With the vast array of Pilates moves and crunch variations out there, it’s easy to forget that a lot of other activities strengthen your core too. That’s why I love this plyometric exercise from Runner’s World that proves bursts of cardio can work your abs.

This year, Oprah gave the commencement address to Stanford graduates. I watched her speech and think her advice on success, failure and finding happiness is good enough for all of us to consider.

She stressed that success isn’t only about money (though she admits that’s part of it)–your work must be meaningful and rewarding in ways that reach beyond your bank account too. She says, “Follow your feelings, if it feels right, move for it. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.” And that’s advice that I think you can follow every single day–you’ve got to learn to trust your intuition and not to rely on anyone else’s opinions in making decisions.

See what Oprah says about failure and finding happiness after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Jezebel critiques Teen Vogue’s spread that takes the athleticism out of the Olympics and replaces it with not-so-sport-friendly fashion.

Laurel on Health Food charts out the best ways to store fruits and veggies to keep them fresh.

The Budget Ecoist shares an easy recipe for healthy, organic and eco-friendly strawberry lemonade.

Fit Sugar gives tips on what to look for when you buy summer hiking boots.

The Accidental Environmentalist reminds us that a bicycle isn’t just a fit way to travel, it’s a green one too. And these days, it’ll even help your wallet as you avoid the pump!

Simply Stated reviews Jen Lancaster’s new book, Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist’s Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes her Ass Look Big, OR, Why Pie is Not the Answer, about dieting and working out.

Nutritionist Keri Glassman just launched a new beauty line, Skin Appetit. The concept is brilliant–a healthy diet isn’t only good for our bodies, it’s good for our skin too. “Consuming a balanced diet that packs in lots of vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and protein is what produces shiny, glowing, hydrated and smooth skin,” Glassman says. Antioxidants aren’t only beneficial in our diets, they have similar anti-aging effects when applied topically.

So each paraben-free Skin Appetit product includes natural whole food extracts from 8 super foods: blueberries, cantaloupe, grapeseed extract, creamy yogurt, wild honey, fig, walnut oil and dark chocolate. The “Nutrx 8 Complex” helps smooth fine lines, moisturize, reduce inflammation, boost your glow and more. To celebrate the launch, Skin Appetit is giving away a set of all five products ($75): Optim-Eyes Firming Eye Gel, Nutri-Pro Night Serum, Nutri-Collagen Daily Moisturizer SPF 15, Detoxifying Nutri-Cleanser and Nutri-Moisture Balm Stick. To win, make a comment telling us which of the 8 super foods is your favorite before 5pm, June 30. One name will be chosen randomly. Good luck! [Note: This giveaway is now closed]

If you ever overindulge on the weekends–a night (or two) of cocktails, a giant brunch, one of everything at the baseball game and a heaping second BBQ helping–you might not feel your best come Monday. Instead of scolding yourself for everything you did wrong, start your week off with a few detoxifying yoga poses. A series of twists (like this workout from Tara Stiles) can be very cleansing and will help your body release accumulated toxins. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel rejuvenated instead of regretful.

“No matter how hard the loss, defeat might serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.”

-Al Gore

Here’s an abdominal exercise from Denise Austin and Prevention that targets your core from every angle.

Start on your back with your arms at your sides. Bend your knees and lift them up so they’re over your rib cage.

Now for the hard part–pull your navel in toward your spine, contracting your abs and slowly start circling your knees.

Bring your knees down to the right, extend slightly out to the front bringing them around to the left and back to the starting position. Then reverse the circle. The smaller the circle, the easier it will be.

Go back and forth a total of ten times. Rest and repeat.

June is American Express Women’s Golf Month which means a bunch of courses across the country are offering free lessons, clinics, seminars and more. And once you get into the game, you should also know how to green your game (guys–this part is for you too!).

If you enjoy golfing, the beautiful courses and outdoorsy feel of the sport might make you look past all the un-eco aspects of golfing. But think for a minute about all the water those irrigation systems use and the potentially harmful chemical treatments used to keep the greens green. Some courses are better than others though, so start by choosing a spot to play from the Audubon Society’s list of courses that protect the environment, provide wildlife habitats and conserve natural resources. Then consider biodegradable balls and tees. And finally, dress green with a Fila golf polo for women made of 67% bamboo or a Patagonia Vitaliti Jersey Polo for men made of 70% organic cotton and 30% recycled polyester-jersey.

Sure, interval training is tough–the short bursts of high-intensity exercise alternating with active rest periods of slower, less intense exercises can really kick your butt! But the hard work pays off even beyond blasting last night’s ice cream splurge. Here are three reasons why you should do it:

1. You’ll get a great calorie blasting benefit. The mix of short intense exercises and longer aerobic activities can burn more calories than your average workout and interval training increases your metabolism for up to 36 hours after the workout! Read the rest of this entry »