Fitness | Health & Wellness

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Giveaway: Target Healthier Lifestyles Prize Pack (3 winners!)

Bullseye 75 05 CMYK2 Giveaway: Target Healthier Lifestyles Prize Pack (3 winners!) As we round out the month of January, a lot of us had goals and resolutions – and for many, they are already being abandoned.

But there’s always time to have a healthier and more fit you, and we’ve teamed with Target to create a giveaway package dedicated to healthy living – that THREE of you will win:

C9 by Champion outfit (personalized by size)

The stylish and supportive ensemble, personalized for you by size, will move with your body and complement your workout. Great for any activity you are doing to get fit this New Year.

Minerals or Supplements

Did you take your vitamins today? up & up™ minerals and supplements help maintain your body’s natural functions and replenish depleted fuel.

Healthy Snacks

Archer Farms offers a variety of healthy, nutrient-packed snacks to keep you properly fueled when you’re on the go. Your body needs energy to perform daily activities, and getting necessary nutrients will lead to a healthy mind and body. These convenient snacks can be stored anywhere to provide you with proper energy throughout the day.

Archer Farms Pure Green Tea

The high concentration of antioxidants found in green tea can help reduce your risk of diseases as well as increase metabolism and support weight loss. Archer Farms green tea is organic and Fair Trade Certified to ensure that you are getting the maximum amount of antioxidants possible.

Embark Pilates Band 3-Pack

The resistance bands allow for an effective workout that you can easily fit into your daily routine. The kit comes with three different-sized bands to increase the intensity of your workouts as you advance.

Hand Sanitizer

up & up™ Hand Sanitizer kills 99.99% of germs that can make you sick. This convenient alternative to soap is effective without water and can kill germs anytime, anywhere throughout the day. This can protect you from common germs found at the gym, in your home or at work.

C9 Socks

C9 by Champion’s athletic socks provide arch support and cushioning to ensure comfort while training.

To enter:

Please RT this giveaway (you’ll find me on Twitter at @alywalansky – make sure you are following me!) and then comment below and tell me how you will use this prize package to help create a “new you” this new year. There’ll be THREE winners! Deadline to enter is February 1. Good luck – and happy New Year!

Gloss How-To: Shed Those Holiday Pounds

scale 300x200 Gloss How To: Shed Those Holiday Pounds So, we’re a few days into the New Year and maybe also indulged a bit too much over the holidays and have a few extra pounds you’d like to shed.

We talked to celebrity fitness trainer Valerie Waters — she’s helped Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Cindy Crawford and others maintain their fab figures — and got her best tips & tricks on how to recover from holiday weight gain and achieve your best body in 2011:

How To Shed Those Holiday Pounds…and Keep Them Off!

SET A DEADLINE

It’s easy for me to get clients in shape because usually, when they call me, they have a hard fast deadline to meet. It may be the Golden Globes, a bikini photo shoot, or a sexy scene in a movie that has lit a fire under them, but the bottom line is: everyone does better with a deadline! Even if you don’t have your own Red Carpet moment coming up, you can still pick a date – ideally about 6 weeks out – and circle it on the calendar. Plan a photo shoot or a special night out for that date, and then commit to doing your very best between now and then. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

MOTIVATION FOLLOWS ACTION – SO TAKE ACTION

You think you lack motivation to start an exercise program, but it’s hard to get motivated while sitting on the couch. Sign up for a 6-week bootcamp, get a friend to meet you for a spin or yoga class, or join a new gym. The point is to take some action and then build on that. Once you start to see results, your motivation will soar.

STRENGTH CIRCUITS RULE

If you want to lose weight, shape your body, tone your arms and/or get stronger, you need to strength train. If you do it in a circuit, not only will you burn tons of calories, you will be in and out of the gym in no time flat! I like big circuits. My most popular Red Carpet Ready Workouts typically have 3 circuits that you complete 2 to 3 times.

