celebrity-related stories
Ashlee Simpson Defends 'Sexy' Sister
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
In the December issue of Women's Health magazine, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz says, "My sister has an incredible body. I feel sorry for anyone who would judge her, because she's one sexy lady." Jessica has taken quite a bit of heat for her curvier figure, from a body-bashing cartoon to the tabloid firestorm the erupted after she was photographed looking noticeably heavier while singing at a chili cookoff.
While Ashlee may think her big sis looks great, Jessica has enlisted the help of her former personal trainer who whipped her body into shape for "The Dukes of Hazzard." Apparently she's working hard because in a recent tweet to her coach, Jessica said, "Why am I still hurting from our workout earlier? I'm getting old! See you tomorrow with a pouty face and sore buns."
Sculpt Yourself a Star Body
Photo: Gabriel Bouys, Getty Images
Check out the featured CafeMom video (via Self.com) to zero in on your abs, arms, thighs and butts in the privacy of your own home -- and with no high-tech special equipment. Hand weights and/or resistance tubing is all you should need. Add to your regular workout routine 10 reps of each exercise, and do two sets. Who knows, you might end up resembling the likes of Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel and Jennifer Lopez.
And then there's Michelle Obama -- now, she could teach you a thing or two about getting fit.
Octomom Loses 145 Pounds Without Surgery Or Trainer
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Photo: Headlinephoto/BuzzFoto/FilmMagic
I know what you're thinking -- just how does a mother of 14 young children find time to diet and exercise? She had to trade a bit of sleep for the sake of fitness by heading to the gym at midnight while a nanny minded the children. Once there, she did strength training but no cardio because "I get enough of that with the kids," she tells US Weekly.
And as for her diet? She relies on five nutritious, protein-rich meals a day, and chooses from household staples like oatmeal, lean protein and even sushi.
She's not the only one -- Sarah Michelle Gellar is already back in shape just one month after giving birth!
Click on the gallery below to see how celeb moms dropped the weight after having babies.
Hottest Celebrity Arms, Timeless Beauty, Exercises for Chronic Pain: Links We Love
The first lady isn't the only leading woman with lean arms. Check out this photo gallery of our favorite famous guns -- and learn how to get the look.
Just what does it take to attain timeless beauty? From Marilyn to Twiggy, AOL Health reveals the diet and exercise routines that helped them achieve their famous shapes.
If your aches and pains make you feel decades older than your peers, you may not be exaggerating. Recent research reveals that a 50-year-old living with chronic pain may have a body that looks similar to a pain-free 75-year-old. AOL Health offers exercises and nutrition advice to help treat your problem.
'American Idol' Contestant Loses 80 Pounds
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Photo: Ray Mickshaw, FOX|Jason Merritt, Getty Images
Since the infamous moment when Cowell made a joke about needing a bigger stage to accommodate Hundley -- a moment that, by the way, just won't die thanks to the fact that "American Idol Rewind" chose to include it in the premiere episode -- Hundley's life has changed dramatically. Not only does she have a new album out, titled "Freedom," but the singer has also dropped an astonishing 80 pounds, reports Entertainment Tonight (via MSN TV).
It was the recording of her album, singing songs about being set free, that inspired the change. She told ET that she couldn't help but ask herself, "How can I tell people that God has set them free when I am still bound?" A trip to Mount Rushmore was also a wake-up call -- she found herself breathing heavy and sweating and in pain from walking up the incline, and when she got home, she set to work on changing her eating habits and her life, hiring a personal trainer and seeing a counselor specializing in eating disorders.
Click on the gallery below to see more American Idol stars who are showing off new figures. Story continues after the gallery.
'Shape Magazine' reported that Grammy-winning vegetarian Carrie Underwood has dropped between 15 and 20 pounds since her Idol days by hitting the treadmill, swimming and sticking to healthy eats. Although she admits to a weakness for cheese, Underwood prevents herself from overindulging by keeping a food diary and carrying around whole grain Kashi bars wherever she goes.
