Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

by Jené Luciani

Kelly OsbourneFirst, there was J-Lo's $7,000 set of mink lashes , then Sarah Jessica Parker donned a nearly $5,000 pair of Christian Louboutins that were shaped like lion's paws, fur and all. Both seem hard to top, but Kelly Osbourne blew everyone away at the 2012 Emmy Awards. It wasn't her purple couture Zac Posen gown (or her matching hair): The Fashion Police host was wearing $250,000-on her fingernails!

Osbourne-who Instagrammed a pic of her nails with the caption, "I'm s**tting myself to have that much money on my nails!" -donned a dark blingy polish from luxe LA-based jeweler Azature. That single bottle of the shade reportedly contained 267 carats of black diamonds.

RELATED: The Top 10 Fittest Females at the 2012 Emmys

The look was the brainchild of celebrity stylist Nicolas Bru. "I was very inspired by the neo-goth looks on the fall runways and wanted to mix that up with Kelly's own red carpet glamour," she told us.

If there are other things you'd do

Read More »from Kelly Osbourne's Quarter-Million Dollar Finger Bling

by SHAPE Diet Doctor Mike Roussell, phD


Is it healthy to graze all day?We've all found ourselves grazing once in a while: Grab a handful of almonds here and there, steal a bite of food from your s.o.'s plate, and then suddenly, it's 5 p.m., and you've been snacking all day. We're all about healthy eating at SHAPE, but when a reader asked us if there was a healthy way to "graze" all day, we knew this was a question for our Diet Doc. Here's what he had to say about it:

How often should you eat is a surprisingly confusing and controversial topic, so I totally understand that you are unsure about what is best for you. We've all heard that eating more frequently will keep your metabolism revved, but studies show that noshing often doesn't provide much of an impact on calorie burning, if any. To muddle things even more, there's uncertainty in the scientific community about the role and impact of meal frequency on health and weight loss.

RELATED: The Killer Kettlebell Workout

Despite all this befuddlement, grazing is

Read More »from Is it OK to Graze?

by Heidi Kristoffer

This weekend marked the first day of autumn, a time when I feel anxiety levels rising as we shift from the easy, relaxed schedule of summer to the more rigid days of school and work. Whatever the reason for the stress fest, as this happens, sleep and breathing become more difficult, which in turn creates more anxiety-it's a vicious cycle that needs to be broken!

Naturally, I prescribe yoga as the fix. You can try alternate nostril breathing to ease anxiety and calm a busy brain that doesn't want to stop bouncing around. There are also a bunch of poses geared toward grounding and stilling the mind. Here are a few of my favorites. I recommend doing them all if you have time, or picking a few of your favorites whenever your thoughts won't stop running around or your anxiety starts to climb.

RELATED: The Top 5 Yoga Poses for Athletes

cat/cow position1. Cat/cow: While these are technically two poses , one is not often done without the other to counter. Alternating

Read More »from Yoga Poses to Ease Anxiety

by Tiffany Tse

Warm, filling, flavor-packed soups and stews are the perfect antidote to chilly winter days. Skip canned soups that are packed with sodium and other hard-to-pronounce ingredients and try one of these easy recipes . Each pot simmers with good-for-you nutrients and offers a satisfying, low-calorie meal.

RELATED: 9 Healthy Crockpot Recipes to Try this Winter

Northwestern-style Lentil Chili1. Northwestern-style lentil chili: This hearty and healthy stew gets added zing from a dash of chili powder, but the recipe's real all-star ingredient is a humble legume: lentils! The fiber-rich lentil is low in fat and helps keep the calorie count down (191 calories per serving).

Ingredients:
Olive oil cooking spray
1 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 c. low-sodium V8
1 potato, washed and diced
1 c. dry lentils
1 c. carrots , diced
2 tsp. chili powder
6 tbsp. nonfat sour cream

Directions:
Generously spray a large pot or Dutch Oven with olive oil spray or use a teaspoon of

Read More »from 3 Healthy Soups for Staying Slim

by Charlotte Andersen for SHAPE.com

We get it--you're busy! But that doesn't mean you can't put in a workout. If you're finding yourself short on time, try one of these powerful total-body plans. They're perfect for your busy lifestyle and take only 15 minutes.

The primal blueprint workout1. The primal blueprint workout: Paleo diets are all the rage these days but exercising like our distant ancestors also has great benefits. Whether you're lifting heavy things to build your hut or build your biceps, research supports the perks of lifting as heavy as you can handle for short sets. You'll increase your strength and your contribution to the gene pool.

Try this primal workout from Mark's Daily Apple: Grab a weighted object (two dumbbells, sandbag, barbell, kettlebell) and do not put it down until you have completed 3 full cycles of the workout below. Do 1 set of 6 reps for every exercise, and then repeat the entire circuit two more times.

6 Cleans
6 Overhead presses
6 Squats
6 Bent-over rows

Read More »from 5 Ways to Blast Fat in 15 Minutes or Less

by Heidi Pashman for SHAPE.com

Step away from the computer!Facebook stalking. We all do it. And when it involves your ex, it could be putting you back more than you realize.

In a recent study in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, stalking an ex on Facebook was associated with "greater current distress over the breakup, more negative feelings, more sexual desire, more longing for the ex-partner, and lower personal growth." You can now stop pretending that checking up on his profile periodically is helping you get over him.

The study defines Facebook stalking (i.e. Facebook surveillance) as the frequency of looking at an ex-partner's Facebook page and friends list. Read: You don't even have to be friends.

It makes sense. If you're stalking your ex, you're more than likely still hung up on something about him or the relationship, and unless their status reads, "[YOUR NAME], I just really want to talk about what happened. How are you? Facebook message me," you're probably not going to be

Read More »from Dislike! Stop Facebook Stalking Your Ex

by Karen Borsari for SHAPE.com

12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin doesn't avoid gluten, but her sister does, so she created these gluten-free nutrition bars so that she could enjoy them. Thanks to the California dried plums, these whole-grain bars get an extra dose of fiber, potassium, vitamin K, and antioxidants.

RELATED: 11 Crazy-Good Gluten-Free Desserts

Natalie's California Dried Plum Bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 8 bars

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/4 cup California Dried Plum purée
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1 egg white
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/4 cup soy flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

Directions:
Heat oven to 325º Fahrenheit. Spray an eight by eight-inch baking pan with

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by Jessica Smith for SHAPE.com

Whether you want to squeeze in a workout on your lunch hour or just don't want to wreck an amazing blowout, there are times when a super-sweaty gym session just won't do. But that doesn't mean you have to skip your workout altogether! When it comes to exercise, more sweat doesn't mean better results. Here are three of our favorite routines that offer plenty of benefits but won't leave you drenched.

RELATED: The Top 10 Moves for Thinner Thighs

Stay slim, sculpted, and sane with this routine!1. Slim, sculpted, and sane: This plan combines deep breathing with hard-hitting strength moves to give you a total-body (and mind) workout in just 7 minutes. Try this sequence whenever your stress level is sky-high to relieve tension, focus your energy, and sculpt a strong, sexy body. All you need is a mat so you can do it almost anywhere!

Click here to get the full workout routine.

Try the 5-minute abs workout today.2. The 5-minute abs workout: Can't get too sweaty and tight on time? Ditch that double whammy of an excuse and make it anRead More »from 3 No-Sweat Workouts