Jenn's Losing It

On December 17, I began my Body Revolution journey. It took me 5 weeks to complete Phase 1 because I decided to repeat a week that I slacked off on. I'd say I'm pleased so far. I've lost 14 inches overall and I'm down .4 pounds. I'm thrilled over the inches, but wish the pounds were more. I know my eating was completely off. I fooled myself into thinking I was eating right, not tracking my foods. When I began Phase 2 on Thursday I committed myself into tracking every bite, lick and taste no matter what they add up to. In the past of be good for eating a snickers, not counting it for some random reasoning like I was on the road with the kids or because I was stressed. Travel and stress points count too. I'll never be satisfied on the scale if I'm not true to myself.  I'm excited to start Phase 2 (even though my body is screaming no you're not after the first workout yesterday).  Here's my measurement chart so far, I've decided to do my measure...

You don't need a pricey new fitness class to shake up your routine. Work out any time, in any place, with this  total-body plan —which uses nothing but a household hand towel—created by Melissa Paris, a New York City–based personal trainer. "The key to seeing continued results and avoiding plateaus is to keep challenging your body in different ways, whether that's with new moves, a new environment, or new equipment," says Paris. "Incorporating a towel into your routine is a no-cost and efficient way to take your workout to the next level." That's because with every exercise, the towel provides either friction (as in the lateral lunge) or tension (as in the seated oblique twist) to help engage muscles that would otherwise be missing the action. So rather than using the towel to dry off, use it to break a sweat. Complete the exercises as instructed, moving from one to the next with little or no rest in between. Stop for 30 to 60 seconds at the end (if need...

Get a full cardio workout in just 20 minutes with this interval routine.  When you're short on time, your best bet for an efficient and  effective workout  is amping up the intensity of your slow-and-steady pace, which will burn more total calories each minute during your workout—and, some speculate, may also suppress your appetite. Whether you prefer to swim, run, bike, hike, or walk, this cardio intervals workout, created by Todd A. Astorino, Ph.D, an associal professor of kinesiology at California State University at San Marcos, will make sure you get the biggest  calorie burn out of 20 minutes. 0:00-5:00 Warm up, moving at a slow pace. 5:00-6:00 Go all out, pushing yourself as hard and fast as possible. 6:00-7:00 Active recovery: Catch your breath. 7:15-18:30 Repeat minutes 5:00 to 7:15 five times. 18:30-20:00 Cool down. PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 20, 2013  |  BY JESSICA CASSITY, PHOTOGRAPH BY TURE LILLEGRAVEN Women's Health Magazine

Tired of your same-old Vinyasa? It might be time to mix up your yoga routine.  A new kind of partner-based practice called AcroYoga is trending right now . The restorative yoga practice combines yoga and acrobatics, using gravity and your own body weight to enhance stretching and strengthening poses. Most sequences include “therapeutic flying,” in which you play one of two roles: the base, who lies on the mat and supports a partner in the air, or the flyer, who balances on the base’s legs. The practice can also include Thai massage, which involves assisted stretches, and some kneading. AcroYoga can strengthen the base’s legs and release tension in the flyer’s body, particularly in the back. Certain poses can also build muscle, says Jason Nemer, cofounder of AcroYoga. But the practice doesn’t just benefit your body. Working with a partner to lift one of you into the air helps you learn a lot about your fears and limitations—and how to move past them, says Nemer. What’s more, AcroYog...

Build a slim, trim body like screen siren Kate Beckinsale with these muscle-sculpting mat moves.  Strange as it sounds,  Kate Beckinsale  prepares for the physically demanding job of playing futuristic fighters and werewolf hunters with a yoga-based routine. She also practices qigong, a discipline involving controlled  breathing  and fluid movements that's similar to tai chi. In addition to making her physically strong, yoga and qigong help Kate relax. Want an action-star body like Kate's? Her instructor, Mandy Ingber, let us in on her body-sculpting moves. Do two or three sets of each four or five days a week. MOVE  1 Down-Dog Split with Knee Drives Begin in downward facing dog, then raise your left leg to move into down-dog split  (a).  Bend your left knee and pull it toward your forehead  (b).  Straighten the leg back, then bring the knee outside your left elbow. Straighten the leg again, then bring the knee toward your right elbow. R...

Eating well-balanced meals and snacks are both important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But whether it’s because you find yourself mindlessly snacking or because your meals aren’t keeping you as full as you’d like, sometimes you need something to keep you from rummaging through the pantry. Here are 15 appetite-suppressing foods that keep you feeling full! 1. Nuts Nuts don’t just contain healthy fats to help keep your cholesterol low—they are also good sources of appetite-killing fiber, which digests slowly so it stays in your stomach much longer than other carbohydrates. A 1/4 cup of almonds, for example, contains  four grams of fiber . 2. Oatmeal Stay fuller longer with a bowl of oatmeal; half a cup of rolled oats contains five grams of fiber. Besides that, oatmeal can help increase your body’s levels of the appetite-regulating hormone cholecystokinin,  which may help control hunger  in some people. 3. Apples An apple makes an ideal morning or afternoon snack; the ...

This routine boosts metabolism, slims you down and sculpts lean muscle. Not bad for 30 minutes of your time Ketchup or mustard? Flats or heels?  The X Factor  or The Voice ? That eternal fitness face-off—cardio or strength training—is just as perplexing. Cardio is a known calorie crusher, but strength workouts build muscle and  boost metabolism . But you don't have to choose sides: A new regimen experts have dubbed metabolic conditioning offers the best of both. By combining short, high-intensity work periods, little to no rest between weight-loss exercises, and big-body movements, metabolic conditioning challenges your strength, power, and cardiovascular endurance in one workout—maximizing  calorie burn  during and after a sweat session, says Frank Salzone, a group fitness instructor for Equinox in New York City. It also helps improve your muscles' ability to use energy during workouts, so you can push harder and get better results over time. Sound too good to ...