American Idol Body Transformations
By Gabrielle Linzer
'Shape Magazine' reported that Grammy-winning vegetarian Carrie Underwood has dropped between 15 and 20 pounds since her Idol days by hitting the treadmill, swimming and sticking to healthy eats. Although she admits to a weakness for cheese, Underwood prevents herself from overindulging by keeping a food diary and carrying around whole grain Kashi bars wherever she goes.
Stephen Shugerman, Getty Images
Though he has dropped almost 100 pounds, American Idol (AI) season 2 victor Ruben Studdard, is as cuddly as ever. According to MSNBC, Studdard kicked his weight loss into high gear in order to avoid being struck by one of numerous diseases that run in his family including diabetes and high blood pressure. By attending a weight management center at Duke University, he was able to learn how to make healthier choices and upon leaving, adopted a vegetarian diet.
Katy Winn, Getty Images
Kelly Clarkson, the original queen of AI, reportedly does not believe in diets. However, we hear that since AI, she has refined her eating habits (focusing on portion control) and amping up her fitness routine instead of following any particular diet plan. Clarkson told 'Us Weekly' that she indulges in her penchant for chocolate, but only to a certain point. and sprints around concert arenas work best for this belting beauty.
Getty Images
Along with his daily 45 minute runs and energetic stage performances, 'People Magazine' reports Taylor Hicks was able to drop 22 pounds, which we think has helped given him an uncanny resemblance to George Clooney. Plus, cutting back on his beloved Southern fried foods and upping his intake of brown rice, salad, chicken soup couldn't have hurt.
Mark Mainz, Getty Images
After a five-year battle with bulimia, AI season 5 runner-up Katherine McPhee managed to drop 30 pounds the healthy way by sticking to the Intuitive eating plan. She told Shape Magazine that the plan worked because she can munch on anything she pleases, but when she's full, she stops. Exercise-wise McPhee tones her muscles with weight training and likes to walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes four to five days a week.
Steve Granitz, WireImage.com
Oscar-winning Dreamgirl Jennifer Hudson knows how to have a good time, but don't ask her to stay out late partying: It's been reported by 'Us Weekly' that J-Hud wakes up before dawn for her daily run, followed by squats, push-ups and sit-ups. This AI Season 3 finalist dropped 60 pounds through her rigorous workout routine and a healthy diet that included staple items such as salads, grilled chicken and cranberry juice. When she needs an energy boost, Hudson turns to a stash of diet-smart snacks: almonds, cashews, and raisins.
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
AI season 2 finalist Kimberley Locke reportedly lost about 25 pounds weight with the help of a stint on 'Celebrity Fit Club.' But when she wanted to drop another 40, she called Jenny Craig. Along with the help of her "Jenny" diet, Locke began jumping rope for exercise.
Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images
'US Weekly' dubbed Kellie Pickler "the next Jessica Simpson," and like her blond counterpart, the AI season 5 finalist also got serious about shaping up. Pickler gained nearly 20 pounds munching on candy backstage during her time on the show. But by taking simple measures, such as replacing offstage sweets with vegetables, she eliminated almost all junk food from her diet. Pickler stays fit by playing football with band members and with a killer ab routine, in which she does 100 crunches a day on her tour bus.
Gregg DeGuire, WireImage.com
Katherine Heigl Wants Nicole Richie's Body
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| Photo: Getty Images |
But the "Grey's Anatomy" actress admits that she doesn't have what it takes to diet like Richie. "What stops me is that I want young girls to look at me and think: 'That's healthy, that's what I want - she's on television and she looks like me,'" she says, adding that she hates dieting and is obsessed with food. Plus, she keeps red-carpet ready by working out with celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, and she even does ab exercises while she gets manicures.
I'm glad she takes her status as a role model seriously -- but by admitting she wishes she were thinner, do you think she's a healthy one?
One celeb who's definitely a good role model is Michelle Obama -- she's in the best shape of her life!
