Posts by Kristen Seymour at That's Fit

Fit Gadgets: Multi-Core-Flex Excel Body Gym

Posted: May 12th 2008 10:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Fitness, Fit Gadgets

Most abdominal exercises can't quite be called relaxing. You might enjoy them, and they might not be painful, but if you try to tell me any exercises really feel wonderful while you're doing them, I'm going to ... well, I just won't believe you. But that's not really my point.

This week's Fit Gadget, the Multi-Core-Flex Excel Body Gym, is designed to massage your back while working your abs, quads, and inner and outer thighs. Actually, it claims that, in addition to giving you a fantastic workout, it will give you "the most relaxing back massage you've ever had. Its comfortable rounded pads enable you to stretch your entire upper body as well as your back for total relaxation."

Hmm ...

Continue reading Fit Gadgets: Multi-Core-Flex Excel Body Gym

Team Hoyt: The most inspirational father-son team you'll see

Posted: May 10th 2008 2:22PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Fitness, Healthy Relationships, Spirituality and Inspiration, Healthy Kids

Dick Hoyt, 67, and his son Rick, 46, have accomplished more than many of us could imagine. They've climbed mountains, completed 224 triathlons (including six Ironmans), 66 marathons, a 45-day cross-country bike ride, and more. Obviously, that's inspiring in and of itself.

What makes it AMAZING is that Rick is a quadriplegic and cannot walk or talk -- he was born with cerebral palsy, which kept him from ever being able to control his muscles and limbs, including his vocal chords.

Dick started participating in races and endurance events with his son when Rick was just 11, and the duo hasn't taken more than two weeks off since. Dick continues to train and compete because Rick gets so much joy out of it, and it makes him happy to see his son happy.

Gallery: Team Hoyt: Yes you can!

Continue reading Team Hoyt: The most inspirational father-son team you'll see

We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Roundup: May 9, 2008

Posted: May 9th 2008 11:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Emotional Health, Fitness, Food and Nutrition, Diet and Weight Loss, Celebrities, We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Roundup

Britney Spears has been amazing in a number of ways lately, but most of them have not been positive, to say the least. However, she is apparently amazing her trainer, Marc Corliss, with her dedication. He states that her commitment and attitude are the reasons she's been able to drop 15 pounds in the last four weeks.

Honestly, I would be surprised if she has dropped that much weight -- she is looking healthier, but that's a lot of weight to lose in such a short time. Either way, it's nice to see her smiling, and I'm happy to see that fitness is playing a role in her recovery.

Mario Lopez is sharing his hot body secrets in his book, Mario Lopez's Knockout Fitness, which goes on sale May 13. He's currently out stumping for the book, and while he admits that it's hard to find time for fitness, he believes everyone can achieve their best body. It's certainly helpful for him that his current job requires that he dance all day, but he has some down-to-earth tips -- eat healthy, keep a journal, and stay focused. Sounds like good advice to me!

Continue reading We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Roundup: May 9, 2008

Dove's Campaign For Real Beauty and retouching: Weigh in with your thoughts

Posted: May 8th 2008 4:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Emotional Health, Health in the Media, Natural Beauty, Women's Health, Diet and Weight Loss, Healthy Kids, Cellulite

The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty has been based upon the idea that, while our bodies might have flaws (real or perceived), we're all beautiful. It's a good message, and they're looking to boost the self-esteem of females of all ages, starting with young girls. I'm all for it -- it's important that women realize that they don't need to be able to trade clothes with their favorite actress or be stalked by paparazzi in order to be beautiful.

However, some discussion has recently surfaced saying that the women in the Real Beauty ads were retouched. Premiere retoucher, Pascal Dangin, told The New Yorker that there was a great deal of retouching done on those ads, "But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone's skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive."

What do you think about this development? I can't say I'm surprised -- I appreciate the fact that Dove still used women of different shapes and sizes. I mean, these are regular women being photographed and filmed in their undies! I can't say I would object to a little digital help were I in their position. But, others feel that it destroys the message -- they're not showing "real" beauty if there's retouching. What do you think?

Wet snacks: We're not talking dog food

Posted: May 8th 2008 2:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, General Health, Vegetarian, Diet and Weight Loss

When I think of "wet food," cans of smelly dog food immediately come to mind. However, a post over at FitSugar gave a new meaning to "wet" food that gave me a new way to think about my snacking habits.

Snacks are often "dry" -- think of crackers, granola bars, etc. And, "dry" foods are often calorie dense. "Wet" foods, like juicy apples, cucumbers, oranges, peppers, and broth-based soups are generally more nutrient dense, so you're getting more goodness from fewer calories. Plus, these foods tend to pack some fiber, so you'll not only be nourished -- you'll stay full longer, too. Don't be afraid to pair your "wet" foods with another type of food, so don't forget the nuts, string cheese, and hummus.

