Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

Rebecca RomijnNot every celebrity mom magically morphs back into a size 2 within weeks of having a baby. Actress Rebecca Romijn readily admits that it was a struggle to drop the more than 60 pounds she gained with twin daughters Dolly and Charlie, now 3. "Losing that weight was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," says Rebecca, 39, who stars in the Tyler Perry comedy Good Deeds. "I had to change the way I worked out, the way I ate -- everything."

As you see, she succeeded brilliantly. In fact, Rebecca says she is fitter now than ever. "I'm stronger, I have more energy, and I feel better, too," she says, settling into a banquette at the London NYC hotel in New York City to share the secrets of her success with FITNESS. "I was proud to get back into a bikini!"

Related: Try Rebecca Romijn's Bikram Yoga Workout

Okay, we're dying to know: How did you finally lose the baby weight?
Everything I did before I got pregnant -- like Pilates, which I had done for about 14

Courtesy of CrunchBy Meghan Reid

Looking for a change in your usual toning classes? The newest fitness trends are ones that work your tricky spots while giving you a leg up (literally) with your sex life. See which class below fits your personality for a sleek, sculpted body.

Related: The FITNESS Get It On Guide

Where: Crunch Gym, locations nationwide
Class: Pole-ography

If you always wanted to secretly whip around a pole you can now check it off your bucket list. This beginner pole dancing fitness class will teach you a simple choreographed routine broken up over a month. "You'll learn not only a routine, but some basic pole-fitness moves, such as different kind of spins, dismounts to the floor, and walking variations," says Kyra Johannesen, Crunch national pole fitness director. "The class gives you an upper-body workout and is great cardio because it's continual movement." Not to mention, you'll earn some extra brownie points at home with your new moves before getting busy.

Related: The

FItness Magazine

By Jennifer Soong

Day after day, working out can feel like a drill. Yet fitness devotees somehow muster the motivation to get exercise regularly. Steal their tricks and (almost) never miss a workout again.

Related: Sexy New Ways to Work Out

1. Don't put away your gear.
From the moment she rises, Kristina Monét Cox, 26, has exercise on the brain. That's because the first things she sees are her sneakers and workout clothes. "I've got them next to the bed in plain sight," says Kristina, the CEO of a communications firm in Houston. "I've also got dumbbells right where I can see them in the bathroom, and a balance ball, a yoga mat, and a jump rope strategically placed throughout the house." Forgetting to exercise is never her problem.

Why it works: Visual cues are a wake-up call to your brain. "We all have competing priorities like work, family, chores. Sometimes we need a reminder to keep exercise at the forefront," McGonigal says.
Do it yourself: If you

Fitness MagazineBy Josh Dorfman

Reduce your carbon footprint and boost your bank account with these easy, healthy, earth-friendly tips from Josh Dorfman, author of The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.

1. Choose eco workout wear.
Look for tops, pants, shorts -- even sports bras made with recycled materials, such as Cocona fabrics, which come from coconut shells. They dry quickly and provide excellent sun and odor protection. (For info and products, go to www.coconafabric.com.) Need new sneaks? Brooks running shoes feature the industry's first biodegradable midsole (www.brooksrunning.com).

Related: Workout Gear Cute Enough for Outside the Gym

2. Make a fair trade.
Instead of buying new fitness DVDs and books, use swapping sites like www.swapadvd.com and www.paperbackswap.com to trade with thousands of other people for free.

3. Wheel and deal on exercise equipment.
Whether it's a bike, a Bowflex, or a Precor elliptical machine, you'll find great deals at craigslist.org in the local classified ads

Alexa Miller/Fitness MagazineBy Lia Huber

The islands of Okinawa, a lush archipelago southwest of the main island of Japan, are home to the largest and healthiest population of centenarians on earth. They suffer significantly fewer heart attacks and 80 percent fewer incidences of breast cancer and prostate cancer, and have lower rates of diabetes and less than half of the ovarian and colon cancer cases that we do. Their secret? A nutrient-dense diet and stress-proof lifestyle.

Before you pack your bags and say sayonara to your on-the-go American fast-lane life, consider this: "It's the little tweaks to your everyday routines that can make the biggest difference in your lifelong wellness," says Peter Martin, PhD, director of the gerontology program at Iowa State University in Ames. Think of today as the first day of the rest of your long, healthy life. Get started with these six simple steps.

Related: What to Eat to Live to 100

Maintain Your Weight
Okinawan centenarians tend to stay lean throughout their lives

Brian Bowen Smith/Fitness MagazineWorkout by Susan Antonaccio, a certified instructor for Bikram Yoga NYC

Rebecca Romijn credits her smokin' post-baby bod to steamy Bikram yoga sessions. Try this five-asana sample of a typical 90-minute class from Susan Antonaccio, a certified instructor for Bikram Yoga NYC in New York City. Roll out the mat!


Related: Rebecca Romijn's Diet Tips and Playlist Faves







Balancing StickBalancing Stick
Targets butt and legs
• Stand with feet together, arms by sides. Step forward with right leg and hinge forward at hips as you reach both arms overhead, interlacing fingers and pointing forefingers up.
• Simultaneously lift extended left leg behind so that body is as close to parallel to floor as possible from fingertips to left foot. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds.
• Return to start, switch legs and repeat. Then repeat sequence.

Related: Yoga 101: Poses for Beginners

Half-MoonHalf-Moon
Targets arms, abs, obliques, and butt
• Stand with feet together, arms by sides.
• Extend arms overhead and interlace fingers,

Karen Pearson/Fitness MagazineIt's not just because we're hungry. Here, two writers dish on what happens when their feelings meet food.

Related: The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs

Please Stop Watching Me Eat!

By Rory Freedman

When it comes to emotional eating, I've been through the gamut. As a child, I was picky with what was put on my plate, so dinner was a constant battle of wills. According to my father, I had two choices: eat my vegetables or spend the night at the kitchen table. But I would not be bullied. I discovered an effective alternative: throwing up on my plate. I was excused.

As a teenager, I had long stopped letting a man -- my dad -- tell me how to eat. But apparently I still had some hurdles to clear. When my college boyfriend cheated, then confessed his infidelity, I lost about 10 pounds in two days. My roommates begged me to eat, even bringing me my favorite meals. But I felt empty inside; food had lost its allure. My body disappeared, along with my sanity and my faith in men.

Bonnie Holland/Fitness MagazineSlow and steady wins the weight-loss race, right? Not according to a new study from the University of Florida, which found that people on plans that gave them a speedy initial drop were five times more likely to be 10 percent slimmer 18 months later than those who didn't accelerate their diet. "Not seeing results soon enough is the number-one reason women give up on weight-loss plans," notes Patricia Bannan, RD, author of Eat Right When Time Is Tight.

Whoa there! Don't resign yourself to using the latest cleanse or juice fast just yet. Super-restrictive diets lack the nutrients you need, leaving you sluggish, weak, and starving. So what's the happy medium? A plan that targets your biggest diet downfall, allowing you to get slim quickly but safely. Try these easy, no-hunger strategies to outsmart every craving, and watch the post-holiday pudge melt away in record time.

Related: How to Cheat Without Wrecking Your Diet

Diet Derailer: You're a carbs queen.

Maybe man