Get Slim With Hollywood's Hottest Class
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
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| Photo: Charles Jung |
"Triathletes, professional basketball players, and anyone who wants the most effective workout comes to class and does my multi-muscle movements; we don't even call it Pilates anymore," says Lagree. He's also adapted a traditional Pilates reformer (it looks like an ancient torture rack with lots of shiny metal) into the challenging Pro-former with cable attachments so you can literally do any sort of weight lifting movement on it. "Training on the Pro-former or adding weighted mat work enables your body to enter a calorie-burning zone because these lifting movements are so challenging they become cardiovascular in nature -- your heart rate is elevated throughout," he says. "We've clocked people on pedometers and other caloric expenditure gadgets and found that one of our 60-minute classes is equivalent to a 30-minute jog, but in class you also firm up from head to toe, which you can't do during a typical run."
Fave Move: Since the push-up targets every major muscle group, Lagree says, "Try to hold the top of a push-up -- the plank -- for 60 seconds. About 30 seconds in, extend one leg in back and hold there up to hip height for 20 seconds or so, then switch sides. Anything we do in a Pilates Plus environment is performed slowly with exquisite control, that's the big difference between this and other sculpting classes," Lagree says. "This type of muscular isometric hold is a very efficient and deep contraction but without all the wear and tear on your joints."
Now you can do one of his advanced classes online, or try a beginner-level or more traditional Pilates workout.
Edward Norton and Other Stars Running for a Cause
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
Edward Norton recently announced that he's in training. This time, it's not for a movie role; rather, the actor is training to run the New York Marathon on November 1. While the actual feat of completing 26.2 miles is impressive (particularly considering the 40-year-old has never run a marathon before), he has another goal -- to raise money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust.
Norton will be joined by a team of runners that includes three members of the Maasai tribe (one of whom could likely leave the group behind and finish in two and a half hours, Norton tells CNN. The "Fight Club" star became involved in the Maasai cause about eight years ago, and encourages his fans to donate to the cause.
"The money we raise is going to enable important and inspiring work that the Maasai are engaging in to show that wilderness and wildlife and healthy ecosystems can be integral to economic prosperity and the preservation of a traditional culture," he writes on the MWCT website. "There is a genuine threat to the future of that wildness if we don't collectively value it and engage with the people who live alongside it. Imagine having to explain to your grandchildren why those animals no longer exist." Hear more about what he has to say in the video above.
Quick Workouts, Weight-Loss Supplements Investigated and Celeb Dieter Match - Links We Love
Want to get fit in 10 minutes -- or at least find fast fitness routines you can fit into your day? Then head to AOL Health for these 25 ways to transform your body.
You've seen the ads, the late-night infomercials and maybe even lingered over the boxes in the pharmacy, but do you know which weight-loss supplements actually work (and which to avoid at all costs)? Here, we uncover which weight-loss aids actually help (and to what extent).
With personality quizzes being all the rage these days, isn't it time you find out which celebrity's weight-loss strategy is most like yours? Give AOL Health's celebrity dieter match quiz a try.
Celebrity Diet Pill Poppers - This Week on AOL Health
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
| Photo: Joe Cohen, WireImage |
Would you ever consider a weight-loss drug? Does FDA approval matter to you? Tell us what you think in a comment below.
Female Hair Loss, Uncontrollable Eating and Celeb Abs - Links We Love
That's right ladies, hair loss isn't just a guy thing -- some experts believe that dramatically-thinning hair is as common in women as it is in men. Find out why, who's likely to be affected by it and what you can do to preserve your locks.
Uncontrollable hunger and a sluggish metabolism -- sounds like any of us on a bad day, right? For some, it's a constant way of life. This week on AOL Health we examine the condition -- known medically as Prader-Willi syndrome -- and how one woman lives her life feeling like she's always starving.
You probably think you're pretty savvy about your favorite stars, but could you pick their tummies out of a lineup? Take our quiz to determine your "Celeb Ab Q."
