FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Get the Bod: Britney Spears

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:30:00 -0800

This week belongs to Britney Spears: between her Circus album dropping (can we say new workout songs?) and her standing-ovation-worthy performances, we seem to be witnessing the pop star's long-awaited comeback. Britney worked hard getting back into world-tour shape, and she admitted to Glamour magazine that she thinks going to the gym "isn’t fun . . . so to do it every day would be horrible. Three days a week is cool, even two. It makes me feel good and feel like I’ve done something. It's important to take care of your body."

Britney acknowledged dueling feelings toward her post-baby body and said, "Recently I started to appreciate my body a bit more from before I had kids. But it completely changed." Her rigorous dance practices and workouts with her trainer, Kacy Duke, are responsible for the pop star's toned physique. Duke was kind enough to share her professional advice for getting Britney's hot bod. To see some of her tips,

Get the Bod: Jessica Alba Post-Pregnancy

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

OK, so I need to stop for a second here and say that Jessica Alba looks absolutely amazing for just having had a baby three and a half months ago. She only gained 25 pounds total and since she exercised during her pregnancy, it was easier for her body to bounce back.

In a recent issue of US Weekly, her trainer Ramona Braganza sums up how this celeb got her body back in shape. Here are the highlights:

Her diet: Each day, Jessica eats between 1,700 and 2,000 calories, and her workouts help burn 550 calories. Nursing also burns an additional 500 calories a day.

Her workouts: Jessica works out for an hour, five or six days a week. She was big into the 12-week 3-2-1 Baby Bulge Be Gone workout since it kept her moving with 10-minute sets of cardio, circuit training, and core training. She also enjoys swimming, weight lifting, and using her treadmill at home.

Now that Jessica's back to her pre-baby body, she feels proud and isn't shy about showing off her body. It's nice to hear that she wasn't working out crazy hours or excessively restricting her diet. An hour a day for a workout may seem like a lot for a new mom, but as you can see, it really made a difference to this new mom. I say good for her.

Flynet

Get the Bod: Halle Berry Postbaby

FitSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Halle Berry, just two months after giving birth to her daughter, looks fabulous. Of course we're all curious what she is doing to look so great and People recently revealed that credit is due to her trainer Ramona Braganza's, who also trains Jessica Alba and Anne Hathaway, workout plans. Here are highlights from what a days workout would look like for Halle:

The Oscar winner, 41, works out with trainer Ramona Braganza for one hour, five days a week. Together they go through Braganza's 321 Baby Bulge Be Gone workout, comprised of three cardio segments, two circuit segments, and one core segment.

Cardio is accomplished either on the elliptical, a kickboxing segment, doing stairs, or a hill climb. The circuit is a daily strength-training segment that combines three body areas with some sort of leg workout. Core work includes abdominal, lower-back and pelvic-floor exercises. Stretching is also a vital part of every workout.

There's more about her diet so

Get the Bod: Gwyneth and Madonna's Workout

FitSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:30:00 -0700

User jennmerr recently pointed out an interesting article from US Magazine about what Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna do to stay so darn fit that you may also be interested in.

The tips come directly from their trainer, Tracy Anderson. They're pretty detailed and, true to Tracy's style, involve a lot of reps. To see the whole 6-week workout just

Get the Bod: Kelly Ripa's Workout with Anderson Cooper

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Kelly Ripa is ripped (I never get sick of saying that). From her arms, to her legs, to her flat belly (after three kids, to boot) she's got it going on. I've always wanted to know what she does to keep so fit so I was thrilled to see that she led us all, including Anderson Cooper, through a sample workout. For the sake of keeping your pride intact, some of these moves may be the ones that you reserve to do in the comfort of your own home. You be the judge.

We did some similar moves at the Bar Method class I took recently and I've got to tell you, it's a lot tougher than it seems. Try it out — anything to get me close to being as ripped as Ripa is, is worth a shot in my book.

Get the Bod: Tips from Madonna's Trainer

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Madonna is one fit woman. From injecting vitamins to building a gym 20 yards from her home, she's got her eye on health. To be Madonna's personal trainer must not be an easy task since I am guessing it takes a lot to keep ahead of Madge in the gym. Her current trainer, Tracy Anderson (who also trains Madonna's pal Gwyneth Paltrow), has recently disclosed to the Daily Mail some of the tricks she has up her sleeve for keeping A-listers fit.

