to exercise - she didn't even hire a personal trainer. Are you a believer yet?

Photo Courtesy of Warner Brothers

SATC Helped Tyra Banks Shape Up

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:31:00 -0700

What began as a three-month fitness challenge among friends last January turned into a new lifestyle for Tyra Banks.

Once she began tracking calories, Tyra bought an elliptical machine to amp up her exercise. She explained her cardio regimen on her show recently like this:

I didn't work out like crazy, [but] I would exercise. I actually bought a treadmill and elliptical. I got rid of one of my couches in my living room and I watched Sex and the City episodes on the elliptical and treadmill. So Sex and the City lasted 30 minutes and that's how long I was on the elliptical.

Tyra also mentioned that her modeling career changed as her metabolism slowed. To hear why, read more.

Working out doesn't come naturally to Tyra, she had to train herself to get off the couch - just like most of us. She didn't exercise while modeling and just relied on her metabolism. So when it changed, she moved on. She says,

My career as model changed because my metabolism changed. I didn't do Victoria's Secret because I wanted to. I did Victoria's Secret because my ass was getting big and I couldn't fit in Armani runway anymore.

I'd say that career move paid off, wouldn't you?

Healthy Dose Link Time!!!!!!

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:15:00 -0700

fitPod has another excellent music mix for you to download. Did I mention that it is an hour long and FREE.

That's Fit tells you everything you wanted, or not, to know about TB.

Bored with your running program? Complete Running gives you some great suggestions for beating the workout doldrums.

About:Yoga reviews the finer points of Tadasana, aka Mountain Pose.

Back in Skinny Jeans provides interesting commentary on Tyra Banks' very public weight loss.

Fitness Fixation has some colorful commentary on PR campaigns for weight loss drugs.

The Skinny Website has the skinny on Gwyneth Paltrow's Pilates regimen and how it helped her drop her baby weight.

Sleepy? Lift News wants you to know metro naps energy pod for taking a snooze at work.

About: Low Fat Cooking teaches you how to make meringue - a great option for a low fat dessert.

Leslie at the Weighting Game is in love with her new physio ball. Read her post and see why.

HealthBolt shares the secret ingredient to boosting your metabolism.

Weight Loss Tips From Boxer Mia St. John

FitSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Ever since we've heard about Tyra Banks boxing her way into a bikini, I've noticed an interest in boxing for weight loss. Female boxing notable, Mia St. John, is a good source on this subject and she provides these tips:

Cardio to the Rescue: Jumpstart your weight loss routine with cardiovascular exercise to get your heart pumping. Excessive perspiration from running, aerobic gym equipment and jumping rope will help you de-bloat and lose inches and pounds quickly. St. John recommends doing cardio several days a week as a warm up for 10-15 minutes, or as a workout for at least 30 minutes, in order to get your heart rate up.
High Protein, Low Carbs: Eliminating white carbohydrates while eating lean protein for a couple of weeks is great for quickly dropping pounds for an event or jump starting your fitness program. Lean protein is important for growth and to build and repair bones and muscle. Fill your diet with fibrous carbohydrates, such as berries and spinach, as well as poultry, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy.
Punch Up Your Workout: Spice up your workout by adding punches to your routine. "Lunges and crunches help tone abs, thighs and glutes," says St. John. "By adding punches to lower body workouts, you'll also be working arms and back, making a full-body workout in less time." The added moves also keep your heart rate elevated for added perspiration and calories burned.
Perishable Foods: Too much salt isn't healthy, especially for someone trying to lose a few pounds. Excess salt can result in high blood pressure, and causes the body to retain water. "Stock your refrigerator with perishable foods to eliminate much salt, fat and added chemicals found in processed and canned foods," explains St. John. "And drink water throughout the day to get rid of toxins and flush the system, keeping your body healthy and hydrated."

Like what you're reading? Then you may be interested in checking out her DVD Million Dollar Workout: Basic Training ($13.99) from Amazon.com.

Tyra Boxes Her Way into a Bikini

FitSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 00:12:24 -0700

We've all seen Tyra go on her ty-rades about her body and how the media perceives her. Ever since the whole bathing suit drama, I think she's been looking pretty fabulous these days and I've been wondering what she's been up to...

Well, her trainer Martin Snow of The Trinity Boxing Club gives UsWeekly the scoop on what Ms. Tyra's been doing to get bikini ready and to really give the paparazzi something to talk about:

US: What kind of moves do you do with Tyra?
Martin Snow: I have a boxing gym so I basically do the moves with her that a fighter would do. She tends to get bored just doing conventional stuff. She has an athletic body, so I just try to bring it out. She responds very well to exercise. I do old-man Charles Atlas workouts. Stuff that old-time fighters used to do to get in shape.

US: What kind of client is Tyra? Is she really motivated?
MS: She is fantastic. She is very driven and works hard and is super nice. If someone is really enthusiastic, that charges up the trainer. I have to motivate someone, but then I get motivated again.

US: When she came to you six weeks ago, did she have a specific area that she wanted to workout?
MS: We don’t target-train people. If you train like an athlete, a byproduct of that will be looking good. She will do what it takes to get in shape.