Diet-Smart Protien, Celeb Skin We Love and When Juice Becomes Unhealthy - Links We Love
Think you're as protein-savvy as they come? Did you know that a handful of peas or a serving of oatmeal or split peas are good sources of filling, lean protein? Discover more diet-smart protein sources and what amount of protein you should strive to eat each day.
Being famous does not guarantee good skin (See: Brad Pitt), so we went to the experts to see which celeb skin came out on top, and how to steal the famous looks.
Fruits -- fiber-filled, low-calorie, wholesome and healthy. Fruit juice -- well, new research indicates too many glasses could lead to liver disease. Learn the explanation behind the study at AOL Health.
Deborah Gibson Loses Weight With Help From Her Boyfriend
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| Deborah Gibson flaunts her trim and toned tummy; Photo: Tiffany Rose, WireImage |
Gibson's main squeeze, Rutledge Taylor, is a medical doctor who specializes in preventative medicine, and he designed an exercise program, along with a strict diet, to help the singer keep up with her hectic schedule. Before long, she had the kind of figure she'd likely imagined only in her dreams.
Initially, Gibson only planned to drop five pounds, but as she started shedding weight, she realized there was more to lose -- and a lot more energy to gain. She told PEOPLE, "It really gives me a lot more energy to be fit, and it's also empowering. I'll be 39 soon, and I'm in the best shape of my life."
Forget about electric youth. Gibson's showing that it's possible to get hotter with age!
Click on the gallery below to see more stars whose bodies are getting sexier as they get older.
Lisa Rinna
Rinna turned heads and stole the headlines for posing for the May 2009 "Playboy" cover at age 45. In an interview with That's Fit, she explains how she stays in shape after having kids. While she's always been a fan of exercise, being on "Dancing With the Stars" has changed her entire workout philosophy. "Dance is such an overall workout...that also makes you really, really happy... what's more fun than dancing?"
Hottest Celebs Over 40
By AOL Health Editors
Lisa Rinna
Rinna turned heads and stole the headlines for posing for the May 2009 "Playboy" cover at age 45. In an interview with That's Fit, she explains how she stays in shape after having kids. While she's always been a fan of exercise, being on "Dancing With the Stars" has changed her entire workout philosophy. "Dance is such an overall workout...that also makes you really, really happy... what's more fun than dancing?"
PLAYBOY Magazine
Demi Moore
If you were a 46-year-old toting around 31-year-old arm candy, you might worry about looking young, or at least try to look your best. But we hear that this actress is willing to drop more than six figures a year to sustain her fit figure -- covering the cost of personal trainers, equipment and Pilates classes, among other things.
Pascal Le Segretain, Getty Images
Valerie Bertinelli
After shedding 50 pounds, 48-year-old Bertinelli graced the cover of "People" magazine, clad in a bikini -- for the first time in 20 years. This former teen star and current Jenny Craig spokeswoman ditched the excess weight by cutting calories, running five days a week and doing strength-training exercises with her personal trainer.
Jean-Paul Aussenard, WireImage
Kathy Ireland
This 46-year-old former "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit model and current CEO, author and mother, recently had a wake-up call that she was carrying some extra weight, from her son of all people. After he told her she looked pregnant, she stepped on the scales to find she'd gained 25 pounds. A friend, who's a personal trainer and nutritionist, helped her plan healthier meals, cut back on snacks and sweets and incorporate three exercise sessions a week. As a result she's lost nearly all of the added pounds.
Jonathan Exley / Kathy Ireland Worldwide
Sheryl Crow
This Grammy winner is nearly as famous for her albums as she is for her show-stopping body. When the 46-year-old recently stepped out on the red carpet looking more toned and fit than ever, she shared that her incredible figure was the result of a regimen of yoga, Pilates and P90X workouts.
The sweat-inducing system, created by trainer Tony Horton, is made up of 12 different workouts designed to create "muscle confusion" by introducing new moves to beat boredom and avoid plateaus. There's also a three-phase diet plan that focuses on lean protein, complex carbs and limiting fat.
