Anytime you add an element of instability to your ab workout, you’ll make it more challenging. The Prone Jackknife from Oxygen Women’s Fitness is one way to do it.

Start in a plank position with your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your feet and the tops of your shins balanced on an exercise ball (choose a ball that’s at a comfortable height). Keeping your arms and back straight, engage your abs to bring your knees toward your chest rolling the ball along with your feet. Keep squeezing your abs and return to the starting position. Do 2 to 3 reps of 15.

Plenty found a way for us to row, row, row our boats greenly down the stream with Echo Paddles made from sustainably harvested local wood certified by the Managed Forest Program.

Fit Sugar shares five reasons why watermelon is a wonderful summer treat.

BeThree asks, “Are You an Exercise Addict?” and offers solutions to break the pattern.

The Budget Ecoist found ways to be green on the go with tips to cut down on your summer vacation waste.

If you’re looking for a new innovative and HARD workout to try, sign up for Budokon. Developed by Cameron Shayne, Budokon is a fusion of martial arts and yoga that’s designed to create a healthy body and a sound mind which rings true to the JivaFit motto. And celebrities like Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston have been fans for awhile.

It’s a workout that requires you to use every inch of your body and every single muscle from head to toe. This class will help you get stronger without lifting a single dumbell–it’s all about using your body. The class starts with a yoga session, though you’ll do dancing dogs in addition to your downward dogs and classic Vinyasa movements will be modified to the rolling wave. The moves get progressively more challenging as the class gears up for the martial arts set. The crocodile for example requires you to jump to a fighting stance from lying flat on the ground. The practice finishes with kicking, punching, blocking and so on in a martial arts series.

If you want to give it a try, search the site for an instructor near you or watch one of Shayne’s workout DVDs. I tried a couple of them and unlike some fitness videos that aren’t don’t even compare to taking an actual class, these were pretty challenging.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Skin Appetit beauty giveaway a few weeks ago. We have a winner! Congratulations to Pamela Scott who revealed her favorite super food saying, “Gosh, this is hard. I love all of them, but I guess I would have to say dark chocolate.” She’ll get a set of all five Skin Appetit products.

But if you didn’t win, you’re not entirely out of luck! Click through to read more for a printable coupon that’ll save you $2 off any Skin Appetit product at Walgreens, Rite Aid, Longs or Duane Reade. Happy shopping!

Read the rest of this entry »

I love So You Think You Can Dance–the show is an awesome showcase of talented dancers and choreographers. The dancers prove that the art takes not only artistic skill, but athletic skill and strength too–just take a look at their bodies! Every week, six dancers end up at risk for getting kicked off the show and are forced to perform their solo, ‘dancing for their life.’ Time and time again, the dancers that end up leaving the show are the ones that don’t give it their all and show off everything they have during their solo.

As these dancers put all of their passion out there on that stage, I always think about how there are times in our lives where we have to do the same thing. There are times when we have to prove ourselves and throw everything we have out on the table.  We have to dance our hearts out in a lot of different ways showing the world the best pieces of ourselves and letting our strengths shine. And when we’re put to the challenge, whether it’s opening up our heart to someone, nailing a presentation at work or finishing a race, we have to remember to dance for our life no matter what stage we’re performing on.

Here Twitch, a breaker, shows everyone exactly why he deserves to return to the stage as he gives 125% to his performance–let it inspire you the next time you need to give it your all.

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

-Ayn Rand

If you love working out and being active, I’m sure you’ve suffered from post-exercise sore muscles before too. And while you could pop a couple pills for relief I’ve found a couple of natural soothers.

Organics by Noah’s Naturals Sea Salt Soak ($16.99): I poured a bunch of this organic blend of sea salt and lavender into a warm bath for a very spa-like pain relieving experience. The intoxicating scent of lavender relaxed my mind and the warm bath combined with the sea salt (which they say helps draw out the impurities from my skin) did offer some subtle soothing. Now whether or not it came from the warm bath water alone or the stuff I was soaking in, I don’t know, but either way I felt better when I stepped out and it was enjoyable.

Topical Anti-Pain By142 ($35): This cream is like a luxe version of Icy Hot. Menthol and camphor work instantly to relieve your pain, but then you’ll feel another sensation sneaking up on your muscle aches. Cehami, a plant-based ingredient first used by Australian Aboriginal people, has an anti-inflammatory power 3,000 times that of Aspirin–with that kind of reputation why bother popping pills! Supposedly the effect lasts up to 4 hours, but I get the most relief in the first hour.

Here’s a nice mind-body workout I found from MyYogaOnline. The ten minute routine will help you relax after the long holiday weekend, find inner balance and ease your mind and body before you start another hectic week.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.”

-Buddha

Fourth of July is here and it wouldn’t be a summer holiday weekend without grilling, right? Here are a few tips to make sure you get your grill on the green and healthy way.

Choosing your grilling weapon: Electric and gas grills are the greenest options (unless you can find a solar one). Even though propane is a non-renewable resource, charcoal and wood burning grills release more emissions into the air. If you’re partial to the flavor of charcoal, at least choose an eco-friendly charcoal to reduce the low-level smog and toxic chemicals traditional varieties create.

Cooking safely: Grilling meats can actually produce toxic carcinogenic chemicals in your food. There are two major problems–one is when fat and juice drip and burn, coming back to settle on your food in smoke later. So choose skinless and leaner cuts of beef and remove fat before cooking. Read the rest of this entry »