Like most in the fitness industry, I'm pretty familiar with Jillian Michaels. I know she's tough and no-nonsense, and she gets results. What I wasn't sure about was how well that would translate to a DVD, but I had a chance to find out when I got a copy of two of her workouts --"Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism" and "No More Trouble Zones."

I mean, think about it. On "The Biggest Loser," she pushes obese, out-of-shape people to the puking point, but she's there and able to read their responses. On a video, obviously, she can't, so I was very curious to see whether she would still be tough as nails.

As it turned out, the videos provide a good workout, but they weren't ruthless. It wasn't quite like I imagine a workout with Jillian in person would be. And, "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism" didn't require any equipment, while "No More Trouble Zones" required only light weights -- that's always a plus to me.

For many, it's not always so hard to find time for a workout -- what's hard is finding time to get ready for something else immediately following a workout. You can certainly work up a sweat in 20 or 30 minutes, but how do you get your face looking fresh and fabulous for work, or for lunch with your friends, in the few minutes remaining after you take a shower? Not to mention the fact that, even after the shower, you're still feeling a little hot and sweaty. Or, at least, I usually am.

5 Minute Post-Workout Beauty from Kristen Seymour on Vimeo.
Because I care about you so very much, I've done a video (on which I appear with absolutely no makeup) to show you how you can go from completely barefaced to fully fabulous in less than five minutes. Aside from the "how-to," I have some tips for streamlining your beauty routine when you're on the go.

• Keep everything you need together, and remove everything else. I have tons of "fun" makeup, but all of that stays in a separate makeup bag. I only have a few products I use every day, and all of those products live together in their own makeup bag, so if I have to take it with me to the gym, it's easy.
  
• If you're getting ready somewhere other than your home, avoid bringing more tools than necessary. I have a nice set of makeup brushes, but for my "on the go" beauty routine, I only use products that come with their own applicators so I have less to remember.
• Do the maintenance when you have more time. Things like well-groomed eyebrows are important, but try to take care of that at night before bed so you don't have to worry about it when you're rushing. Additionally, do your deep-cleaning routine on days when you have more than five minutes to get out of the house.

Can you really get flat abs in just 10 minutes? No, but that's not really what this DVD is about. This was the second 10 Minute Solution DVD I've had a chance to review, so I was familiar with the concept. The 10 Minute Solution DVDs don't promise results in 10 minutes, but they give you the option to do 10-minute sessions individually, or do all the portions at once for a full workout.

The 10 Minute Solution: Quick Tummy Toners DVD has five sections: Crunch Free Abs, Yoga Abs, Bikini Belly, Ab & Waist Definer and Sexy, Sporty Abs. Each section was led by Jessica Smith, who I really liked as an instructor. She was encouraging, had a seriously enviable body, and cued the moves really well, offering options to keep them easy or make them a little more challenging. Also, she had a different outfit and hairstyle for each section, which I got a kick out of.

Level of Difficulty
There were some challenging moves, for sure, but not tons of them. I definitely think a beginner could handle a majority of the moves with no problem.

Belly fat is undesirable, to say the least. It's unsightly, but more importantly, it's unhealthy. So really, shouldn't we all be doing everything we can to get rid of it? But then, we hear things like," Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14," or "Kate Winslet has a crumbly stomach," and we think maybe we're not in such bad shape after all.

Well, if you're going to compare your figure to a celebrity's, you should at least have the correct information, and the March issue of "Fitness" magazine has it. Check out these waist measurements and see how you measure up:

• Marilyn Monroe was super curvy, but had a 22-inch waist (clothing sizes have changed drastically since the 1950's).
• Audrey Hepburn weighed in at 103 pounds and had a 20-inch waist.
• Farrah Fawcett, one of America's greatest sex symbols, had a 24-inch waist.
• Jane Fonda, fitness queen, also had a 24-inch waist.
• Princess Diana's weight fluctuated widely, but her largest waist measurement was 27 inches.
• Kate Winslet has no problem baring her body, and she looks amazing, but surprisingly, she has a 29-inch waist.

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Over the last few months, I've been hearing more and more about dry shampoo. Maybe because everyone is trying to conserve water (or conserve money) by not taking so many long showers. Or maybe it's because more companies are making it easier to use, like the Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray.

