5 Workout Mistakes to Avoid for Better Results

By: Caroline Hwang

When you stick to a routine, it's easy to become, well, stuck. If you're not trimming down, toning up, or feeling any fitter, it's likely due to one of the following exercise errors. Read on for how to reboot -- and get the body you want, pronto!


Mistake #1: You Rely on Cardio to Peel Off Pounds

For most women, sweaty aerobic exercise alone isn't enough. "Research shows that weight loss is minimal if it isn't accompanied by dieting," says Amy Luke, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. "We may compensate for the extra energy we're burning during physical activity by doing less the rest of the day, or more commonly, we feel famished after working out, so we eat more."

The Solution: Keep your diet in check. To drop a pound, which is 3,500 calories, in one week, aim to eat 300 fewer calories every day (300 x 7 = 2,100) while burning 300 calories from exercise five times a week (300 x 5 = 1,500)."You plan for exercise. You need to plan what you're going to eat afterward," says John Porcari, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse and a FITNESS advisory board member. Drinking lots of water helps too.

Mistake #2: You Race Through Your Reps

Two things could be going on here: Either your weights are too light, which is often the case for women, or they're too heavy, and you're letting momentum or gravity take over. Either way, your muscles aren't being sufficiently challenged, which is why they're not getting more toned.

The Solution: If you don't believe you've done just about all you can do by the end of a set, pick a heavier weight. "You want there to be a bit of strain on the second-to-last and last reps," says Barbara Bushman, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at Missouri State University in Springfield. Reach for a lighter dumbbell when you aren't moving the weight with steady control as you lift and lower.

Mistake #3: You Overcrunch Your Abs

If you're doing more than three sets of 15, you're wasting your time. "Extra crunches aren't going to cinch your waistline," says Michele Olson, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama, and a FITNESS advisory board member. "You're working the rectus abdominus, which is only one of four muscles in the abdominal wall. But it's the other three deeper muscles [internal obliques, external obliques, transverse abdominis] that give you a leaner look by helping you with your posture."

The Solution: Take a temporary break from your usual crunches and try these Pilates-based moves: (1) the plank (balance on floor on forearms and toes and hold for 30 seconds), (2) double-leg stretch (lie on your back, knees bent 90 degrees with feet in air and shins parallel to the floor, shoulders off the floor with arms loosely hugging knees; extend your legs and arms out in a wide V, then return to start), (3) the side plank (lie on the floor on your right side, propped up on right elbow, feet stacked; lift your hips up, using your left hand on floor in front of you for support. Hold for 5 counts, then lower. Do 10 reps; switch sides and repeat). Do 10 reps of each move, three or four times a week.

Mistake #4: You Aim to Stay in the Fat-Burning Zone

It's no wonder you think you need to do this to lose weight: Many cardio machines tell you when you're above and below the zone. But this reason for sticking to low-intensity exercise has been completely debunked. "Because fat takes longer than carbs to be converted to energy, you burn a higher percentage of it when you're sitting or walking than when you're running. So the old thinking was that with low-intensity exercise you could torch body fat and lose weight," Porcari explains. But the theory didn't work in practice. "In one study, we had people walk or run for half an hour. On average, the walkers burned 240 calories, 44 percent of which were fat, so they burned 108 fat calories. The runners burned 450 calories, 24 percent of which were fat, so they burned 120 fat calories. Whether you look at total calories or fat calories, the runners clearly came out ahead," Porcari says.

The Solution: There's nothing wrong with low-intensity exercise, particularly if you have joint problems. "But to lose weight, you'll probably need to do it for longer than half an hour. Just for general health, the recommendation is 30 minutes five days a week," Porcari says.

Mistake #5: You Skip the Warm Up

You may think you're saving time, but you're actually just compromising the first 5 to 10 minutes of your workout. "Your body literally needs to warm up so that blood flow increases, the nervous system wakes up, and the body starts to use energy and oxygen more efficiently," says Michael Bracko, a sports physiologist and director at the Institute for Hockey Research in Calgary. The upshot: Every step feels like less of a slog, and calorie burn kicks into high gear.