For highlights on what Tracy suggests her clients do in the gym then

Get the Bod: Rihanna

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Rihanna, who's pretty hot right now, has no problems talking about how hard she works to stay healthy. She recently told Fabulous magazine all about her workout regime. Here are highlights:

YOU have an amazing figure. How do you stay in shape?
A lot of hard work and a lot of running on the treadmill. Cardio is the key. I have a personal trainer who travels with me if we have a big event coming up. I work out every day but I need a trainer to motivate me – I don’t find it much fun working out on my own.

What do you like about your body?
My bum, and I keep working at it as I want it to be perfect. It makes my clothes look good – and guys like it!

And what do you like least?
My legs. I’m insecure about them. Everyone wants to have slim, perfectly-toned legs and I’m the same. I do weights but I don’t want my legs to bulk up so I do a lot of cardio. I’ve lost a lot of weight since I started working out and if I exercise every day for a week, I can drop several pounds. If I diet, I see even faster results.

There's more, including talk about her restrictive diet and she even divulges how much she weighs, something you never ever hear from a celeb, so

Get the Bod: Kim Kardashian

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:15:00 -0800

Whether or not you agree with Kim Kardashian's career moves (sex tape, playboy, etc.), she does look great and she actually does have curves. Her trainer, Kathy Kaehler, opened up to reveal what exactly Kim did to get picture perfect for her recent Playboy shoot.

In addition to using the elliptical trainer and walking every day, she followed this toning program:

Lunges. Start by standing up straight with your hands at your sides. Take a big step forward with your right leg, lowering the body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Straighten back up and repeat on the left side. Do three sets of 10 repetitions with each leg.

Sit-down squats. Start by standing in front of a chair and then sit down on the seat and stand back up. Do three sets of 15 reps.

There's more to her toning program so

Mariah Looks Great, but Her Diet is "Bleak"

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Dressed in a fabulous purple body-conscious gown, Mariah Carey showed off her newly defined curves at VH1's Save the Music gala. She has slimmed down for the upcoming release of her new album, and it looks like she has been working hard on her "look" as well as her "sound."

She recently discussed her dieting tactics with People. Here are a few details on her diet and exercise regimen:

Diet: Mariah describes her diet as "bleak" and I must say I appreciate her honesty. She limits her food intake mostly to soup and fish prepared "really blandly." Well, she is getting her lean protein, but I don't think a diet of boring food is something anyone can stick to in the long term.

Exercise: Loyal to her trainer Patricia, who lives in St. Barts, Mariah flies her trainer up to NYC for their workouts. Mostly they do water aerobics, which seems somehow appropriate for a trainer that lives in the Caribbean.

There is no chance that Mariah will lose her lovely curves. She told people that she has no desire to be a size zero or a stick figure. I just hope she adds some spice to her diet, because "bleak" is no way to eat.

Source

Get the Bod: Michelle Pfeiffer

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:30:00 -0700

Seeing all these photos of Michelle Pfeiffer, who is nearing 50, looking sooooooo good at the Hairspray premiere piqued my curiosity and I had to find out what she has been doing to maintain her radiant glow and lithe, little body.

Lucky for me, W Magazine recently featured her trainers, Jerzy and Aniela Gregorek, so I can share with you the inside scoop.

The Gregoreks run The Happy Body, a gym in Woodside, CA where Michelle relocated from LA a few years ago. Jerzy and Aniela, both Polish born retired competitive weight lifters, don't mess around. Their workout philosophy is all old-school resistance training with a bit of meditation thrown in. They have created a unique, if somewhat limited in my opinion, approach to fitness.

Here are some highlights:

On cardio: “Original treadmills were created to punish prisoners. Exercise should not be punishment. The more you run, the weaker and less flexible you become.” Jerzy discourages all endurance workouts, except for occasional walks, hikes, and swims.

The workout:
Customized series of anaerobic training, involving 3 sequences of exercises, taking no more than 30 minutes to perform. Exercises are performed 7 days a week. Exercises are familiar gym fare: squats with light hand weights, the bicycle move for abdominals. The breathing has been tweaked so you inhale before the repetition and exhale after, as well as other alteration create a subtle changes.

Meditation: 5 minutes of meditation with lavender oil dabbed on the forehead – since anxiety “burns muscle tissue.”

If you want to see how Michelle has been eating

Get the Bod: Jessica Simpson

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Jessica is hard at work on getting in shape for her upcoming role in Major Movie Star. She has joined the 5-Factor the diet / workout plan that is ever so popular in Hollywood these days. Folks are saying she has lost about 20 pounds in a month - which seems like a lot to lose in a month from her tiny frame (she is only 5'3").

We have seen her running with 5 Factor creator Harley Pasternak, tall knee socks and all. Pasternak says "We're making Jessica taut and toned without taking away her femininity." It looks like the plan is working she is still curvy but buff as well.