I had a chance to try out Oscar Blandi's new Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray, and I've got to say, this is something that every girl who gets ready in a hurry after a workout should have. Trust me -- I used it after a serious sweat session, and my hair looked great, and it only took a few minutes for me to be ready to head out the door!

This spray is super easy to use (spray it onto your roots in sections from about six inches away, let it dry, shake out excess with fingers, brush and style). It's designed to absorb oil and product (check), increase volume at roots (check) and strengthen hair and nourish the scalp (not sure yet, but I'm guessing it's doing something good). And, it has a fresh lemon verbena scent, which I really liked.

Om my gosh, have you entered this week's Fit Beauty giveaway yet? Because if you haven't, you definitely need to do so, because this is truly a fabulous giveaway, and you only have until 5 p.m. Friday to enter!

We're giving away an outfit from Beyond Yoga -- Oprah loves their clothes, and when's the last time Oprah loved something that you didn't like? And, the outfit we're giving away? Oh, yeah, it's very similar to the one Oprah wore on the January cover of "O, The Oprah Magazine."

It gets even better -- our friends at StyleList are also doing a giveaway of the same outfit, giving you two chances to win.

Triathlon season is around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited. Not only did I just have a fantastic swim (the first in a while), but I have the right gear, thanks to Danskin's new triathlon collection.

It makes sense that they'd launch a line of triathlon gear -- after all, the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series is the longest running women's triathlon series in the U.S., and they've now joined forces with the super popular SheROX Triathlon series. The Danskin SheROX Triathlon Series is taking place in cities all over the country (check out the website to find a location near you).

Anyway, Danskin's triathlon collection combines quality, style, and -- bum bum bum -- femininity. Because, I don't know about you, but although I like looking tough and athletic, I still like looking like a girl. Sue me, but it's the truth. I can kick butt just as well wearing a pink top with flowers on it as I can wearing all black.

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We've been keeping our eye on Katie Holmes for a while now -- she was looking a little thin early in the year, when we heard a rumor that she was planning a Scientology detox diet after her Broadway show ended. And then, last month, she was explaining away her weight loss, blaming her seriously skinny frame on her heavy work load.

Well, it's not just work that's slimming her down -- it appears that Katie has been following a rigorous detox diet plan to rid her body of toxins (supposedly as a lead-up to having a second child), and it seems it's just a little too much for her. She and husband Tom Cruise were noticeably absent from last week's Academy Awards, and the "Daily Mail" is reporting that it's because the diet has left Katie simply "too tired" to handle it.

I've always felt strongly that a diet shouldn't leave you unable to do your daily tasks. And yes, I know, the Oscars are a bit more taxing than, say, an evening out with friends, but think about it -- how extreme would a diet have to be to keep you away from the biggest red carpet event of the year? Because I can't imagine how tired I would have to be to miss out on that.

So many celebrities rely on really unhealthy diets to drop weight, and it leads me to wonder: Do they really think these extreme diets are worth it? And do you?

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Going out to eat isn't just expensive -- it also costs you a lot of calories. Even when I'm trying to be super healthy at a restaurant, I generally consume considerably more calories in a meal than I would at home.

And, let's be honest -- when you're at a restaurant, you don't always want to be super healthy. Sometimes, the entire reason you go to a restaurant is because you're dying to get the shrimp scampi, or you've been thinking about that baked artichoke dip all week long, and nothing else is going to satisfy.

Fortunately, you can make a lot of these dishes at home, where you'll save money and a lot of calories. Check out the gallery for five recipes from the Winter 2009 issue of the Publix GreenWise Market Magazine!

Got a recipe you want us to healthy up for you? Leave it in the comments and we'll do what we can to help!

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When I think of Julia Louis Dreyfus, lots of things come to mind. Aside from having a winning smile, she's funny and quirky on her current show, "The New Adventures of Old Christine," and man, does she ever have some great hair. And who can forget her "Seinfeld" character Elaine's ridiculous dancing skills (if you can call them that)?

However, it turns out that, at 48 years old (yes, really, 48), Julia can include wicked sexy and in shape to her list of attributes. She's on the April cover of "Shape" magazine, and girlfriend is stunning in a bikini top and cardigan. (By the way, does anyone ever actually wear a cardigan over a bikini top? Because, I never see it in real life, but I'm kind of digging it.)