The Solution: Bracko says that the best warm-up is to do your chosen exercise at a low intensity. Runners, for example, should walk, then jog. "Keep at it until you break a sweat," Bracko says. Alternately, you can try "dynamic" stretches, which are moves that take your body through the range of motions you're about to do. For a runner, that can mean high knees, butt kicks, and forward, reverse, and side lunges. "Avoid static stretching, where you're holding poses for several counts. That actually calms the system down and can impair performance," Bracko adds.

Read more »

The Foods Celebrity Trainers Won't Eat

Source: The Foods Celebrity Trainers Won't Eat

Through interviews and Twitter, we asked the top celebrity trainers one question: is there any food item you won't eat and recommend clients to do the same? What we ended up with was a wide variety of answers, and while many of these off-limit foods seemed to make everyone's lists, there were a few answers that surprised us. Keep reading to see which foods celebrity trainers like Harley Pasternak, Jackie Warner, and Tara Stiles keep out of their kitchen, and then vote on whether or not you agree.

• Tara Stiles: Alcohol - Want to erase a few years from your face, stop with the fancy cocktails, says yogini Tara Stiles: "No one wants to hear this one, but if you want your body to operate optimally and look fantastic — and younger — avoid alcohol." Given that Tara works closely with Brooklyn Decker, this advice is clearly working! When it comes to weight loss, giving up alcohol is a must for Tim Rich, personal trainer with Crunch gym. Tim says alcohol is nothing but "empty calories" and suggests that those looking to lose a few pounds ditch drinking for 21 days; after that, limit drinks to a few per week. Tim says he only drinks "a few beers a month."

More from FitSugar: Calories in One Gram of Protein: How Major Sources Compare

• Harley Pasternak: Grapes and Bananas - Two foods noticeably missing from celeb trainer Harley Pasternak's 5-Factor are grapes and bananas. Harley, who counts Katy Perry and Lady Gaga as clients, says, "No one is going to live a shorter life if they have bananas or grapes," but he recommends that his clients choose healthier fruits. "I tell my clients to stick to fruits that either have edible skin, edible seeds, or citrus — bananas do not have edible skin, nor do they have edible seeds really, nor is it citrus. Most of the fiber and nutrients that are in a fruit are in a fruit's skin. A banana is just the densest piece of fruit that you can put in your body, and since it doesn't have much fiber, it won't keep you full." As for grapes? "Grapes have a special sugar in them called dextrose, which is the highest glycemic sugar that you can possibly put in your body."
• Jeanette Jenkins, Jackie Warner, and Valerie Waters: Processed Foods, Especially Refined Carbs- This was a big one for celebrity trainers Jeanette Jenkins, Jackie Warner, and Valerie Waters. Valerie, who has worked with Jessica Biel, sticks to the mantra, "If a food item has ingredients you don't recognize or can't pronounce, you probably shouldn't eat it." Jackie says that "everyone has to understand that bread, crackers, croutons, things like that, that's sugar. As soon as it's in your system it processes straight to sugar then straight to fat." Jeanette Jenkins, trainer to Kelly Rowland, steers clear of processed foods because they "create inflammation in the body and increase the risk of disease."
• John Damon: All Soda, Even Diet - YogaTone trainer Andrea Cirignano, Stephania Greco, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor with 24 Hour Fitness, and celebrity trainer John Damon, who works with Whitney Port and Kristin Cavallari, say that soda should be eliminated from everyone's diets — this includes diet soda, too. For John, soda just doesn't make sense: "It has no redeeming qualities." We couldn't agree with them more. Drinking soda has been linked to several health issues like dental decay, bone loss, and hypertension. It's also loaded with sugar — not a good thing for any healthy diet. Diet soda doesn't fare much better: studies link the consumption of diet soda to both weight gain and stroke risk.