It's no surprise that snacking on fruits and veggies is a smart, healthy choice, but it is interesting to have a new way to look at it.

Fit Beauty: Gorgeous, healthy nails

Posted: May 8th 2008 1:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, Natural Beauty, Women's Health, Fit Beauty

Looking great and feeling great often go hand in hand. Partly, that's because good nutrition truly shows -- your hair, your skin, and your nails all look their best when you start by eating the right foods. And so, if your current beauty goal is to grow long, beautiful nails, start at the dinner table by eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to get the necessary vitamins.

Now that you've got the nutrition aspect under control, let's talk about some other things you can do for healthy nails. According to ehow.com, there are five steps you can take to get your best nails ever.

Click through the gallery to learn more about the vitamins you need and to see the steps -- but don't break a nail!

Gallery: All You Need For Gorgeous Nails

Men and women have different eating habits: Shocking, right?

Posted: May 7th 2008 2:30PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, General Health, Women's Health, Men's Health

It comes as no surprise to me that men and women tend to gravitate toward different foods. However, you might be surprised by some of the findings shown in a recent post over at Diet-blog based on a study of 14,000 Americans.

Predictably, men tended to eat more meat and poultry, and women ate more vegetables. However, men ate more Brussels sprouts and asparagus, and women ate more fresh hamburger while men leaned toward frozen. Several "risky" behaviors were also recorded, showing that men ate more pink hamburger and runny eggs while women ate more alfalfa sprouts.

Do you think our eating habits are predetermined, or are you influenced as you grow up by what those around you choose to eat?

J. Crew's yoga collection: It's actually MADE for YOGA

Posted: May 6th 2008 12:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Spirituality and Inspiration, Fit Fashion

I'm totally guilty of buying yoga pants for the express purpose of having something comfy to wear for ... sitting on the couch, not necessarily for yoga (Hey, I work from home! I'm not going to wear a suit!). However, when you're ordering yoga apparel, don't you want to feel confident that the clothes you're buying are truly made for poses like downward facing dog, rather than super lazy couch potato?

Should you choose to check out J. Crew's online Yoga Shop, you can rest assured that it's truly made for yoga -- their model is actually a yogini and co-owner of the Shri Yoga Center in Tribeca, New York.

As many of you commented, yoga isn't about what you wear, but if you do happen to be in the market for some new yoga-wear, there's nothing wrong with finding something cute and comfy, right?

Gallery: J. Crew Yoga Collection

Modeled (and tested) by yogini Elizabeth Rossa

Get your yoga yuks with The Guru Pitka

Posted: May 6th 2008 10:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Spirituality and Inspiration, Stress Reduction, Celebrities

So, most of the time, yoga is a fairly serious practice. There's a lot of concentration and meditation involved -- you breath, you focus, you get more in tune with your body -- and it's wonderful.

However, laughter is good for your body, too, and in honor of Mike Meyer's new flick, The Love Guru, I present to you Mr. Meyers' newest character The Guru Pitka. He has a series of yoga poses that are not for the faint of heart and definitely not for those without a wicked sense of humor.

It's kind of what you'd expect if you were to do a private yoga class with the man behind Austin Powers and Shrek -- asanas like Gassy Cobra and Yank My Doodle, It's a Dandy, and the faces to go with them. Are you going to get a great yoga workout from it? No way. But, you're pretty much guaranteed to laugh, and that's worth something, too.

Fit Gadgets: Vibram FiveFingers Footwear

Posted: May 5th 2008 12:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Healthy Products, Fit Gadgets, Fit Fashion

The last time I took a long walk on the beach, barefoot, my calves let me know about it the next day, which got me thinking about how great it would be if I could do more walking barefoot. There's something really satisfying about stretching one's toes and feeling the changes in terrain while walking, plus, it obviously works the leg muscles differently than walking in shoes. However, it wouldn't be safe (or hygienic) to walk around the places I go barefoot, so that was the end of that.

Only it wasn't actually the end, because this link for Vibram FiveFingers Footwear (which we've also covered here at That's Fit a time or two) popped into my inbox the other day. You know I love fashionable footwear, and believe me, this isn't it, but it is a unique and cool concept based on barefooting, which they define as:

1. The exhilarating joy of going barefoot without leaving yourself exposed; 2. any activity requiring unconventional footwear offering the protection of a thin, flexible Vibram skin; 3. an intelligent way to deepen your connection with your natural surroundings.
Gallery: Vibram FiveFingers Footwear: It's funky!