US: What is a typical routine?
MS: I bring her over to the park. We will do some warm-ups, some running drills, a parachute run, where I put a parachute around her and she runs with it. We will do some medicine work where she will take heavy medicine balls and run and chase after them, and throw them at at different angles. We challenged these guys to handball but they punked out. A game like handball is great. And then we do kettle bells. I bring them out to the park. They are fantastic tools. For women, they are awesome. They target the core and you can do it every day. She is getting a pair for home and for work.

US:How often does she workout?
MS: She comes in around three times a week now. And each time it’s different. We will take these old tractor tires and she will swing sledgehammers. We do bags filled with sand. And of course the boxing.

US:How long do the sessions last?
MS: Around and hour to an hour and half. She is not afraid to get dirty. She is not afraid to go to the park and have people look at her like she's crazy. She is not worried about image.

US: Does she do crunches?
MS: No, I really stay away from doing anything you would find in a health club routine. We're very low frills. If you can plug it in, we probably don’t use it. And if it was invented after 1950, we don’t use it. It’s very effective. You don’t need expensive equipment or high tech stuff. Just hard work.

Tyra Banks and Her New BMI

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Models have been in the news a lot lately. From fashion models starving themselves to ex-model Tyra Banks and her weight gain.

Regardless of what you think of her...I know some folks got turned off by her Geraldo journalistic expose, dressing up in a fat suit to prove how mean Americans are to the overweight. Seems a little ironic now. Tyra is taking this moment of criticism to demystify the manufactured beauty of print media. I find it more than refreshing to see a beautiful woman, clad in only a swim suit, point out her cellulite on untouched photographs. Watch the clip from her recent show until the end if you can (it is 8 minutes long...sorry, but it is NOT boring) for her emotional conclusion. She may seem a little self obsessed, but haven't we all been that way about our cellulite, or thighs, or belly at some point in our lives. We were lucky enough to do it in the privacy of our own homes.

FYI: Being 5'10" and weighing 160, Tyra's BMI is 23. That is in the optimal zone. If you are curious about your BMI, check out your sugar stats with the Fit Calculator.

Healthy Dose!!!!!

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:26:29 -0800

Time to get a healthy dose of the web. Here are some things I thought you all might find interesting and useful.

Back in Skinny Jeans defends Tyra Banks and her body.

About.yoga reminds us that January 17th is National Yoga Day.

geeksugar has the lead on a doggie pedometer.

vitabeat casts doubt on anti-bacterial washes as disease control .

fitPod has a new music mix for you to download.

Fitness Fixation has some great tips for working out while at the park with your kids.

Complete Running goes for some retail therapy with a GREAT hoodie for running.

Starling Fitness disses flavor diet spray.

Healthbolt shows you the best condom ad.

Diet-blog asks the question is suburban sprawl making us fat.

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:53 -0800

Workout headphones to keep your tunes in your ears - Shape
Is sourdough bread pumped full of probiotics - Nutrition Data Blog
The real reason you won't catch Cindy Crawford on the runway - Never Say Diet
How a numberless scale can help you lose weight - Fresh Fitness Tips
Why Jillian Michaels is a health superstar - Health
13 ways to keep toxic groceries out of your cart - Forecast Earth
How Tyra Banks is losing weight without dieting - FitCeleb
A little Salba sprinkle goes a long way for health - Vital Juice

FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:50:07 -0700

Watching The Biggest Loser? Fitness pros weigh in on the workout practices used on the show.
Learn how Sex and the City helped Tyra Banks shape up.
Back to school means convenience foods like pizza. Tell me, do you blot your pizza?
If you're looking for fitness motivation, check out what a year of working out can do for you.
One reader is losing weight but also concerned about losing her chest, too.
It is triathlon season and Teri Hatcher and a bunch of celebs competed in the Nautica Malibu Tri.
If you're trying to tone up, you need to feed your muscles well.
Don't let myths about sleep give you insomnia, read these facts about sleep.
You can fight PMS with three square meals and some smart snacking.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Speak Up: Do You Agree With Meghan McCain About Women's Weight?

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Her dad's presidential bid is over, but blogger and aspiring pundit Meghan McCain is still speaking her mind, and this time, it's got nothing to do with politics. McCain recently wrote a piece for The Daily Beast criticizing the never-ending criticism of women's bodies in the media. She wonders why, after all the progress women have made in the past few decades, is women's weight still a "socially acceptable prejudice"?

McCain, who wears an 8 or a 10, was prompted to write the piece after talk-radio host Laura Ingraham made fun of McCain's "plus-size" body. The senator's daughter used the opportunity to question why women's weight is even part of the political and cultural discussion:

Everyone from Jessica Simpson to Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton has fallen victim to this type of image-oriented bullying. . . . After Kelly Clarkson’s recent appearance on American Idol, the first commentary I read on the Internet was about her weight gain instead of her singing.

What do you think of McCain's point? Do you agree that women's weight is one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice? Or do you think she is overreacting? Should we keep healthy weight in the forefront of our dialogue?

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