Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

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

Sara Forrest/Fitness Magazine

By Jennifer Nelson

Keep your diet intact no matter what you dial up for dinner.

Related: 10 Skinny Foods to Have in Your Kitchen

If you like THAI, go for:

• Thai-style chicken: It's loaded with vegetables and sometimes served in a hollowed-out pineapple. It's your five a day in one eye-catching meal.
• Summer rolls: usually wrapped in low-calorie rice paper and filled with bean sprouts and other steamed vegetables, shrimp and/or fish.

But Steer clear of:

• Peanut sauce: "It's delicious but loaded with fat," says Joan Carter, R.D., an instructor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and a trained chef.
• Thai tea: Sweetened with condensed milk and loaded with heavy cream or half-and-half, it's virtually a dessert.

If you like CHINESE, go for:

• Wonton soup: It's light, refreshing and flavorful. One caveat: it can be high in sodium, so be sure to drink a lot of water.
• Beef, chicken or shrimp with broccoli (heavy on the

Laura Doss/Fitness MagazineBy Colleen Moody

Let's face it -- running is a great way to stay in shape, but there are some days when it can get pretty boring. If you've hit a plateau despite trying new territories and techniques, it might be time to add something to your workout: a running buddy.

Running with a partner can help the clock tick faster, while boosting your mile time. But not all friends make great pals to pound the pavement with. Blue Benadum, a California-based running coach, marathoner, and Lululemon brand ambassador, shares some important things to keep in mind when finding someone who's at your speed.

Related: 5 Ab Exercises for a Faster Run

Define Your Level and Your Goals
Before you set off on a group trot, Benadum suggests sitting down sans buddy and figuring out what your goals are. "If you're running for the social aspect, to help you get outdoors, and to enjoy the process of the experience, you'll be looking for someone a little different than if you are training for an

Peter Ardito/Fitness Magazine

By Jeannette Moninger

You're busy. We get it. But cutting corners in an effort to do more in less time may do more harm than good. Here, six common shortcuts that shortchange your health.

Related: 8 Health Lies Trainers Tell You

You rely on technology to connect with friends.
When you're busy, one of the first things to go is spending time with pals or even chatting with them on the telephone; a recent study found that people text more than they talk. But maintaining close friendships can have a huge impact on your health. A University of California, San Diego, study showed that women who were at a high risk for developing heart disease lowered their odds if they had larger social networks.

Unfortunately, circles of friends are shrinking. A 2006 Duke University study found that Americans have a third fewer confidants for important topics than they did 20 years ago, and nearly 25 percent have no one with whom to discuss these issues, possibly thanks, in

Joseph Montezinos/Fitness MagazineBy Hallie Levine Sklar

You want to work out today. You really do. But what with groceries to pick up, personal calls to make that you didn't get to at work, a dog that needs to go to the vet, and a billion other responsibilities, your motivation is fizzling. We get it -- in fact, we've been there many times. Here, an entire month's worth of smart advice on how to work out no matter what, from top fitness experts and real women who find time for fitness on an (almost) daily basis.

Related: 6 Ways to Find More Time for Yourself

1. Do it in the morning!
Nothing major has likely cropped up yet -- hey, it's only 7 a.m. Now is the time to get in that run or yoga DVD. In fact, research suggests that women who work out in the morning stick with their programs more successfully than those who don't. Not a morning person? Become one. (We know: It's painful at first, but it's worth it.) "The longer you wait in the day to work out, the more excuses you can find to put it off," says Carol Espel,