Want to know a little more about the plan? Then,

Get the Bod: Katherine Heigl

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Now that "Grey's Anatomy" is on break, we're getting our fix of the doctors in other ways. Katherine Heigl (aka Izzie Stevenson) has been promoting her new flick Knocked Up and apparently a rather revealing love scene was just the motivation Heigl needed to hit the gym (not that she really needed to, aesthetically).

People.com got the scoop from her trainer, Harley Pasternak, on what she did (and still does) to tone up her bod.

Heigl, 28, met with him for cardio and circuit-training sessions of 25 to 50 minutes, up to five times a week for six weeks prior to shooting. On-set, she'd jump rope or lift dumbbells outside her trailer. All the while, she ate Pasternak's 5-Factor Diet, which delivered five high-protein, high-fiber meals a day.

Even with a scheduled weekly "cheat day," says Pasternak, Heigl soon looked "tighter and more toned."

As for the former gym-hater, Heigl says now, a year after filming, she still works out regularly. "I used to have back pain. Suddenly, my body is supporting itself the way it's supposed to," Heigl says. "I wake up and I go, 'My god, I can't believe this is my body!' "

Want to see a sample of her typical workout and diet? Then

Get the Bod: Jessica Alba

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Everyone is always asking me what Jessica Alba's secret is. Girls I wish I knew, but I do have a little insight for you. Jessica has been spotted hobnobbing with other celebs at the Revlon Run/Walk for Breast Cancer, which shows that girl is staying active (and even doing it for charity). I like that...

Aside from burning calories through her own "ACT"ivism, InTouch (May 28th, 2007 issue) got the scoop from her trainer Ramona Braganza on what else she is doing to cut down on the calories:

"Her secret is portion control," says Braganza. "She likes to have dinner out, but will only eat half of the food on the plate."

A pro in the kitchen, Jessica loves to cook dishes like egg-white omelets, salads, healthy enchiladas and waffles - and drinks two to three liters of water a day.

Jessica does cardio religiously (on the elliptical, stationary bike or treadmill for 30 minutes, four times a week). But when she's preparing for an action role, she'll likely add weights and yoga to tone up. "I like circuit training," she tells InTouch, because it keeps her from getting bored.

To see more pics of Jessica at the Revlon Run/Walk along with other celebs like Mandy Moore, then just

Get the Bod: Hilary Swank Believes in Moderation

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Hilary Swank won me over in her role in Million Dollar Baby. When it comes to a fit and healthy body, any strong female who can box is top on my list of inspirational women.

When asked how she stays so healthy, she told Men's Fitness:

"Well, I think I'm really blessed with good genes because I really am a big eater. I really like food and food is life to me, but I kind of eat what I want and do it in moderation." I'm with you on that, Hilary. I feel disgusting if I eat a whole brownie sundae or entire bag of kettle corn on my own.

She also said, "If my body craves something I allow myself to have it." Hallelujah - a celeb that doesn't deprive herself of life's little sweet pleasures.

Since she works nonstop, she says "I have to have sustained energy so I understand about nutrition." She also takes vitamins and exercise is a huge part of her life. She said "it's a huge stress relief; it mentally makes me feel great. It gets my blood going, it gives me more energy, and it makes me think better."

What's her normal exercise routine? She goes running 2 or 3 times a week, and takes Pilates 3 days a week. She doesn't exercise everyday, she says, "I usually take 2 days off during the week."

OK, moderation, vitamins, and exercising about 5 times a week - sounds reasonable to me, Hilary. I think it's wonderful that she looks incredible by following principals of moderation and healthy living.

Source

Ricki Lake is Back and She is Fit!

FitSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 11:00:00 -0700

OK, so you may have read this title and laughed but I've gotta say Ricki looks good! She was recently on the cover of Us Magazine and I was stunned to see her looking so fab.

Here is what UsMagazine.com reports that she is saying on her dramatic weight loss:

Once weighing 250 pounds, newly transformed former talk show host Ricki Lake has revealed exclusively to Us Weekly the secrets behind her 123-pound, size-4 shape.

Lake, 38, who just debuted The Business of Being Born, her documentary about home birth and midwifery, sits down with Us and explains exactly how she got thin – and finally made peace with her shape after a painful past.

On crash dieting in 1991: “… I went on this extreme diet. I used to faint because I wasn’t eating and I was always exercising.”

On the most exciting thing about her new weight: “For the longest time, when I was very heavy, I couldn’t cross my legs. I couldn’t physically do it. LOVE that I can cross my legs now ... Even my shoe size is changing. My Jimmy Choos are too big now.”

