Workout Moves for a Gorgeous Celebrity Body

Thigh shaper

From Health magazine

For inner and outer thighs

Lie on your left side on the floor with the ball between your calves. Support your head with your left hand and balance yourself with your right hand on the floor in front of you. Squeeze the ball between your legs, slightly lifting your left leg off the floor.

Hold for a second, then relax; that’s 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting up to 30 seconds between sets; repeat on your right side.

Ball pull-in

For core, chest, and shoulders

A. Kneel with stability ball in front of you, then walk hands forward, rolling up on the ball until it’s beneath your shins and your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.

B. Keep upper body stationary, and pull ball in toward chest with both legs. Return to extended position to complete 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.

Trainer tip: Keep your chin tucked throughout the move. For an extra challenge, target the muscles on the sides of your stomach by twisting your right knee toward your left side (and vice versa) when you pull the ball in.

Ball squat with front raise

For butt, thighs, and shoulders

A. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides, pressing a stability ball between your lower back and a wall.

B. Keeping the ball pressed against the wall, squat until thighs are nearly parallel to the floor and lift arms in front of you to shoulder height. Hold this position for 2–3 seconds, then lower your arms and return to standing. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, holding the last rep in each set for 10–15 seconds, and resting for 30 seconds between sets. 

Trainer tip: For more of a challenge, hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand or a 10-pound medicine ball with both hands through­out the move.

Ball push-up

For chest, core, and triceps

Kneel with stability ball in front of you, then walk hands forward, rolling up on the ball until it’s beneath your thighs. (Your body should be in a straight line, with hands directly beneath your shoulders.) Bend your arms and lower your body until your nose almost touches the floor. Straighten your arms to complete 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 10–12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.

Trainer tip: To protect your back, don’t let your hips sag. Mastered this move? Try it with the ball beneath your shins instead of your thighs.

Source: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306933,00.html

A 7 Minute Workout That Will Really Work

Shape Up in 7 Minutes

Snappy strengthening moves

From Health magazine

Get more bang for your workout burst with these one-minute power moves from Equinox NYC instructor Omar Sandoval's hot new Titan Method class.

Choose a move for the arms and shoulders, a move for the abs and back, and a move for the legs and butt and do all three exercises at a fast clip (hello, cardio!) before taking a 30-second rest; then whip through them again.

For the full Titan class effect, do any five moves back-to-back, rest 30 seconds, and repeat. For best results, slip this speed session in every other day.

Arms & shoulders: Squat and press

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a pair of 8- to 10-lb dumbbells between feet. Push hips back to lower into a squat (keep knees behind toes); grasp a dumbbell with each hand.

Engage core, push through feet, and rise to standing, bending elbows to bring weights near shoulders. Press weights overhead; lower weights back to shoulders, then back to floor. Repeat for 60 seconds.

Arms & shoulders: Clean and press windmill

 

Stand with feet shoulder-width and an 8- to 10-lb dumbbell between them. Push hips back to lower into squat (knees behind toes); grasp dumbbell with left hand. Push through feet and rise to standing, bringing dumbbell toward left shoulder; push it overhead.

Bend at waist to right, allowing right foot to turn out; right hand is on inside of right leg. Continue to bend sideways, sliding right hand down to foot, keeping left hand overhead. Reverse movement to return to squat; continue for 60 seconds.

Abs & back: Dumbbell plank

Get into the "up" part of push-up position with feet wider than shoulder-width, hands each gripping a dumbbell directly below shoulders. Your body should be in a straight, diagonal line from head to heels (as shown). Hold for 60 seconds.

Abs & back: Plank with side snatch

Come to plank position with body straight, feet wider than shoulder-width, hands gripping 8- to 10-lb dumbbells.

Engage core muscles; in a single movement (keeping arms straight), twist at the waist (allowing toes to pivot) and lift dumbbell in left hand out to left and up overhead Return to plank position; continue for 60 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Legs & butt: Shuffle dumbbell swing

Stand with feet wide, an 8- to 10-lb dumbbell between feet. Squat down (knees behind toes) and shuffle to left, then back to center; grab dumbbell with both hands. Straighten knees while turning legs and body to right, swinging weight up and straight out to right as if swinging a baseball bat.

Return to squat position and repeat on opposite side; continue alternating for 60 seconds.

Legs & butt: Superhero jump

Get into "up" part of push-up position; step left foot forward into lunge position, leaving right hand on floor and lifting left hand out and back. Push into both feet and jump up onto left foot, raising right knee and touching left hand to it. Return to lunge, then push-up position.

Continue for 60 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Source: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20535402,00.html

Celebrity Diet Secrets - How do they stay so thin?

Celebrity Diet Secrets

How do they keep so thin?

Rihanna

'It's all about trying to eat healthy and be in the gym to feel better. If you look at it that way, and not like you're trying to lose weight, then it's more successful,' explains the Umbrella singer. Her diet includes veggies, egg whites, and fruit as snacks, plus shed loads of water. 'Carbs are the enemy,' she insists.

Kate Hudson

Just how did she achieve such perfection? A smart eating plan that includes a lot of sushi, and organic food wherever possible. Kate was given a hard time over piling on pregnancy pounds. 'The tabloids were tough on me, but I ate well and exercised. The weight just came off. Now I have no issues with my body. I don't have time in life to worry about it.'

Beyonce

According to Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, drinking water is a great appetite suppressant. Too boring? Jazz up your H20 like the Crazy in Love singer and add chicken or vegetable stock to it. A cup-full of heated chicken or vegetable broth will take your water from boring to tastebud-tingling, in only 20 calories.

Gwyneth Paltrow

If you follow the 'one for you, one for me' school of feeding your kids, your girth-line's bound to grow. Don't banish your children's favourite treats, just do what Gwyneth does, and, when mini me's enjoying a sweetie snack, make a healthy version, like celery boats with low-fat cream cheese and raisin, frozen grapes and strawberry smoothies.    

Sharon Stone

Ever wondered how Sharon Stone looks so fabulous at 50? She snacks on prunes which, according to Dr Maoshing Ni, Hollywood's hottest doctor of Chinese medicine and an authority on anti-ageing, not only contain wrinkle-beating properties (vitamin E) but also prevent tummy bloating and ease elimination with a natural laxative-like effect.

Carrie Underwood

American Idol winner and country singing star Carrie Underwood has gone from a size 6 (UK10) to a size 2 (UK6). How did she do it? 'I've got one rule,' she says. 'Never skip breakfast.' Her morning munchie is usually a Luna Bar - a protein bar available at health shops. Any other secrets to her weight-loss? 'It's not because of any radical diet. It's the little things like cutting out the margaritas and daiquiris, replacing sugary drinks with green tea, and white breads with wholegrains.'

Source: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/celebrity/best/4305/9/celebrity-diet-secrets.html