situps-related stories
Lo Bosworth, Healthy Cocktails, and Good Eggs - Week in Review - December 15 to December 21
Is weight loss on your list of New Year's resolutions? Try one of these three foods to tip the scales in your favor.Another season of The Biggest Loser is over. Bev has the wrap-up.
Fitz interviewed Lo Bosworth of The Hills. Find out how she stays fit and trim for reality TV.
Ditch the egg whites once and for all and eat the whole egg. Why? Jonny has a few good reasons.
Here's one more reason to include those healthy carbs in your diet ... low-carb diets cause memory loss.
Want to do a perfect sit-up? Maggie says you just need to learn your alphabet.
Fitz has a two-pound rule when it comes to gaining weight, but she wants to know: What's your weight-gain breaking point?
Looking forward to an upcoming holiday party? Bev shows you how to order drinks that are more nice than naughty.
Water can get boring ... here are five alternate ways to stay hydrated.
Happy holidays, everyone!
Sit-Ups - Simple as ABC and D
Sit-ups may seem old school. But, when done correctly, they're effective and that's why they've stood the test of time. Late-night infomercials and different workout programs have tried to improve upon the basic sit-up for years. But you don't need any $19.99, plus shipping and handling, tool to get the job done.Safe and effective sit ups are as simple as ABC ... and D. (Though that darn 'D' makes the whole shtick a lot less catchy.)
- A is for Alignment. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your feet flat on the floor and don't hook them under your couch or anything else. Position the small of your back flat on the floor. With your hands resting lightly on your temples (not behind your head -- pulling can injure you), lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground.
- B is for Body control. When lifting up, make sure your abs are doing the work. Go slowly. Remember to breathe while doing the sit-up.
- C is for Consistency. Don't expect a few sit-ups once a month to do the trick. Try doing sit-ups every other day, and remember that quality is better than quantity -- 10-20 with proper form are better (and safer!) than many sloppy ones.
- D is for Develop all the abdominal muscles. Traditional sit-ups don't target the lower abdominal muscles and you don't want them to feel left out, do you? Try lying on your back with your knees bent, then bring one knee toward your chest and hold for a few seconds. Bring the other leg up and then slowly lower the first leg, then the second. Repeat on both sides.
Push-Ups are Illegal in Santa Monica
This may sounds like an April Fool's joke, but I kid you not: In Santa Monica, a man was recently arrested for doing push-ups and sit-ups on a popular running and jogging path. What's the problem here? There's just one issue -- a sign that clearly states that running and jogging only are allowed on the strip of land.
OK, I guess the better question is: Why? Years ago, the running-only rule was established to keep homeless people and vagabonds from camping out on the strip of land so legally speaking, the police do have a right to stop people from exercising. Still, it's awfully silly to arrest someone for doing something good. Couldn't they implement some sort of 'no stopping' rule?
(via Calorie Lab)
Working in the Workouts: Kids can count your reps
My daughter loves to count. She can get beyond 20 these days. "Helping" is another thing she adores. "Mommy, I help you cook." "Mommy, I help you fix that." And on, and on.So I was delighted to come across a great tip today that makes use of both of these favorite activities. It comes from a special section of Workouts for You devoted to exercising with kids. Most of the ideas on the list are actually things I've written about in this series already. But here's the new one: involve your kids while you strength train at home by letting them count your reps out loud for you and/or clock your rest time in-between sets. You can incorporate the task into doing a few push-ups or sit-ups or while using dumb bells. Squats or leg lifts too.
Sometimes our old brains forget the simple things kids find fun. And it's a big bonus when that fun truly translates to "Mommy, I help you work out!" And it's the truth!
Get an 007 body with the Bond workout
Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment
From Sean Connery to Roger Moore, to Pierce Brosnan, to the new kid on the block, Daniel Craig... James Bond has been a symbol of suave and sexy. Thanks to celebrity trainer, Mary Sullivan, you can get fit like Bond, James Bond.- Biceps are Forever. Use hand weights or even canned goods to complete these bicep a tricep curls.
- The Abs Are Not Enough. Alternating sit-ups and leg lifts are the keys to Bond-like rock-hard abs.
- For Your Legs Only. This stationary seat move and some power lunges will get your legs in great shape.
- The Man with the Golden Pecs. Arm presses and press-ups will define your pecs in no time.
Jumpstart Your Fitness: With a foam roller workout
When you're stuck in a rut sometimes all you need to do to get back on track is to switch things up and try something new. I've tried a lot of different ways to workout, like with a stability ball, resistance bands, free-weights/dumbbells, a stepper, etc, but here's something I have yet to try: a workout using a foam roller.Foam rollers can help with strength, balance, and even stress relief. Foam rollers themselves are very similar to the foam "noodles" kids use in swimming pools, but they're thicker and shorter. The primary benefit of adding foam rollers to your workout is an increase in calories burned and better core strengthening due to the balance challenges added to traditional moves like squats, arm exercises, and even massages. Try some of these foam roller moves from Alive.com and see if you don't feel muscles working that you didn't know you had!