On what she thinks of super-skinny actresses: “I think I have no wrinkles because I always had fat on my face. Really skinny girls age so fast.”

Talk about a blast from the past -- Does anyone suspect comeback? Regardless the woman looks great and I love commending anyone with the will to lose so much weight.

Get the Bod: Jenna Fischer

FitSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

OK, so Jenna Fischer (Pam from The Office) doesn't exactly flaunt off her sexy, smokin' bod like Evangeline Lilly, but she did appear "nude" on the cover of WIRED magazine.

That is not all, Jenna also posed nude for the children's charity, Clothes Off Our Backs. She said that at age 32, she realized that she was in tip top shape and chances of her body looking better were small, so she wanted to document it.

I love that she's a regular person - sweet, shy, funny, and totally adorable. So how does she get that cute?

She told Women's Health that she used to workout all the time, with a trainer 3 times a week (she was all muscles). Then when she started working full time on The Office, she was already getting up at 4:30am, so when was she going to workout? Sounds reasonable to me, but I don't think I could ever not workout though - I'm addicted! So now Jenna just focuses on eating well. It just goes to show you how much a healthy diet can affect your body.

If you can't get enough of her on The Office, check her out in the movie Blades of Glory as the girlfriend of Jon Heder (ya know, from Napoleon Dynamite).

Want to see her "nude" shot on the cover of WIRED magazine? Then

Get the Bod: Evangeline Lilly

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Not only am I addicted to LOST, but seeing all those toned and sun-kissed bodies really inspires me to workout and eat healthy (so I can look that good in my bikini this summer).

Evangeline Lilly (Kate, the adorable brunette) always looks amazing - I love her tousled hair, her golden skin, and her tough as nails body (not to mention attitude - I wouldn't mess with her!).

What does she do to look that good? She may be on a deserted island, but she told Self.com that she knows the dangers the sun can have on her skin. She's all about the bronzers and self-tanners - much healthier than baking in the sun - and she always wears sunscreen to save her skin's future.

Was she born with that strong and lean body? Are you kidding? She's obsessed with eating healthy and exercise is part of her life - she loves walking or riding her bike instead of driving.

Want to know her #1 health tip? Then

Get the Bod: Vanessa Minnillo

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Vanessa Minnillo has not only been known for being Nick Lachey's girl, she's also known for having a hot bod...

Lucky for us, Vanessa recently told InTouch some of her own tricks she uses to keep her eating habits under control:

Slim down your Starbucks. She replaced her fave fattening coffee drink with a Mocha Frappuccino Light. "It's low-fat and has half the sugar," she explains.

Make smart carb choices. Vanessa orders her sushi and burritos with brown rice, which is healthier than white, because it has more nutrients and three times the fiber.

Look at your portion sizes. Change the way you eat, advises the TRL host, who eats four smaller meals a day.

Find a low-cal treat to satisfy sweet cravings. Vanessa loves to snack on sweet Teddy Grahams (15 crackers have just 82 calories).

Pay attention to when you feel full and stop eating. "You don't have to finish the whole buffet or everything on your plate," she says.

[Source: InTouch Weekly, April 23, 3007 issue]

Source

Get the Bod: Courtney Love

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 12:30:00 -0700

No, you didn't read the title wrong, Courtney Love is the feature of this get the bod as she has been looking quite slim these days.

According to UsMagazine.com:

Love has lost 45 pounds in four months since she began drinking Isopure diet shakes last December. A source tells Us that she's also been forgoing carbs, eating fish, steamed veggies, and "doing lots of yoga."

"She's feeling like a different person," says the source, who adds that her goal is to lose 55 pounds altogether.

Hey, the girl looks good -- Dare I go as far as to say hot? I think I may even be seeing muscle tone! Pop's got the scoop on possible plastic surgery reversals. A word of advice for her though? Ditch the smoking, it really takes away from the healthy image trying to be portrayed. There's more pics of Courtney looking slim on the beach, so

Get the Bod: Rachael Ray

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:15:00 -0800

Rachael Ray's got a great outlook on working out, eating and life.

Shape Magazine asks Rachael the questions that explain how she stays looking fab while maintaining a healthy relationship with food.

Shape: So what kind of workouts do you do to burn off all that EVOO [extra-virgin olive oil]?
RR: My favorite home morning routine is 100 crunches, 100 butt lifts and at least 20 push-ups. I live in New York City but have a cabin in the mountains, so I do a lot of hiking and walking, especially with my dog, Isaboo. I do belong to a gym, but I can't get there as often as I'd like. I think a lot of women struggle to fit in exercise. That's why my new talk show is going to feature a Better Than Nothing workout segment. The idea behind it is to do the absolute minimum to maintain your weight and health -- and to make the routine simple, no special equipment required.

