September = Free Yoga!

September is National Yoga Month. What does that mean? It means free yoga baby! To celebrate National Yoga Month, over 750 yoga studios around the world are offering one week of free yoga. So if you're new to yoga, it's a great time to give it a try. Or perhaps you just want to check out a new studio. Here's a list of the participating studios.

De-Bloating Tips from Britney Spears

Britney Spears has been seen out in a bikini a lot more lately. It's probably because the singer has been working hard to get her pre-baby (pre-crazy) shape back and wants to show off her new toned look. Here are some of Brit Brit's de-bloating tips:

1. Cut out soda - carbonated stuff makes you bloat
2. Cut out gum - chewing gum increases air consumption, which causes bloating
3. Limit intake of salty foods - salt increases water retention

Rachel Nichols’s G.I. Joe Workout

For her role as Shana “Scarlett” O’Hara in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Rachel Nichols enlisted Valerie Waters to help her get in shape. Four months prior to filming, Waters replaced Nichols’s regular routine with her “Action Hero Babe” routine. The “Action Hero Babe” routine consist of circuits that are made up of four to five exercises that work the arms, core, legs, and back muscles.

The Workout:

“Action Hero Babe” Circuit #1

• Warm up with leg swings and squats


• 12 step ups on each leg to a high step


• 6-8 chin ups


• 10 star push ups (5 on each arm): at the height of the push-up, rotate to one side and raise opposite arm so that it’s perpendicular to your body. Return to starting position and repeat.


• 12 “Valside pushaways”: start in a push up position with Valslides under your hands. Separate hands as much as possible and return


• Repeat three times, resting one to two minutes in between

Equipment Needed:

• Valside $30


• Valband $5

[Source: InStyle]

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MythBuster: Strength Training Bulks Women Up

Myth: Strength training will cause a women’s muscle to bulk up.

Fact: For muscles to become large, they require certain hormones, namely, testosterone. Women fear that they will develop an overly masculine, muscular physique if they lift weights. But the truth is that since women’s testosterone levels are much lower than men’s, they don’t have the necessary amount of hormones needed to develop bulky muscles. In fact, even men struggle to gain huge muscles (and for that reason, some turn to steroids or other drugs to help build muscles).

The truth is that there are numerous benefits to strength training:

• Increases metabolism, so you’ll be burning more calories


• Increases strength


• Decreases risk of osteoporosis


• Muscles take up less room than fat, so you’ll lose inches, slim down, and tone up

Conclusion: MYTH BUSTED!

How Scarlett Johansson Shaped Up for Iron Man 2

For the upcoming sequel to Iron Man, aptly named Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson had to don a revealing Lycra catsuit for her role as the Black Widow. Scarlett had to endure rigorous stunt training and strength training to look good in unforgiving Lycra.

Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau credits Scarlett’s willpower and determination in making the Black Widow suite look good. “She didn’t eat much, that’s for sure. She likes food, as do I, and she was definitely on a low-card diet and training very hard. It was amazing.”

Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010.

[Source: People]

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Healthy Living Tips form Jillian Michaels

The Biggest Loser trainer, Jillian Michaels, went on the Today Show this morning to dish out healthy living advice. She took questions that were videoed in, Skyped in, and called in. Jillian recommends looking at the number of calories you consume. To basically watch what you eat. Here's what else she had to say:

On how to stay healthy on the road:
• Pack a cooler with healthy food options
• Choose the grilled options when dinning at fast food places

Be high maintenance with food at restaurants:
• Check out nutritional info
• Ask for dressing on the sides
• Ask for things to be grilled

On not having time to go to the gym:
• You don’t need a gym to workout, you can do polymetric exercises at home or anywhere
• Do squats, lunges, push ups, sit ups, etc
• Get creative and think out of the box

On what not to eat:
• Sugars
• Processed foods
• Refined grains

On energy boosters:
• Drink water. Dehydration can snap energy. Drink at least 80 ounces a day
• Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and organic proteins
• Drink up to 200mg of caffeine a day. That’s about one cup of coffee. 200 mg of caffeine is about 75 minutes of sleep. It’ll improve cognitive function and boost energy levels

On metabolism boosters:
• Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night. That’s when your body is releasing most of the fat burning and anti-aging hormones
• Base workouts on strength training
• Do four to five hours of exercises per week
• Lower body exercises if the best for metabolic functions. Do lunges, squats, dead lifts, weights, etc. This releases more testosterone, DHEA – all the hormones that helps your body shed fat
• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a metabolism killer. It releases excess estrogen, which is bad for the body and your waistline.

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