EXAMPLE OF A RED CARPET READY CIRCUIT:

- Sumo Squat 15 x 15 lbs

- 2 Arm Row 15 x 5-8 lbs

- Valslide Reverse Lunge 12-15 each leg

- Dumbbell Chest Press 12 x 12 lbs

- Straight Leg Cross & Touch 20 each

- Valslide 1 Arm Slide 10 each

LEARN TO COOK AND CONTROL THE SOURCE

You can lose weight and eat healthy if you don’t cook but it is so much easier if you learn to cook a few simple things. Even if you try really hard to order healthy while eating out, restaurant portions are often too big and have lots of added fat or sugar. By learning a few simple recipes, you eat healthy but delicious meals! You will also have a greater sense of how much fat, sugar and salt you are consuming. My Red Carpet Ready program comes with a bunch of healthy, easy to prepare recipes, but you can also find some for free on my blog at www.ValerieWaters.com

Also check out: www.livewell360.com , www.thehealthytippingpoint.com , www.ohsheglows.com for amazing, healthy recipes.

GET SOMETHING NEW

There’s nothing like a new fitness tool or gadget to pump up your workouts again.

My favorites are:

VALSLIDE: This revolutionary new exercise tool creates mild instability, turning every exercise into a core exercise. The smooth, sliding motion makes exercises seem easier, while the continuous tension on the muscles makes each move more effective. To see Jennifer Garner demonstrate the Valslide on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, go HERE

GYMBOSS TIMER: This interval timer will give your workout the structure and discipline you need to go to the next level. Plus, it makes your workout fun!

VALBAND: This mini band looks innocent, but it will work your hips and glutes like nothing else – an absolute must for glute activation.

TRX: TRX is a type of training that uses your own body weight and gravity, to build strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, core and joint stability, all while preventing injuries.

KETTLEBELLS: kettlebells offer users a wider range of motion than dumbbells that sit in the palm of the hand, and they also better simulate the way we carry things in our daily lives. If you’ve been using dumbbells, kettlebells are a great way to switch things up and introduce a new tool into your workouts.

DRINK MORE WATER

If you are feeling bloated, chances are you’re not drinking enough water. Water is vital to your digestion, your organs and your metabolism. If you are consistently not drinking enough water, your body will hold on to water to protect itself. Drinking more water allows your body to release the bloat.

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Giveaway: Reinhardt Kettlebell System

As the holidays get closer, we may notice our waist sizes growing…wider.

It can be a pretty scary concept, considering those holiday parties have just gotten started — and so have our reasons to wear LBDs.

That means, we have to get our butt in gear — literally. The Reinhardt Kettlebell System is a new full-body workout that increases one’s strength, endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular condition; all while simultaneously melting away unwanted body fat.

RKS is designed for people of all fitness levels — meaning you can use it if you are a gym-phobe like me, or if you are a professional athlete, using in 30-minute workouts 4 times per week. The RKS DVD series includes a 15-pound kettlebell, an introductory instructional DVD, 9 DVDs with 12, 30-minute workouts, 4 “Doug Challenge” workouts, training poster and nutrition guide packaged within a coffee table book ($119.97).

The idea was grown when a professional baseball player, Doug Reinhardt and Certified Kettlebell Instructor Owen Evans partnered. Doug has sustained numerous injuries as an athlete and needed to find an effective workout that suited his busy schedule. He turned to Owen, a certified movement specialist, who introduced him to kettlebell routines.

Kettlebell exercises build strength and endurance, particularly in the lower back, legs, and shoulders, and increase grip strength.The basic movements, such as the swing, snatch, and the clean and jerk, engage the entire body at once, and in a way that mimics real world activities such as shoveling or farm work.

Think it may work out in your own fitness routine? I have one complete package to give away – to enter to win, please make sure you are following me on twitter at @alywalansky – and RT this giveaway. Then, either tweet or comment below and tell me why you need this as part of your fitness routine. Deadline to enter is December 15. Good luck!