What's even better is that she's truly earned that body. She hasn't been nipped or tucked, and she doesn't have plans to go under the knife any time soon, saying, "Of course if things start to fall, I may have to do something to pull it all up. But seriously, the whole idea scares me. My mom never had it done and she looks fantastic. Hopefully I'll follow in her footsteps." Plus, her husband is totally against the idea, which always makes a bit of difference.

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I learned something new today over at Diet Blog. Our big, human brains require about twice as many calories as the brains of other mammals. No wonder we overeat, right?

You know, it makes sense if you think about it. When our ancestors were spending their days hunting for food and running to avoid being food, they needed a lot of food to sustain themselves. Their brains cued them to eat lots of calorie-dense in order to keep their large, growing brains satisfied.

And our big brains are still cuing us to eat calorie-dense foods, but the problem is that now, calorie-dense foods are often laden with saturated fats and they're super easy to get. Pair that with the fact that many of us have sedentary jobs and busy lives that don't leave time for daily workouts, and ... well, I'm blaming any extra pounds on the fact that my brain is just so darn big. I like that excuse far better than my lack of willpower.

Very rarely do I drink juice -- so often it has added sugar and is high in calories for the amount of nutrition it provides. I'll just eat the apple or orange instead. But, some juices have distinctive properties and benefits, so I might need to adjust my attitude toward juice.

For example, celery juice is known for curbing cravings. And that sounds great, except ... well, I've never had celery juice. Have you? I like celery well enough (especially with some peanut butter on it), but I'm not sure how actual celery juice would taste. Maybe it kills the cravings because, after you choke it down, you don't want anything else -- I have no idea. But I'd be willing to try (as long as somebody else tries it first).

VitalJuice has a whole list of unusual juices with special properties, and it's worth checking out. And, if you've tried any of them, leave a comment and let me know how they were. Because, raw potato juice? Blech.

I had a blast reading all of the comments you left in last week's Fit Beauty giveaway -- you shared your Valentine's Day plans with me, and, for the most part, you kept it clean!

While I'm sure many of you would make great use of the Enell Sports Bra and Dr. Rey Shapewear, there can only be one lucky winner. And, that lucky winner is Jocelyn, whose Valentine's Day plans included hiking in the afternoon and coming home to a dinner of scallops and squash.

Those of you who didn't win can still get your own undergarment goodies, ranging from sports bras to sexy shapewear, at Bare Necessities.

If someone goes to the gym with me, they know they can count on me to push them -- I get them to try new exercises, use heavier weights, and go just a little longer on the treadmill. But, of course, if they really want to stop, it's fine with me. However, that wasn't the case for a 41-year-old Ohio woman and her 73-year-old husband.

Christine Newton-John recently pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and faces up to five years in prison for exercising her husband, James Mason, to death in their swimming pool. Surveillance video showed Newton-John preventing Mason from leaving the pool 43 times, and showed him clearly struggling for breath.

There's more to the story than just the one incident, though -- Mason was a friend of Newton-John's family, first getting to know her when she was known as John Vallandingham, before he had gender reassignment surgery in 1993. The couple had only been married since 2006.

No comment has been made regarding motive (though it definitely doesn't sound like an accident), but I think it's safe to say a lot of people are going to be a bit more cautious about how hard they push their spouses and other loved ones in their workouts!

I know not everyone who's interested in fitness likes sports, but I'm willing to wager that, even if you don't follow basketball, you have an appreciation for what those guys do -- I mean, a professional basketball player's skills on the court are nothing short of amazing, if you ask me.

Well, this past weekend was the NBA All-Star game in Phoenix, and while the festivities were definitely fun to watch, I have to admit that I was also pretty interested in what the players were wearing -- they looked sharp! It was all courtesy of Adidas, and it's all available to you!

You might not be in need of baggy shorts and a jersey, but everyone loves track jackets (seriously -- I've never met a single person who didn't appreciate a good track jacket. Ever.). If you're a fan of the West, you'll find red and gold designs, or, if you cheered for the East, you'll have your choice of apparel in silver and blue.