More from FitSugar: Gradual Changes: Two Easy Ways to Make Healthier Choices

• Jackie Warner: Yogurt - Jackie Warner says that if you're looking to lose weight, "get away from yogurt completely." For Jackie, most yogurts on the market are filled with sugar — her number one food vice and the reason "people are heavy and sick in this country." While we agree with Jackie that many of the yogurts on the market are brimming with sugar, Greek yogurt is a must in our book!
• Jarett Del Bene: Margarine - Jarrett Del Bene, best known for working with The Hills alumni Lauren Conrad and Audrina Patridge, says that margarine is number one on his off-limits list: "It's loaded with empty calories and is packed with trans fat, which is the worst fat to consume."
• David Kirsch: Gluten - Famous for helping Heidi Klum bounce back postbaby, David Kirsch stays away from gluten in processed foods: "I try to steer clear of gluten as much as possible — it's awfully bloating." Valerie Waters also steers clear of certain gluten-filled foods like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and most cereals. Says Valerie, "Those foods will not only make me fat, they make me want to sleep."

Read more »

Eight Crazy Celebrity Health Trends

We all know the get-healthy basics: follow a low-fat diet and get enough exercise. But celebs, who basically make their living by looking good, sometimes get a little weird. Do they go too far? See what you think! 

Angie Harmon 

Celebrity trainer Kathy Kaehler, who counts Angie Harmon, 39, among her clients, has technique called Sunday Set-Up. On the traditional day of rest, you cook and freeze your meals for the coming week. Of course, women's magazines have been advocating this for, oh, the past six decades or so. But Kaehler's trendy twist: You exercise and cook, exercise and cook. Just grab a chair and "do ten dips and ten squats while you wait for your brown rice…to cook," she wrote in the "Huffington Post." Speaking for ourselves, it's not really possible to get in a lot of exercise before the Lean Cuisine is done in the microwave.
BeyonceTalk about commitment. When she's getting ready to tour, the superstar, 29, works on both fitness and dance nine hours a day. And she wears stilettos for at least a few hours during that time. We hope a foot doctor is standing by.

MadonnaGiven her famous intensity for getting as fit as possible, it's no surprise that Madonna, 53, works the Gytronic machine, a complicated affair that involves pulleys and weights. Kind of like her 1980s videos.

See Also: 10 Best Celebrity Makeup Secrets
Mariah CareyIf you follow the nutritionists' advice, you're eating a lot of brightly colored natural food in the ROYGBIV group: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Carey, 41, a notable diva, has decided to stick to violent (though she calls it purple). Let's see: that includes grapes, plums, eggplant and purple cabbage. Yum.

Brooke ShieldsThe grapefruit diet, a classic Hollywood ploy, actually seems fairly sensible when compared to the more exotic "diets," like the Master Cleanse. But of course it doesn't give you nearly enough nutrients, and once it's done, you'll gain the weight back. Shields, 46, must find the eating plan very simple: Grapefruit, grapefruit, grapefruit. Without any sugar on top.

Jennifer LopezThe "American Idol" judge, 42, goes the grapefruit diet one better by relying on grapefruit oil, which she doesn't actually eat but just sniffs to kill her appetite. Millions of women across the U.S. would probably find this really useful about 4 p.m. In fact, they should sell it in office vending machines.

See Also: How To Develop Your Personal Style
CherIt's kind of impossible to imagine Cher, 65, in anything other than a glitter-laced Bob Mackie dress, but she's probably not wearing something l ike that when she works out in her living room with Wii Fit. With the video-game exercise program, you can practice yoga, golf and boxing. We like to think Cher chooses boxing.

Gwyneth PaltrowAlthough she may look like an ice princess, Gwynnie, 38, is very willing to share when it comes to her digestive health. Through her newsletter, she advocated Alejandro Junger's CLEAN program, which lasts 21 days. There's a Renew cleanse or a Deep Cleanse. Your price: $250 to $425. But shipping is free!