Fit Factor: What's old is new again
These days, we have access to an overwhelming amount of fitness gadgets and gizmos, not to mention snazzy programs and classes that incorporate everything from martial arts to hula hoops to modern dances and the like. But, like many things in life, we are often exposed to so many flashy and new ways of doing things that we eventually come back to the inevitable truth: that the old way of doing things is sometimes the best way. Another way of putting it? Simple is best.
Don't mistake me for old fashioned--I've tried the super cardio hip hop dance kickboxing classes, and some of them really do work at whipping you into shape (and they're fun too!) But at the end of the day, some of the best exercises are the ones that we, and our parents, and our parents' parents all learned in school: Things like running, jump-rope, calinsthetics and so on.
Don't mistake me for old fashioned--I've tried the super cardio hip hop dance kickboxing classes, and some of them really do work at whipping you into shape (and they're fun too!) But at the end of the day, some of the best exercises are the ones that we, and our parents, and our parents' parents all learned in school: Things like running, jump-rope, calinsthetics and so on.
Fast fitness: Blast those abs in a flash
One of the biggest physical issues people wish they could change about themselves is their midsection -- everybody wants a flatter and more toned stomach. But somehow even though it's one of the most desired physical changes it also seems to be one of the most elusive. Part of it is that even the slightest layer of fat can cover up a toned tummy and make it look flabby, and the other part is probably not having the time to work on it. But like anything, having the time is all about priorities and about how bad you want it, and if you're looking for a fast way to squeeze in some ab work these exercises may make it easier to get started. eDiets has tailored common moves like sit-ups, leg raises, and others into a fast and efficient ab routine. Happy crunching!
The 10 best ab exercises, period.
For some people fat may be the new norm, but for those of us who still dream of a slim and buff midsection and are doing everything we can to have one some workouts work better than others. There are countless ab exercises available out there but which ones are the best? I don't want to mess around and waste my time -- if I'm gonna workout then I want to see results! eDiets has compiled this list of the ten best moves for your midsection, and here they are (click the links for instructions on how-to):Sit-ups: A total waste of time?
Are sit-ups a total waste of time? If you enjoy doing them then the answer is 'no,' although if you're doing them just to build core strength you might be wasting your time. Why? Sit-ups and crunches have been around since the very beginnings of exercise, and it's not that they don't build strength and tone but in truth there may be better more effective ways to get the same results. Sit-ups and crunches are essentially isolation exercises, and doing comprehensive moves that involve your whole body where the abs and core can develop in coordination with the rest of the muscles can provide a strong core along with strong arms and legs and everything else. I'm not a personal trainer, but I bet there's arguments on both sides of this issue: sit-ups or no sit-ups? That is the question.
Reduce injury risks when exercising
Healthy Habits, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Men's Health
If you are having trouble balancing during certain exercises using a spotter is a good idea until you build up body muscles that will hold you for that particular exercise. Spotters are not just for weight lifting.One of the most important things to know with exercise is proper body alignment and balance. Maintaining a good position with your head so that you are not pulling on your neck while doing sit ups or other ab exercises is important to reduce your risks of injuries. If you're doing a set of abdominal exercises and your neck hurts but not your stomach then you might want to look and see how you were lying or how you were holding your head because you're neck shouldn't hurt after you've been doing abdominal exercises. You need to check your body alignment. If you are holding your hands behind your neck and you're actually irritating your neck or straining then you are doing either too much or trying to go too fast and you are straining and that is creating stress on your neck.
One of the top exercises that you can do for abs is a reverse crunch. Lie down on a bench with your knees bent and your upper legs at a 90 degree angle with your torso. Hold the bench above your head for stability. Use your ab muscles to pull your knees toward your chest until they reach your elbows. Hold the crunch position for three seconds and return to the starting position. Doing ten of these in your exercise routine every day will give you a toner midsection.
Restorative powers of yoga
Healthy Habits, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Motivation, Alternative & Green Health
After a humiliating first attempt, I was hesitant to ever try yoga again.
Years ago, I was needled and prodded by my girlfriend to join her at the local gym for a yoga session led by a buff young fitness instructor. When he expressed mortification (In front of the class! In a loud voice!) at my wildly uncoordinated pose attempts, I turned purple and prayed for class to end quickly.
But after my son was born via c-section almost a year ago, I was left with little to no feeling around my midsection. Previously proud of my core strength from years of sit ups, I couldn't even manage a single crunch. Six months postpartum, I couldn't pull myself into a sitting position from lying down. It was time to revisit yoga, which I'd heard could help with core strength in a gentle, gradual manner.
Years ago, I was needled and prodded by my girlfriend to join her at the local gym for a yoga session led by a buff young fitness instructor. When he expressed mortification (In front of the class! In a loud voice!) at my wildly uncoordinated pose attempts, I turned purple and prayed for class to end quickly.
But after my son was born via c-section almost a year ago, I was left with little to no feeling around my midsection. Previously proud of my core strength from years of sit ups, I couldn't even manage a single crunch. Six months postpartum, I couldn't pull myself into a sitting position from lying down. It was time to revisit yoga, which I'd heard could help with core strength in a gentle, gradual manner.
