Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

Should large, sugary drinks be banned?By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD for SHAPE.com

You may have heard about a proposal from New York City Mayor Bloomberg making national and international headlines, which aims to ban sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces from nearly all dining establishments, including restaurants, movie theaters, and street carts. The sanction is aimed at curbing obesity and improving residents' health, but is legislating food and drinks going too far?

When I posted this question on my Facebook fan page I received more comments than I have on any other topic, with opinions going in both directions. Here's where I stand: I do not recommend drinking either regular or diet soda . But while I believe that Mayor Bloomberg's intentions are good, it's been my experience as a health professional that becoming a food cop typically backfires, as I wrote about in a recent post and this goes for someone policing his or her significant other or government-imposed regulation.

RELATED: 8 Sugar-Free Summer

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The best race training tips--that aren't about running!You've officially registered for your first half marathon! You're sweating it out at the gym every night and running faithfully every morning. You've cleaned up your diet and are in tip-top shape so that you can fly across that finish line! But what else could you be doing to maximize your training? We wanted to know, so we went to our resident celebrity trainer, Joe Dowdell, to get his best non-running race tips! Here are the four tips you need to know before you hit that pavement on race day:

To help prevent injury and potentially improve your performance on race day, there are a four primary things that you should be doing in conjunction with your running:

1. Regular total-body strength training. Make time in your training schedule for two to three total-body strength sessions per week. For the lower body, incorporate at least one unilateral (single leg) movement into each workout--split squats, reverse lunges, or lateral slide board lunges are all great examples. This will

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Save money on your honeymoon. The only thing that gets most couples through the final stressful stretch of wedding planning is the thought of their honeymoon . After months of dealing with guest lists, seating charts, family drama, and making thousands of decisions, most newlyweds can't wait to hightail it to a secluded sandy beach. Whether you're staying in a bungalow in Bora Bora or five-star European resort, it is possible to save money on your most over-the-top vacation . Read on for travel advice that will help you get more for less on your honeymoon.

Budget Honeymoon Travel Tip 1: Get Honeymoon Hook-ups:
Tell anyone and everyone that you two lovebirds are honeymooners. This information has the magical power to warm the hearts of airline and hotel employees worldwide. Before you know it, you'll be sitting in first class, savoring those delicious warm chocolate chip cookies for free.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Foods to Eat On Your Wedding Day

In today's tough economic times, hotels have seen

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We rounded up 10 spectacular silhouettes with fit tips for every shape-straight from the experts at Everything But Water, who have been wowing women with their perfect swimsuit for more than 20 years!

One-shouldered one-piece suit from Landry. 1. For narrow shoulders and to minimize hips: This one-piece by Laundry narrows shoulders and showcases the beautiful line from the neck to the collarbone. Gathered fabric hugs the body (in all the right places) for a very comfortable fit.

SHOP THE FIT

RELATED: Bikini-Body Secrets from Those Who Know Best

Enhance your bust and flatter your curves. 2. To enhance your bust and flatter your curves: Ruffles and flower detail add volume to the bust, while molded cups and adjustable bra straps enhance and lift. Paired with the minimal coverage Brazilian bottom, this Betsey Johnson bikini creates sexy curves from head to toe.

SHOP THE FIT

Define your waist and tone your torso3. Define your waist and tone your torso: The diagonal surplice wrap on this suit by Gottex creates the

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Eat these foods to stay svelte, beat bloat, and feel great in your swimsuit all summer long!

Leafy greens1. Leafy greens: "Not only are leafy greens a great way to add volume to your meals without the calories, but they are chock full of nutrients (vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber) and easy to incorporate into your day," says Mary Dinehart-Perry, a registered dietitian and clinical trials director for Zone Labs, Inc. She recommends swapping out iceberg for spinach in your salads, adding mustard greens or collards to your soups, or dishing up a side of sautéed kale to fill up, fight disease, and look fab in your bikini.






RELATED: 5 Dishes You'll Never Believe Are Raw



Peppermint2. Peppermint: "Peppermint works to reduce bloating and indigestion and soothe the GI tract all around," says Rachel Berman, registered dietitian and Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com. Try mixing up some iced peppermint tea or add a few mint leaves to your water.












Red bell peppers3. Red bell peppers:

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Who wears short-shorts? You do, of course!Summer is just around the corner, so grab a pair of dumbbells (heavy enough to fatigue your legs within about 15 reps) and get ready to sweat! This workout combines lower-body strength moves and cardio bursts to help you burn fat and build lean muscle for even more gorgeous gams.

Complete 1 set of each exercise back to back, without resting between moves. If you have time and energy, repeat the full circuit one more time.







Warm up1. Warm up: To prepare your body for the workout , cross your arms over your chest and do a set of 20 easy squats, gradually building your range of motion as your legs get warmed up.














Curtsy lunge2. Strength move: Curtsy lunge:
Reps: 15 on each leg

How to do it: Stand with feet together, holding dumbbells. Cross your right leg back behind your left on an angle and bend both knees about 90 degrees, reaching your arms down on either side of your left leg. Stand up out of your lunge and tap the ball of your right foot on the inside of your left heel.

Form tip: Keep most of

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by Jené Luciani

Is your medicine cabinet halting your weight loss?Did you know that the medicine that's calming your anxiety or the one that's helping dull the pain from that toothache could be making you fat? So says Dr. Joseph Colella, weight loss expert, bariatric surgeon, and author of Skinny People Just Don't Get It.

We asked the doc to pinpoint four common medicines and their bulge-inducing side-effects. Read on to find out if any of them are in your medicine cabinets.

1. OTC painkillers: Next time you reach for a pill to cure common aches and pains, you may think twice.

"Another tricky and surprising class of medications that is an appetite stimulant is the group known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, commonly known as aspirin, Ibuprofen, and naproxen, to name just a few," Colella says. "These medications are often used for joint pain or arthritis and often result in a low grade gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. This irritation tends to simulate 'hunger pangs' which is why it's

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By Charlotte Andersen for SHAPE.com

Would you wear shapewear to the gym?Lose 10 pounds in four weeks! Drop two dress sizes this month! We're all familiar with the attention-grabbing taglines that go along with products and plans designed to get you the trim and toned body you've always wanted. Here's one you haven't heard: Have five kids in 10 years! That's what I did, and trust me, there is no trimming or toning involved. Quite the opposite, in fact. I'm not trying to knock my body--I'm strong, healthy, and generally pretty happy with myself--but you can understand why the idea of fitness shapewear (i.e. Spanx for sweating in) is so appealing to me. In fact, it's so appealing that I own no less than 18 separate pieces of athletic gear promising to lift, tighten, tuck, and even tone my trouble zones.

I'm not the only one intrigued by these products. Almost every major brand, including Fila, Reebok, and Champion is coming out with their own line of toning tops and shaping shorts (and pants, jackets, and undies), not to

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