Read more »

7 simple ways to be happier

Istockphoto

Judy Dutton, with additional reporting by Kimberly Holland

These days it can feel like the age of anxiety is winning over the pursuit of happiness. An uncertain economy is just the tip of our worry iceberg. In fact, in a recent poll of Health readers, 48% of you say you worry more today than you did a year ago.

Here's another anxious thought: Scientists say women are wired to worry—at least more so than men. In our poll, 54% of you said you worry more than your spouse, with only 12% claiming your partner worries more than you do.

That's thanks, in part, to the hormonal roller-coaster women ride month to month and through the years. "The highs and lows can make women prone to feeling everything from anxious to depressed," says Jerilyn Ross, a licensed independent clinical social worker, president and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, and author of One Less Thing to Worry About.

Health.com: 9 things to stop worrying about

And while men tend to be linear problem solvers, "Women are more in touch with their emotions, and worry is an emotion," points out Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatrist and author of Emotional Freedom: Liberate Your-self from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life.

Still, experts say that with some practice we all can learn to be a little less worried and a whole lot happier. Here's your recipe for a more joyful life. Read on and say, "So long, dark side."

1. Find your joy
One of the keys to finding happiness in tough times is "simply being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different," says James Baraz, a meditation instructor and founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California.

That may require a little less multi­tasking and worrying and more stopping to smell the roses, says Lori Hilt, an anxiety specialist at the University of Wisconsin. "When we get caught up in cycles of brooding and worrying, our minds are stuck in the past or the future," she says. "Get out of the cycle by focusing on the present, noticing the cool breeze on your skin, the taste and texture of a bite of food."

Health.com: 31 ways to boost your mood naturally

"When I'm blue, I'll mix up a fruity drink, insert one of those festive straws—umbrella open, of course—and pretend I'm at a party. It's impossible not to feel happy when your drink has a pretty paper umbrella!"
—Diana Estill, 55, Murphy, Texas

2. Lighten Up
Looking for joy means looking for reasons to smile. Happily, just the act of smiling makes you happy! Even a forced grin tells your brain, "My mouth muscles are moving up, so I must be happy," and leads to a release of happiness-inducing endorphins, psychologist Sybil Keane, PhD, says.

"Because of the threat of layoffs, my job is stressful. I cope—people think I'm nuts—by watching those funny cat videos on YouTube. It's a nightly ritual that always cheers me up!"
—Termeh Mazhari, 25, Great Neck, New York

Health.com: Why your job is making you depressed

"If something sad happens in my life, I look for the comedic spin. I find that the more humiliating the situation, the funnier it can be—or end up being. That's how I survive."
—Kathy Griffin, comedian and star of Kathy Griffin My Life on the D List and author of Official Book Club Selection

3. Get moving
Physical activity is a power­ful ally to greater well-being and joy. "Exercise, yoga, or any kind of regular movement helps get you out of your head," Baraz says. "In addition to being a healthy activity, it triggers endorphins that have a profound effect on lifting your spirits. It makes you come alive."

"I row myself into a better mood. Being out on the water, I forget about all the day-to-day things that cause worry and focus more on what I can do every day that will make a difference."
—Linda Jackson, 51, San Francisco

Health.com: How exercise boosts your mood

4. Look for a joy buddy
It's harder to be happy when you're isolated. That's why Baraz suggests that you find a partner in your pursuit of happiness, what he calls a "joy buddy." Having someone rooting for your well-being and reminding you to look for the good in your life is a very effective way to stay on track, he says. That buddy can be a friend you trade positive text messages with every day or a joy group you meet with once a month.

Surrounding yourself with other happy people can hike your odds of being upbeat by 9%, studies show. But steer clear of complainers: Downer friends bring you, well, down, says change expert Ariane de Bonvoisin, author of The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier, and founder of First30Days.com.