Gloss How-To: Get Killer Calves

calves 300x199 Gloss How To: Get Killer Calves Whoever said men were God’s gift to women obviously never slipped into a pair of Louboutins. Seriously, what were they thinking? Stilettos can do wonders in shaping our legs – from lengthening to making them appear even more toned than they are.

Toned calf muscles are super sexy. Here are some tips on how to get yours in shape so they look even more fierce in your favorite heels:

- Hold a free-weight in each hand down along your side (the amount of weight you choose is at your discretion, but keep it light) and keep your feet slightly apart

- Keeping your back straight raise up onto the balls of your feet and lower down. Do this twelve times in a row and take a 30 second break before repeating for two more sets.

- Turn out your toes so your heels are touching and do the same exercise. This works the outer part of your calf muscle and will ensure better definition.

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, place a block underneath your heels and never fully come down onto a flat foot.

Gloss How-To: Stay Fired Up About Fitness This Winter

winterworkout 300x200 Gloss How To: Stay Fired Up About Fitness This Winter As winter creeps up on us and the temperatures creep downwards, staying motivated to workout can be tough. Combine the colder weather with our increasingly busy schedules — thanks to holiday parties, holiday shopping, and endless events at our kids’ schools — and you’ve got more than enough excuses to slack off on your workouts.

“Winter is one of the most difficult seasons to stay committed to an active, healthy lifestyle,” advises Dr. Lavinia Rodriguez, author of Mind Over Fat Matters:: Conquering Psychological Barriers to Weight Management. “But just because it is cold outside is not a valid excuse to stop exercising. The key is to infuse exercise into your day-to-day activities.”

So, although it may be easier to stay in the nice and cozy indoors, Dr. Rodriguez says you have to find the right motivation to keep up a healthier lifestyle.

Here are her best tips for staying motivated:

Hibernating is just for the bears. When we’re cold, we tend to want to just curl up with a blanket and relax. The season is filled with some of the best-tasting snacks, from eggnog and chili to cookies and chocolate. But these comfort foods can quickly result in a bit of a winter bulge. As soon as the winter coats and sweaters come off, you’ll wish you had showed more restraint.

“Exercising in the cold weather not only burns fat while you’re exercising,” encourages Dr. Rodriguez, “it also motivates you to be active instead of being a couch potato. Keep in mind that every opportunity to move should be capitalized on. Even something as simple as going to the mall to shop for gifts can be exercise. Finding ways to fit exercise into your daily life is key!”

Turn up your internal heater. The long (well, not really so long) walk from the car to the gym seems almost unbearable in the blustery winter winds. And the thought of changing clothes in the chilly gym locker room, accompanied by the presence of running shorts, is almost too much to stomach.

“Don’t forget that exercise actually warms you up,” explains Dr. Rodriguez. ”Think of your red cheeks and glistening forehead as an indicator that your body temperature is rising. Being inactive will only perpetuate the chilliness of the season.”

Maintain a glass-half-full mentality. In the dead of winter, the sunny days of summer may seem ages away. But soon enough you’ll be packing shorts and bathing suits for long, hot vacations. Just think about how much slimmer you’ll be when the weather warms up if you maintain a healthy lifestyle all year long. You’ll be beach body-ready long before Memorial Day.

“Summer is a big motivator for slimming down,” says Dr. Rodriguez, “but don’t wait to start slimming down in the summer months! Winter is actually a great time to experiment at the gym with new workout routines. Most people tend to quit working out in the cold weather, so take advantage of all the classes and equipment that’s usually reserved.”

Walk it out (snow boots optional!). If you take a trip to the mall or even a brisk walk around the neighborhood, don’t forget that every step counts. Yes, while going to the gym and engaging in rigorous exercise is great, it’s not always feasible. Start keeping count of your steps with a pedometer and challenge yourself to be more active. Ask for a pedometer this holiday season or even sneak and buy one for yourself!

“Wearing a pedometer motivates you to take more steps daily,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “Set a goal and gradually increase your steps to 10,000 per day if possible. Turning exercise into an enjoyable part of your day will greatly increase your odds of living a healthy lifestyle all year long.”

