Blog Posts by FITNESS Magazine

Don't let the lack of heavy metal fool you. These equipment-free firmers sculpt killer curves. "Using gravity and your body weight as resistance can be just as effective as what you can do with any dumbbell, machine, or barbell," says workout designer Tom Vincent, a trainer at Juliet Kaska's Zen Fitness in West Hollywood who routinely puts his clients through their paces in the park. "You use multiple muscles in these moves, meaning a larger calorie burn in less time." Stick with this workout or pair it with pool sessions, taking a day off in between to allow muscles to recover. Do two sets of each move, leaving little rest between sets to boost your fat burn.

What You'll Need: A park bench and a tree

Related: VIDEO: Watch the Complete Workout

Power Pledge

Targets chest, shoulders, triceps, and abs

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, 3 to 4 feet behind a bench, and lean forward to place both hands on top of seat back slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping

By: Hallie Levine

We've all been there: days when you feel as bloated as the blow-up Shrek in the Macy's parade. Okay, sometimes you know that having that third helping of your sister's peach cobbler wasn't the best idea. But when you're eating right and exercising regularly but still can't zip up your skinny jeans, what gives?

Related: 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs

"One of the main causes of bloat isn't how much you eat; it's eating certain foods that are difficult for your stomach and intestines to digest," explains Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a dietitian in Sarasota, Florida, and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "These substances then pass into your colon, where bacteria feed on them, producing the gas bubbles that make your stomach swell up." About 20 percent of adults experience bloating, according to one study from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, but "anecdotally that number is much higher. Most women I see in my practice complain about bloat at one

From pets to pollen, here's what you need to know to stifle the sniffles -- and the best remedies for annoying allergies.

Cats, Pollen, and Peanuts: Your Allergies Explained

If the mere thought of Spring makes your eyes itch, your nose run, and your chest tighten, join the club. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, up to 50 million Americans are plagued by seasonal allergies every year.

But don't run out to the corner drugstore to stockpile tissues, eyedrops, and nasal spray just yet. We found the best traditional and natural remedies to tackle your worst symptoms, plus super easy-to-follow tips from the experts on how to allergy-proof your home. And that's nothing to sneeze at. Here's everything you need to know, in one place. Let's jump right in!

Outdoor allergies are triggered by pollen from grass, weeds, and trees, as well as from mold (surprise, it's not just in your bathroom and basement). The three pollen-heavy seasons are mid

Magazines have gotten a bad rap-for a pretty long time-for publishing photos of beautiful models instead of "real" women. The message that media sends about body images has always been a hot topic, and we're not about to open up that can-o-worms.

But some new research recently blew us away: It turns out that reading a magazine like FITNESS-with hot bodies and all-isn't so bad for your self-esteem. PLUS: 13 Tricks to Make Your Self-Esteem Soar

Dr. Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, an Associate Professor at Ohio State University, did something different than the other researchers out there…she focused on what types of articles were surrounding the pictures of the beautiful models. Her and her co-author Joshua Romero's ground-breaking findings: People who identify themselves as dissatisfied with their bodies were much more comfortable looking at images of ideal body shapes when the photos were surrounded by articles or content suggesting that they too can be as attractive as the models. But if the articles or content don't inspire them, then they tended to avoid the photos.

Take a look below to see how this is illustrated. Fun fact: These are actual images that were shown in Dr. Knoblock-Westerwick's study!

Actual pages that subjects saw during the study

Images courtesy of Dr. Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick

How it works:

In an effort to get passengers to put down the SkyMall catalog and pay attention to the in-case-of-emergency instructions, Air New Zealand tapped fitness icon Richard Simmons to star in their awesomely retro new "Fit to Fly" in-flight safety video. The results? Fabulous. Highlights include:

• "Stretch and slide! Yeah, you're a giraffe!"
• Yellow shirt guy at the 1:58 mark.
• The Pony!
• THE OUTFITS

MORE FROM FITNESS:

30 Low-Calorie Snacks: Great ideas that satisfy

Free Beach Body Bootcamp Plan: Score a sweet bod in just 8 weeks

"I Did It!": Inspiring weight-loss success stories you'll love

14 Energy Drainers (and Fixes): Stop slouching...it makes you even more tired.

Subscribe to FITNESS Magazine for just $5.99 a year!

Content is published with the permission of Meredith Corporation.

Keeping these spices handy in your spice rack not only improves the taste of your meals, but they keep you healthy, too. Find out which ones have health benefits like lowering cholesterol and preventing cancer!

1. Dried Red Pepper

What it does: The compound capsaicin puts the heat in chilies. It may lower the risk of skin and colon cancers; studies show it also helps people eat fewer calories.

Try it: On pizza or in pasta

What it does: Nutmeg contains antibacterial compounds that may help fight listeria, E. coli, and salmonella, according to research.

Try it: In soups or chicken dishes or on sweet potatoes

What it does: Cumin is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that may help stop tumor growth.

Try it: In tacos, or use it as a rub on meats

What it does: Turmeric contains an active component called curcumin, which may stop cancer from spreading and help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Try it: In soups, stews, or curry dishes

In a recent FITNESS Magazine survey of 2,400 women, more than half of them admitted to negative emotions after a binge (guilt, depression, sickness…). For more insight into this topic, we turned to a pro who has dealt with emotional eating and lost 85 pounds herself. Dr. Ramani Durvasala, the psychologist from Bravo's Thintervention with Jackie Warner, told us about the reasons behind emotional eating and how to manage it.

How do you know if you're an emotional eater?
First, examine how you talk about food. Do you use passionate, emotional terms like "love," "obsessed" or "adore" to describe a certain snack or meal? I used to refer to food in that way and then I realized I don't talk about much else that way ever-maybe just my kids!

A few other signals include eating in secret, feeling anxious or out of control around food, using food for a non-food purpose (such as a reward or a numbing tool) or not achieving success on several weight loss programs in the past.

Can it be "cured" or just "managed?"
Believe me, even after losing the weight, I still struggle everyday with emotional eating. I wish I could eat all that I want whenever I want, but I can't. And that's frustrating! Emotional eating is a lot like other addictions, and never really go away. It usually begins to develop in childhood, so you basically have to learn to deal with your triggers and preemptively plan to make good choices.

Read on for Dr. Durvasala's five tips for emotional eaters…

Shhh. She's working out her issues.Have you ever had a dream about your morning workout? Or maybe you dreamt you were back in middle school gym class? Regardless of what your slumber was about, there could be some helpful symbolism behind it. We asked DreamMoods.com, an awesome site with tons of dream info, for their help deciphering some of your most common fitness-related dreams.

1. Jumping Jacks
To dream of jumping jacks signifies your need for more balance in your life. Try to maintain order while you pursue your goals.

2. Sit Ups
Doing sit ups in your dreams suggests that you need to pay better attention to something…whether it's a relationship, work, or project. Alternatively, doing sit ups could also indicate that you need to show more pride and confidence in your abilities. (MORE: Check out the Top 10 Ab Exercises!)

3. Lifting Weights
This dream is a simple metaphor. You're flexing your muscles-you want others to know that you're in charge.

4. Running
If you dream that