"Heading to the park with my dog, Scoobie, is my favorite cure, no matter what's weighing on me. It's impossible to worry when I'm surrounded by dogs running and tumbling over one another—there's something about the innocent joy of their play that relaxes me."
—Carol Huang, 43, New York City

Health.com: How to stay up when someone you love is down

5. Practice Being Happy
Most people discover that happiness isn't related to objects or experiences, though those things can give us fleeting pleasure, says Baraz, whose book Awakening Joy will be out in January. "Studies show that happiness comes with certain states of mind and heart, such as generosity, kindness, or gratitude," he says.

Getting there may take practice, but the more you consciously focus on the feeling of joy—whether it comes from giving a compliment or laughing out loud with your kids—the more deeply that feeling will register and the happier you'll be.

"Digging in the soil makes me happy. It helps me feel as if I have control over something. And the pride I feel when I look at my garden makes me feel successful. The connection with nature brings me into the now."
—Angie Mattson, 36, Charlotte, North Carolina

Health.com: 10 things not to say to someone with depression

6. Do a song or dance (really)
If an apple a day keeps the doc away, Baraz would say a song does, too. He believes that singing is one of the surest roads to finding joy. "It's hard to stay in a funk if you're singing regularly," he says, and research bears him out: University of Manchester researchers discovered that an organ in the inner ear (that responds to singing sounds) is connected to a part of the brain that registers pleasure. So singing, alone in the car or in a crowd at church (and even if you're very, very bad at it), makes you happier. If singing isn't your thing, Baraz says, paint, dance, or write.

"When I was in the minuses in my bank account, I was beside myself with worry. So in the middle of changing my clothes, I would dance, nude. The movement helped move the worry right out of me, and the nude part worked symbolically for setting me free."
—Elisabeth Manning, 39, Marin County, California

7. Be very still
Regularly taking a little quiet time—meditating or perhaps sipping a warm cup of tea—helps you appreciate the moment and your life, Baraz says. "Being still reminds you that life isn't about racing as fast as you can to get to the end of your to-do list."

Health.com: 10 tips for dating with depression

"Whenever I start turning over all of my worries in my head—bills, car, kid, marriage, everything—I wash dishes. I may not be able to control how much my mortgage payment is, but I can wash the dishes. Once I focus on the present, everything else seems to just fall away."
—Jen Matlack, 39, Bethel,Connecticut

I do 15 minutes of meditation a day. It takes 5 minutes to clear my mind, so I have 10 minutes of relaxation. I generally focus on a word, such as 'gentle,' and repeat it silently until my mind clears.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent

Read more »

Embarrassing Yoga Moments: Don't Let Them Happen to You

Source: Embarrassing Yoga Moments: Don't Let Them Happen to You

Yoga class is supposed to be all serene and spiritual, but it's hard to feel enlightened when you break the silence by loudly breaking wind. We're all adults, so we shouldn't feel embarrassed, but it's hard to bounce back into bliss after such an awkward distraction. Plenty can happen during a yoga class to make you want to crawl under your mat and hide, and although you can't prevent everything, here are some ways to lower your risk for bodily function humiliation. 

Loud Outbursts From Your Tush Gas gets passed. It happens. But it's mortifying when it happens to you in a completely quiet room of people trying to breathe! There are a few ways you can lower your risk of tooting accidentally. First off, trying out that new Mexican place a couple hours before your yoga class is probably not the best idea. Skip eating the foods you know lead to gas like beans, meat, onions, and broccoli, and avoid trying new foods in case your digestive system rebels. Certain poses are also more likely to encourage gas to pass, such as forward bends, twists, and poses where your knees pull into your chest. I'm not telling you to avoid them completely, but move into questionable postures with caution if you know flatulence is an issue. If a barking spider finds it's way into your capris, I find it best to pretend it didn't happen, or laugh to dispel any weirdness.