Welcome the winter wonderland. Think of all the fun winter activities you used to do as a kid—sledding, skiing, and ice skating, just to name a few. Who says you have to stop enjoying winter just because you’re an adult? Plan a weekend ski trip with your girlfriends or go caroling in your neighborhood. The options are endless for winter fun.

“Winter has a lot of special activities that you’re not able to do year-round,” says Dr. Rodriguez. ”Think of all the winter traditions you can start or continue with your family and friends just by finding ways to have fun outside. If you’re having fun, it’s like you’re not exercising.”

“Motivating yourself in the winter is as simple as embracing the colder temperatures and using them to your advantage,” advises Dr. Rodriguez. “The key is to find fun and easy ways to stop the weather and shorter days of the season from being a deterrent to your healthy lifestyle.”

Gloss How-To: Workout While Cleaning

With the change of the seasons it’s a good time to clean up your home and get organized. Try cleaning using a special technique – a toning technique from Molly Maid – that will leave your house sparkling and your muscles looking tight.

- Warm Up – Dusting: Dusting works all major muscles, especially quads and glutes. When reaching up to those high, hard-to-reach places, stretch thoroughly to get those muscles working and include a few step-ups on your stairs to get the blood pumping. Alternate your legs; after one minute leading with one, change to lead with the other for one minute.

- Cleaning windows: Clean up and down your windows and incorporate squats to boost the calories burned. Make sure to stretch up to reach the top of your window.

- Polishing windows: Once windows are cleaned with the squat technique, use a dry cloth in each hand to dry and polish the windows. Rotate both hands one way to polish and change direction after 10 rotations.

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Want Flat Abs? Add These Foods To Your Diet

tonedabs 300x199 Want Flat Abs? Add These Foods To Your Diet Hoping to tone your abs before you slip into your summer swimsuit?

In addition to regular cardio workouts and exercises that target the muscles in your mid-section, the foods you eat can help get your belly ready for summer too. Check out these six superfoods that are good for you on the inside and on the outside too — add them into your daily diet and you’ll be showing off a toned, flat tummy in no time:

Berries

Blueberries and blackberries are packed with antioxidants — which aren’t only essential for our health overall but they also deliver more oxygen to our muscles, which helps us workout longer and can make exercising easier. Easier, longer workouts = a fitter body!

Avocados

Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fat — the “good” fat. Monounsaturated fats level out blood sugar levels and keep your body from storing fat around you belly.

Green Tea

Another source of antioxidants, green teas also rev up your metabolism and make it easier for your body to burn fat. Drink three cups a day for optimal benefits.

Milk

Fat-free milk — and even better fat-free chocolate milk (yay! a treat too!) — has been shown to aid post-workout muscle recovery better than any sports drink. The super-combo of protein and carbs in low-fat chocolate milk is “just right for refueling weary muscles,” says William Lunn, PhD, an exercise scientist at the University of Connecticut.

Bulgur or Quinoa

Whole grains like bulgur and quinoa pack more fiber than refined grains, which keep sugar levels low, burn fat and actually shrink the fat cells you have.

Yogurt

We know that the probiotics in yogurt help digestion, which helps relieve bloat and fullness than can hide the six-pack underneath! Try to have a cup of yogurt each day to keep your belly full of the good bacteria that banishes the bad bacterias that promote icky bloat.

Gloss How-To: Sculpt Your Legs

0703 curtsey lunge Gloss How To: Sculpt Your Legs Want lean, toned legs? It’s actually quite simple, for most of us, we learned how to do it when we were little girls — all you have to do is curtsy.

Hold a weight in your right hand and curtsy to the right. (Tip: When you bend your right knee, make sure your knee goes directly over your toes and not to the right or left.)
Switch sides and do the same thing on your left side, bringing the weight to your left hand. (Tip: Make sure you keep your back straight and chest up).
Repeat for four sets of eight reps taking 30 second breaks in between.

Not only are you toning your stems from your hips down, but you’ll also look very polite doing so!