Shape: What's your definition of healthy eating?
RR: I don't believe in counting calories; eat in moderation and you won't have to worry about the numbers. I eat pretty much everything. Flavor is really important. If you peeked into my fridge and pantry today, you'd find almonds, cashews, goat cheese, Pecorino, salami, bacon from upstate New York, olive oil, pasta, tuna, an open bottle of white wine, tomatoes and beans. Truly relaxing during meals and enjoying the foods on your plate also matters. I make it a point to sit down, have a glass of red wine and savor my supper every night.

Shape: Workwise, you certainly have a full plate. how do you stay energized?
RR: I really love what I do. In fact, even after a full day of taping cooking shows, I'll come home and head straight for the kitchen. Cooking helps me unwind because it's so meditative. I focus on what I'm doing, not my worries or my to-do list. While I'm making dinner, I'll listen to music: anything from the Foo Fighters or Tom Jones to my husband John Cusimano's band, The Cringe. And I'm a Law & Order addict, so I'll often listen to it while I'm cooking.

Check out this and other great articles on Shape.com.

Source

Get the Bod: Jennifer Garner

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 07:34:17 -0800

I think Jennifer Garner tops my list of celebs I admire. She just seems to be really, really into being a mother and not so much into being a celeb. Regardless, we're all curious what she does to stay looking so darn cute.

People got the scoop recently on her skin, her shape and her comfort foods... to read all about it and see her hanging with Violet (who is so adorable by the way), then

Get the Bod: Kate Hudson

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:47:03 -0800

Kate Hudson went from Almost Famous to super famous and she has got a bod that speaks for itself.

To learn her secret,

Get the Bod: Jeremy Piven

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:30:00 -0800

While I was browsing through the February issue of Cosmopolitan, I found a great little blurb on Jeremy Piven, who I love by the way, talking about his weight loss.

I don't want to neglect the boys, ahem I mean men, in Hollywood so here is what he did to drop some weight:

Cosmo: "Is it true you dropped 20 pounds to play your character in Smokin’ Aces?"

Jeremy Piven: “This character was an entertainer — a magician turned gangster turned snitch — and he was doing a great deal of cocaine. If you’re gonna abuse yourself that heavily and rob your body of nutrients, you’re gonna lose body weight. I went down to about 158 just by eating smaller meals and more meals on a strict raw-food diet. Oddly enough, I was in the best shape of my life to portray the worst shape of my life.”

Interesting, I wouldn't have pinned him as a raw-food diet kind of guy. Jeremy definitely makes me laugh in Entourage but he loves to make himself laugh with Laughter Yoga. There's more on funny man Jeremy in Cosmo's Feb issue, so check it out on newsstands now.

[Cosmopolitian: February 2007, pg. 110]

Source

Mandy Moore and 5-Factor Fitness

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:45:17 -0800

According to Life and Style, Mandy Moore has joined the 5-Factor Fitness team, coached by diet and fitness guru Harley Pasternak. Her teammates include: Eva Mendes, Alicia Keyes, Halle Berry, Kanye West and Vanessa Williams. Zach Braff is on Pasternak's client list too, so it seems like something good that she kept from their relationship.

Want the skinny on the 5-Factor plan? Well just

Do You Want To Be Bootylicious?

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800

Beyonce is famed for her award winning music, thriving acting career and one hot, curvy bod. Maybe you can sing or act like her, but could you hula hoop like her...

It has been reported that Beyonce disclosed that one way she keeps such a hot bod is by hula hooping. I was skeptical so I researched hula hooping and it turns out that hula hooping is a great way to diversify your workout.

The Hula Hoop is one of the few ways to primarily target your troublesome middle area. With circular trunk movements, it directly works abdominal muscles, hips and waistlines. As a result, you gain a cardio and a strength workout. One minute of Hula Hooping can burn as many calories as running an eight-minute mile. Hula Hooping also promotes correct body alignment from the circular motions and proper posture in the upper body routines.

Interested? Buy a 3-lb Heavy Hoop ($49) online and check out Health.com's easy hula hoop workout.

Want to learn more about Beyonce? Check out Popsugar.com's latest sighting of her in In Style.

Source

Get the Bod: Brooke Burke

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:00:00 -0800

Brooke Burke may be pregnant but she is still super hot. Now we know why... she is doing squats combined with lateral raises on a BOSU!

Looks like Brooke is working what she can while she's preggers: her legs and her shoulders. To do Brooke's killer BOSU work out