More from FitSugar: Make These Hard-to-Digest Foods Easy on the Tummy



B.O. You don't want to be the stinky person everyone avoids placing their mat next to. When you sweat profusely, bacteria mixes with your perspiration, causing that offensive odor. Deodorant helps, but you also want to make sure your clothes are clean. Wearing seemingly "clean" clothes you only wore once will backfire because as soon as you start sweating, the funky odors release. If you're having a hard time eliminating unpleasant smells from your workout clothes, here are some tips for washing your clothes. Or invest in some new tops and bottoms made from material specifically designed not to reek.

The same goes for your mat. If you use a rug or yoga towels, for the love of Shiva, do not just roll it up all sweaty and leave it like that until the next class. Hang your rug over your bedroom door to air out and prevent mildew, and wash your towel with your yoga outfit. Your nose and everyone else's will thank you. 

Indecent Exposures I'll never forget an ashtanga class I took with my hubby and the girl across from us had a classic nip slip. And I'll spare you the details of the older gentleman who wore shorts that were a little too short for his own good (shudder). To prevent revealing too much skin, make sure your outfit fits well. Loose material or clothes that don't keep you covered (booty shorts and low-cut tops) will shift when contorting your body, and you're bound to let your neighbor get a peek at your private business. Before heading to class, do some poses at home to make sure your parts stay hidden.

Along the same lines, if you choose not to wear underwear or sport teeny thongs, make sure your yoga pants aren't see-through. Inspect your crotch for holes as well. To avoid showing off my butt crack and other parts down there, I splurge on quality yoga pants made of thicker material (thank you Lululemon for keeping my privates protected!). 


More from FitSugar: No Pain, No Gain: Celebs Who CrossFit


Passing Gas Through Your Lady Business It's not something we talk about, but this too happens. Some might experience air up there when getting busy, but it may also find its way into your vinyasa class. Air often gets drawn inside during inversions when your legs are wide, like in a straddle. The good news is you know the air is in there, so you can do your best to move slowly, shift your hips, or do whatever you need in order to release the air slowly as to avoid the unmistakable symphony of squeaks. I will say that you want to be certain you've released every last bit to avoid surprising honks from your hoo-ha.

Read more »

How Long Will You Live? It Depends on How Fast You Walk

Photo: Dan Saelinger

By Erin Biba

Forget the "life line" on your palm and complicated medical algorithms. It turns out that forecasting how long you'll live might be as simple as timing how fast you walk.

RELATED: How Fit Are You? 3 Easy Ways to Find Out

University of Pittsburgh researchers recently crunched data from nearly 35,000 subjects 65 years or older and discovered that each increase in gait speed of 0.1 meters/second correlated with a 12 percent decrease in the risk of death. Among women 75 to 84, for example, 92 percent of the fastest walkers (traveling at 1.4 meters/second or faster) lived another ten years, while only 35 percent of the slowest walkers (shuffling at 0.4 meters/second or slower) survived until then.

RELATED: O's Get Fit Makeover

"The reason speed reflects vitality is that so many organs and systems are involved in how we move—the heart, the lungs, the muscles, the joints, the bones, the brain," says study author Stephanie Studenski, MD. She speculates that gait speed may one day be a low-tech way for physicians to assess their patients: A slow pace could indicate a deeper problem and inspire patients to improve modifiable health factors, like blood pressure, diet, and fitness.

RELATED: Power Walk to a New You

The DIY Test

Studenski suggests measuring your gait once a year. Women over 65 can check their results against the graph below; women under 65 should compare their pace with past years (talk to your doctor if you see a sudden change).

RELATED: 5 Exercises to Work Your Whole Body in Only 15 Minutes

1. Measure a distance of four meters on the floor and mark it with tape.

2. Time yourself as you walk at your natural pace between the start and finish lines, continuing a few steps after you've stopped the clock.

3. Divide your time in seconds by four meters.

RELATED: Dr. Oz's 6 Ways to Extend Your Life in 1 Minute or Less

More from O, The Oprah Magazine:

Read more »