Continue reading Fit Gadgets: Vibram FiveFingers Footwear

Are dogs a cure for hayfever?

Posted: May 5th 2008 11:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: General Health, Healthy Home, Healthy Kids

We have all heard that pets can help teach kids patience, responsibility, and empathy, but according to a recent study, having a dog in the home during childhood, especially during the first year of infancy, seriously decreased a child's likelihood of developing sensitivities to allergens like pollen. Our own Maggie first broke this story a few days ago but it's worth repeating for those thinking about investing in a canine commitment -- and for those who like photos of cute kids and cute dogs. See gallery that follows.

So the science behind this theory is that dogs bring germs inside on their coats and in their mouths, thus exposing kids to them and boosting the child's immune system. Older generations were often exposed to more dirt and germs as children (you know, because kids used to actually play outside instead of sitting indoors playing video games), and therefore developed a greater resistance to many allergens than kids today.

This study in particular has taken blood samples from 3,000 six-year-olds and will test the samples for hints that the child might become allergic to things like pet hair, dust mites, and pollen. The children will be retested at age 10, but the lead researcher has already stated with confidence that, "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitization to pollens and allergens."

Gallery: Are these kids less likely to develop allergies?

Nike Gift Card Giveaway!

Posted: May 5th 2008 10:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Fitness, Healthy Products, Fit Fashion

You might remember a while ago when I "went running with Lance Armstrong," courtesy of a Lance Armstrong coaching mix provided by Nike. Don't forget that Lance's mix isn't the only one available -- check out some of the other coaching mixes for yourself!

To further encourage you to get (or stay) fit, Nike is giving away one $100 gift card to a lucky That's Fit reader. You can use that gift card toward any gear at Nike.com or at Nike stores. You can use it to purchase clothing, shoes -- you name it! Unfortunately, it's not good toward the coaching mixes, but they're pretty affordable anyway.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, May 9, telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on May 12. Some other important details:

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit.
The comment must be left and confirmed before May 9 at 5:00PM EST.
You may only enter once.
One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
One winner will receive a Nike Gift Card valued at $100.
Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

What's the right sports bra for you?

Posted: May 4th 2008 3:00PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Women's Health, Healthy Products, Fit Fashion

Gallery: Which sports bra is right for you?

Natori White Label Underwire Sports Bra $48

Shock Absorber Flexiform Support Level 3 Anti-Bounce Sports Bra $46

Shock Absorber Support Level 4 D+ Sports Bra $50

Shock Absorber Flexiform Support Level 3 Underwire Sports Bra $52

Choosing the right sports bra requires attention to a number of factors. First and foremost is your bust size. Obviously, the big busted woman is going to require a different type of support than a woman with small-bust needs.

Second, take into account what you need it for. Playing basketball or jumping rope requires a different level of support than going for a walk, and it really is important that, if you plan to do some jumping activities, you find a bra that keeps you from bouncing.

SheFinds.com came up with a comprehensive list of the Best Sports Bras using the editors' expertise as well as input from readers. There are bras for busts large and small made for all different activities. Check them out in the gallery and be sure to leave a comment sharing your favorite sports bra!

Foods to boost your love life

Posted: May 4th 2008 11:00AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Food and Nutrition, Healthy Relationships

You know which foods give you more energy, and you're aware of the foods that will pack on the pounds. But, can certain foods help your love life? According to a recent article on MSN, the answer is yes!

There's a reason people have turned to aphrodisiacs throughout the course of history -- while oysters alone won't turn you (or your date) into a raging sex machine, certain foods have been shown to have a subtle effect on "how amorous you're feeling."

Want to know what foods you should order on your next date? Check out the gallery!

Gallery: Foods that help your love life

Is it happy hour yet? Low-cal margarita links

Posted: May 3rd 2008 4:30PM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Diet and Weight Loss, Healthy Recipes

It's almost Cinco de Mayo, which is, unfortunately, one of my favorite holidays to celebrate because, even though it packs a lot of calories, I really love Mexican food. And, what good is an enchilada without a margarita?

In case your mouth is watering just thinking about a cold, delicious margarita (because, honestly, mine is watering just writing about it), I've pulled together some links that look like good options. They'll keep your calories lower than a regular margarita, but it's no free pass -- most of these still pack over 100 calories per serving. But, if you have a recipe you dig, share the love! And feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Fitnessmagazine.com -- Frozen Lime Margarita
Hungry-Girl.com -- Rockin' Razzy Rita, HG's Fruitylicious Margarita, and HG's Magical Low-Cal Margarita
Ehow.com -- Delicious Low-Cal Margarita
MargaritaTexas.com -- Low-Cal Margarita
Suite101.com -- Low Calorie Agave Margarita

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