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Courteney Cox Arquette
Our favorite 'Friend' and soulless tabloid journalist has only gotten better looking with age. Cox Arquette's secret weapon for those cut arms and toned legs? Tennis and Budokon, an intense workout integrating yoga, martial arts and meditation. Cox Arquette has also been said to use the Blood Type Diet.
Starface, Retna
Kim Cattrall
Our pick for sexiest of the "Sex and the City" pack is also the oldest. And at 51, we think Kim Cattrall looks even more fabulous now than she did when the show first debuted. Cattrall has said that exercise is crucial for her and that without it she feels sluggish. When she can't make it to the gym for a 30-minute workout, she likes to walk.
MAP/Splash News
Daniel Craig
How does hottie Daniel Craig get Bond buff? It's no surprise that there's a lot of weight lifting in his fitness routine. Craig has said that a routine centered around weights was the only way to bulk up in the short time he had to prepare for "Casino Royale." But for his next Bond venture, the 40-year-old stunning star is mixing up his heavy lifting routine with boxing and running.
Splash News
Madonna
Madonna may be single-handedly responsible for helping yoga and Pilates go mainstream. With her enviable arms and taut abs, her body is a walking advertisement for the two fitness disciplines which she has long practiced. Her high water intake (three liters a day) and strict diet that bans processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and dairy also helps keep the 49-year-old slim. But we're sure the two-hour sessions of dancing and hitting the Hybrid Body Reformer (a pulley-system machine) that she does six times a week don't hurt.
Dave Hogan, Getty Images
Jamie Foxx
The Jamie Foxx workout doesn't involve exclusive gyms or personal trainers. He keeps it simple. Every morning he does four sets of pushups, situps and crunches. But not all at once, mind you. He breaks up the workout with chores. A set of pushups. Brush teeth. One set of ab exercises. Take a shower. And so on. That way, he doesn't have to make time for exercise, it's just part of his morning routine.
Chris Gordon, WireImage.com
Eddie Izzard Runs Around the UK for Charity
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
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| Eddie Izzard photographs himself running with an English flag. Photo: eddieizzard, twitter.com |
Comic Relief is a charity that envisions "a just world free from poverty," and works toward that goal using those in the entertainment industry to encourage folks who otherwise might not volunteer and work and give for charity. Izzard is harnessing the power of social media to get people to donate to his cause -- if you follow him on Twitter, you'll get constant updates, comments and pictures (like the one to the right).
Of course, regular people take on incredible challenges for charity, too. Katie Visco's run across the United States is an effort to raise funds for Girls on the Run, and Nick Irons swam the Mississippi and biked 10,000 miles for his father, who has multiple sclerosis.
Ideally, hearing stories like these will motivate you to reach in your wallet and help out the charity of your choice. But, does it make you want to lace up your shoes and challenge yourself physically, too? Are you inspired to do an event for charity yourself?
Chubby Celebrities - Do They Make Us Fat?
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| Photo: slava/Flickr |
Obesity expert Michael McMahon thinks so. "The increasing profile of larger celebrities means that being overweight is now perceived as being 'normal' in the eyes of the public," McMahon told the Daily Mail. "We talk about the dangers of skinny media images, but the problem actually swings both ways."
We're drawn to celebrities, particularly when there's something about them that we find relatable. But what we see on glossy magazine pages isn't always the full truth. Super-thin celebrities are often airbrushed to portray a level of perfection even they can't achieve. What's more, like Natasha Henstridge recently admitted, the measures that celebrities take to stay skinny are often damaging to their health. And overweight celebrities have their fair share of issues, too. Nia Vardalos had blood sugar issues and Kevin Smith had a wake-up call when his doctor told him he was morbidly obese.
Our interest in celebrities should be just that -- an interest, but certainly not a lifestyle guide. When it comes to your weight, decisions should be made solely for the sake of your health. We each have to be responsible for our own health -- seeking advice from real medical experts, and not someone from Seattle Grace.
Do images of celebrities inspire you to lose/gain weight?
