This video includes moves that work multiple muscles at once through large ranges of motion to help you burn more calories while you strengthen the inner thighs. Since these moves incorporate so many muscle groups, you'll burn more fat in less time!
We get it. On a scale of zero to 10, your motivation to work out over the holidays ranks a negative two. Plus, who has to time to squeeze in exercise during family time? The answer: you. Here's when high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is super helpful.
HIIT consists of short, intense bursts of exercise with either active recovery (like less intense exercise) or complete rest in between. Cardio workouts and strength routines both qualify—they can both get your heart pumping AND fire up your metabolism thanks to the phenomenon known as after burn. You can get a super effective workout in 20 minutes or less—even in as few as 4 minutes if you do Tabata-style training (20 seconds hard, 10 seconds easy).
Since HIIT is one of the hottest fitness trends for 2014, why not get a jumpstart on a fitter you for the new year! Try one of these high-intensity workouts while the family's opening presents, as you wait for the turkey to cook, or right before A Christmas Story begins—seriously, you can do them almost anywhere, anytime.
1. Omega-3 fatty acids: Okay, so this one is pretty well-known—and with good reason. They are famed for improving heart health and mood, as well as promoting healthy waistlines. But contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to eat salmon to get your omega-3 on. Check out these five foods that contain omega-3's that aren't fish.
2. Pinolenic acid: It's time for a pesto party. This fatty acid, found in pine nuts and especially rich in Korean ones, has been linked to appetite suppression and improved satiety, according to the Institute of Food Technologists
3. Conjugated linoleic acid: However you try to pronounce it, conjugated linoleic acid can reduce your body-fat percentage while increasing how much lean body mass (a.k.a. muscle) you have, according to the editorial.
4. Flaxseed oil: A good source of omega-3's, -6's, and -9's (seriously, what omega doesn't it have?), flaxseed oil can help reduce inflammation, which has been linked to weight gain. Try using it as a salad dressing. It has a light, nutty flavor that goes great with veggies.
5. Hemp oil: It's rich in those oh-so-popular omega-3's, but also the potent antioxidant vitamin E. Check out these healthy hemp recipes.
6. Fish oil: These supplements can improve your heart and brain health, and according to research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, boost your body's muscle-building response to strength training.
7. Canola oil: Recent research shows that this versatile cooking oil improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics. And chances are, it can help you, too. Try munching on these healthy recipes to get some more canola oil in your diet.
8. High oleic soybean oil: Low on saturated fat, this stuff packs three times more monounsaturated fats than regular soybean oil, according to the Institute of Food Technologists. It has a really high smoke point, so it's great for cooking anything you really want to sizzle, like a stir-fry.
9. Coconut oil: All the rage right now, coconut oil is believed to be a powerful energy-booster and is known for its bevy of medium-chain triglycerides, which are metabolized more quickly than other saturated fats. Try it out in these awesome coconut recipes.
1. Vaccinations rates are up, but remain relatively low overall
Although influenza vaccination rates have risen in general, fewer than 40 percent of healthy American adults ages 18-64 have been vaccinated.
2. The flu hit especially hard last year
Last season was “a relatively bad year for flu. There were tens of millions of illnesses,” said CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden. Young and middle-aged adults were hit hard, and just over 100 children died, and “many of those deaths might have been prevented if those children had gotten a vaccination.
3. Flu vaccinations have increased dramatically among pregnant women
Vaccination coverage in pregnant women has remained steady at around 50 percent, the NFID says, up from under 15 percent during the 2009 flu pandemic. “An overwhelming number of studies have shown that the flu shot is safe in pregnancy during all trimesters,” said Dr. Laura Riley, Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School.
This total-body strength routine works overtime to firm your core by challenging your stability. The result? An effective sweat session we don't mind doing in the heat! Perform three sets on nonconsecutive days three times a week.
MOVE 1Suitcase Deadlift
MOVE 2Half-Kneeling Overhead Dumbbell Press
SON OF ALAN
Kneel down with your right leg bent in front of you at a 90-degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand in front of your shoulder (a). Keeping your core and glutes tight, press the weight directly overhead until your arm is fully extended (b). Use your back and shoulders to slowly lower the weight back down to start. That's one rep. Do 10, then repeat on the other side.
Quick Tip: Your arm should be close to your ear when it's fully extended.
MOVE 3Goblet Split Squat
SON OF ALAN
Stand with your right leg in front of you and your left leg behind, and hold a dumbbell vertically in front of your chest with both hands (a). Engage your abs to keep your balance as you slowly lower your left knee toward the floor, bending your right knee to a 90-degree angle (b). Rise back to the starting position. Do 10, then repeat on the other side.
MOVE 4Bent-Over Row
Beth Shaw is the President of YogaFit, the world’s largest yoga training school. Her third book, YogaLean, will be released this fall, and offers a holistic approach to eating healthy, losing weight, and keeping it off. Find more tips at her personal site desiplay.com.
At the end of a summer, as fall approaches, we can sometimes feel busier than any other time of year. We tend to work too much and exercise too little, assuming that unless we have an hour or more to spend at the gym on a regular basis, it’s pointless to even try to get in shape.
Well, here is my solution to that problem, and I think it’s a good one: Take just 30 minutes out of your busy day, and go on a gratitude walk. Make it special. Make it an event that you look forward to. View it as an opportunity for positive reflection. When you walk, make sure you move at a fast pace and reflect on things in your life that you are grateful for.
I am fortunate to live in both exciting New York City and sunny Southern California. (Being bicoastal is really a joy!) But this walk can be done anywhere—in the city or on the countryside. It can even be done on a treadmill.
