Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

Everyone these days seems to be incorporating kettlebells into her workouts. Vanessa Hudgens uses them to stay strong, and Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey have also worked out with them. While most everyone can do a kettlebell workout, there's a few things that every kettlebell beginner should know before trying this new hot trend.

1. Form is king. Before trying any kettlebell workout, it's important to know and understand proper form. Take a kettlebell class with an experienced and certified instructor and ask for one-on-one help. A kettlebell workout is very challenging and can be fantastic for building strength, but if you're not doing the moves properly, you can be injured or not see results.

Related: 20 Ways to Get Toned Arms Faster

2. It's all about momentum. Kettlebell workouts are all about explosive, powerful movements. Unlike lifting weights where you slowly lift a weight, when working out with kettlebells, it's all about using the momentum of the

Ever feel like going for Italian food inevitably means indulging in something you'll regret later? Here are guilt-free options that you can enjoy next time you eat Italian.

Bresaola
This air-dried, salted beef first originated in Italy and has been served as an antipasti for centuries. It's 98-percent lean, sweet, and tender. (That's code for practically no fat, no carbohydrates, and lots of protein.) Some restaurants serve it on its own, others with arugula or Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Paillard
This classic Tuscan dish is just pounded, grilled chicken, usually topped with a salad of arugula, lemon, and olive oil.

Related: 50 Tasty Foods Under 50 Calories

Brodetto di Pesce
One of my favorites, this vibrant fish soup is brimming with seafood (white fish, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and whatever else is fresh that day), tomatoes, thyme, garlic, onions, and a splash of white wine.

Chicken a la Diavola
It may sound naughty, but chicken a la diavola (deviled) means nothing more than

Did you know that there are different types of water bottles suited to different lifestyles? Really, there are! Read on to see which one fits your healthy, active lifestyle.

1. The best water bottle in disguise: Vapur Anti-Bottle
This water bottle pick is not a bottle at all, but it's just as useful. The Vapur Anti-Bottle ($9.99 to $15.99 at Vapur) is a foldable, reusable, washable, freezable container with three layers of ultra-durable plastic. Put your water in it and when done, you can easily stash it away in your pocket or bag.

2. The best undercover agent: Contigo's Kangaroo
Ideal for travelers or people who don't feel like carrying a wallet, we love Contigo's Kangaroo Water Bottle ($12.99 at GoContigo.com) because of its cool compartment! Use it to store cash, your keys, anything that can fit!

RELATED: 10 Fitness Faux Pas Women Make

3. The most transparent: Hydros Bottle
We just love how you can see everything inside this Hydros Bottle ($29.99 at HydrosBottle.com). And the best

There are all kinds of nutrition bars out there: meal replacement bars, energy bars, pre-workout bars, post-workout bars. But the reality is, for the amount of calories, sugar and fat that a lot of these bars provide, you'd be better off chowing down on a Snickers bar. So how do you know which ones really deliver the nutrients you need? Read on to see the five healthiest nutrition bars for women.

1. Best All-Natural Bar: Larabar
Choose a truly all-natural Larabar, which only includes about six ingredients per bar. Larabar's simple list of ingredients ensures you know what you're eating. Their website even illustrates each bar's makeup with images instead of words. It doesn't get much more transparent than that!

2. Best Pre-Workout Bar: Kind Bar
Through the natural energy of nuts and dried fruits, these tasty bars ensure you'll power through your workout without a sugar crash in the middle. Don't be put off by the 11 grams of fat. Kind Bars are full of healthy and natural fats that

Lifting weights can get so repetitive. Sometimes it's nice to change up your workout routine and try something new. If you're looking for new ways to get toned arms fast, try these five tips!

1. Change your grip: Your biceps are the strongest of all arm muscles and make a great curve just above the elbow. Make sure to perform bicep curls with three hand positions: palms up, palms down, and thumbs to the side. Perform 12 repetitions to the front and then 12 repetitions of each to the side.

2. Get on the ball: The stability ball will engage your core and amplify the results you get from chest exercises. It's important to work the chest muscles when sculpting the arms to create stability for the shoulder joint. Try the single-arm chest fly on the ball: Start you're your shoulders on the ball, hips lifted, and both hands over your chest holding light weights. Slowly lower one arm extended to the side, pause, and return to center. Perform 15 repetitions on each arm.

RELATED: Work Out Like

Need to work out but can't get to the gym? Try these six easy ways to work out! The best part? You can do these moves anywhere!

At-home chair squats: Hover above a chair seat as if you were going to sit down, without letting your butt or thighs touch the seat. Hold for 30 seconds, building up to 1 minute. Do these body toning exercises whenever you get a moment, aiming for once an hour.

Squat in the Kitchen: Every time you're in the kitchen, perform triceps dips using a kitchen chair: Stand in front of a chair as if you were going to sit down, then bend knees and lower hips, placing hands on the seat edge, fingers pointing forward, arms straight. Walk feet forward, and with feet flat and torso erect, bend and straighten arms, keeping butt close to chair seat without touching it. Do 8-15 reps.

RELATED: Are Protein Shakes Truly Healthy?

Shopping squeeze: As you push your shopping cart, or whenever you're walking, contract your butt muscles as tightly as you can and

We don't all need superhuman legs like Olympic speedskater Allison Baver, but we can all gain something from her lower-body training plan. When she's not on the ice, Baver (along with more than half of all U.S. speedskaters) uses inline skating to strengthen and tone her whole body with minimal impact to the joints.

Try this Rollerblade Leg and Glute Buster developed by Baver to tighten and tone your core, hips, thighs, and glutes. If you really want to kick up the intensity, take it outside and try these five moves on inline skates!

1. Calf Raise: This exercise targets your calves and shins, but your quads, hamstrings, and glutes are all engaged.

How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Without pitching your upper body forward, bend your knees about 45-degrees. Maintain this position as you rise up onto the balls of your feet and lower back down, moving only your ankles. Continue this movement for 30 seconds.

Variations: Angle your knees in or out to really target

We all know that making small changes to your diet can add up to big results! But did you know that just by changing one word in your diet, you could lose weight faster? Read on for tips on how you can change one word in these delicious recipes and get healthier faster.

1. Tuna Melt vs. tuna sandwich:
The better option: Sandwich
Hold the melted cheese for a lighter but delicious sammie that contains about 200 fewer calories.

2. Flour tortilla vs. corn tortilla:
The better option: Corn
A soft flour tortilla banks about 144 calories while the corn kind has less than half as many calories (about 52).

3. Spring roll vs. summer rolls:
The better option: Summer
Summer rolls are steamed instead of fried and are a fresh-tasting way to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor.

RELATED: Top 50 Summer Diet Foods For Weight Loss

4. Bearnaise sauce vs. peppercorn sauce:
The better option: Peppercorn
Smothering your steak in Bearnaise sauce is a surefire way to overindulge: the sauce is made with