Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

By Maura Kelly

Brian Klutch/Fitness MagazineA relationship can add so much to your life -- including extra weight! The bittersweet gains: three pounds, on average, for cohabitators in the first five years and nine for new brides, says a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Let your love -- but not your waistline -- grow with these tips from Jenna Bergen, author of Your Big Fat Boyfriend.

Related: More Tips to Stop the Diet Wreckers in Your Life

Tip #1: Take charge of takeout.
"Volunteer to make the call," Bergen suggests. "That way you can be sure your food is grilled rather than fried, has the dressing on the side, or comes with brown, not white, rice."

Tip #2: Ask for a shelf in the fridge.
When he offers you closet space, tell him you'd love some in the refrigerator too. Then stock up on healthier snacks than his chips and dip.

Tip #3: Save the couch for non-meal activities.
Eat in front of the TV and you'll mindlessly overindulge. Bergen's advice: Sit at the kitchen table, even if

Laura Doss/Fitness MagazineBy Lisa Kovalovich Whitmore

Whether you work up a sweat in the morning or evening, chances are you grab a little bite before you hit the gym. A snack before you work out helps give you energy and stamina to go the distance. But did you know that eating a snack after you work out is even more important? "You want to make sure you feed your body to help repair muscle tissues and replenish glycogen stores [which are depleted after a strenuous workout]," says Kristin Reisinger, MS, RD, a sports nutritionist and competitive figure athlete based in New Jersey. Here, six top snacks to fuel your body post workout (Reisinger recommends chasing each of these snacks with 8-12 ounces of water).

Related: The Top 7 Foods for Runners

Protein Shake with Banana
"After a workout, you want ample protein combined with a carbohydrate," says Reisinger. A protein shake made from whey protein, water, and half a banana is a great choice, since your body quickly turns it into energy.

Peter Ardito/Fitness MagazineBy Amanda Pressner

Does squeezing into your workout tights feel like a feat of gymnastics? Before you swear off everything but baby carrots, consider this: The culprit behind weight gain may not be what you're eating, but how much. Since the late '70s, we've added 570 calories a day to our diets, and half of them can be attributed to larger portions, according to research at the University of North Carolina. "Even though today's serving sizes can be more than triple what the USDA recommends, they've become our new normal, and anything smaller can seem puny by comparison," says Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD, a FITNESS advisory board member and the author of The Portion Teller Plan. Fortunately, having strong visual aids, can go a long way toward helping you shift your mind-set. Once you know what right-size portions look like, selecting them will become second nature. The best part? You can downsize your plate -- and your weight -- without giving up the foods you love.

Related: How to

Dorit Thies/Fitness MagazineBy Mark Anders

Want to know the secrets to getting a toned, trim body in record time? We did too, so we went straight to the top personal trainers, exercise physiologists and fitness instructors for the ultimate moves and motivation tricks to kick a fitness routine into high gear. Put a few of these tips into action each week and you're guaranteed to see faster results!

Related: Get Fitter, Firmer, Faster! 18 Fitness Shortcuts

1. Tone Up on the Treadmill

"Save time at the gym with this 10-minute cardio/sculpt session: Hop on a treadmill holding a three- to five-pound dumbbell in each hand, and set the speed to a brisk walk. Do a one-minute set each of shoulder presses, biceps curls, triceps extensions, side laterals, front laterals and standing triceps kickbacks one after another as you walk. I's an amazing upper-body challenge that also gets your heart pumping. Do this series two or three times each week. As you improve, work up to doing four-minute sets."
--Michael George,

Laura Doss/Fitness MagazineBy Virgina Sole-Smith

Between deadlines, kickboxing class, and your best friend's latest crisis, you've barely got a moment to spare. We consulted with Laura Sari Geduldig, a life coach in the San Francisco Bay area, and Caroline Righton, author of The Life Audit, for tips on how to shave minutes off everyday activities. Find your top time-suckers below, and get ready to reclaim your day (not to mention your life).

Related: 8 Time-Savers for a Better Social Life

The Time Suck: Staying in the know on all the celebrity gossip and political chatter by surfing dozens of blogs.
The Save: Register with bloglines.com to track all your must-read blogs and e-newsletters on one home page.

The Time Suck: Remembering your password for every bank, store, and cell-phone Web site you use.
The Save: The most secure, least hackable passwords are those that contain 15 random letters and numbers. But who wants to memorize all that? Surprisingly, according to Microsoft security experts, it's better to

Photo courtesy Shutterstock.comBy Leslie Goldman

What do celebs like Zooey Deschanel, Emmy Rossum, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Chelsea Clinton have in common? They all follow gluten-free diets, thanks to severe wheat allergies that, if left untreated, can result in bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, malnourishment and even infertility and osteoporosis.

"Going g-free" has been trendy for a few years now, with proponents claiming that ditching wheat can melt away pounds, elevate sports performance and evaporate mental fogginess. The industry has exploded, mushrooming 27 percent since 2009 and surpassing $6 billion in sales in 2011, according to Mintel research. "Gluten-free is the new low-carb," says Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RD, author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet (Rodale) ?and a nutrition advisor at Golden Door Fitness Resort and Spa in San Marcos, Calif. But unless you are one of the 1 percent of Americans who truly suffer from actual Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks itself in the presence of

Fitness MagazineBy Marianne Magno

There's something about smoothies that make them almost irresistible as a meal, a drink, or a snack, especially on a hot summer day. Get your blender ready for these healthy fruit smoothie recipes you can make in minutes.

Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
On the go? Blend a banana, peanut butter, and milk for a healthy breakfast you can easily take with you.

Nutrition facts: 303 calories, 9g fat, 45g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 16g protein

Ingredients
• 10 ounces skim milk or plain soy milk
• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 1 medium banana
Make it:
In a blender, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Use 6 ice cubes for a thicker consistency.

Related: Get More Summer Smoothie Recipes

Fitness MagazineStrawberry, Banana & Flax Smoothie
Adding flaxseeds to you diet is a great way to increase your intake of omega-3s, which are associated with a lowered risk of heart disease, cancer, and depression.

Nutrition facts: 278 calories, 7g fat, 43g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 16g

Alex Palombo/Fitness MagazineWorkout by Brad Schoenfeld

Sculpt strong, toned legs and thighs with these exercises that work the muscle fibers you're probably overlooking.

Related: Our Testers Try This Workout-See the Results!

Split Squat
Targets butt and quads
• Stand with back facing a chair (about 2 feet away), hands on hips, and bend left leg behind you to place top of foot on chair seat.
• Squat, bending right leg 90 degrees with knee over ankle. Make it harder: After each full squat, do a half squat, bending just 45 degrees.
• Do 15 to 20 reps. Switch legs and repeat. Do 2 to 3 sets.


Alex Palombo/Fitness MagazineSissy Squat
Targets quads, hamstrings, and calves
• Stand with feet hip-width apart with right side next to a chair, right hand holding seat back.
• Rise up onto toes (heels off floor) and bend knees 90 degrees as you lean torso back 45 degrees (so that body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders, abs tight.)
• Return to standing on toes. Do 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps.


Related: The Top 10 Thigh Toning Exercises


Alex Palombo/Fitness Magazine