Karla Walsh

Music Monday: The “Hold on to Summer” Edition

Written on September 10, 2012 at 10:40 am , by Karla Walsh

We know, we know: the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day, was last week. But we’re starting a long list of the things we’re not quite ready to give up quite yet:

• Our favorite pair of strappy sandals
• Cute workout shorts and tanks
• The bikini-ready abs we worked so hard to earn
• Low maintenance, beachy hair…

That’s why we reached out to surfing star Carissa Moore, who recently took second place the the US Open of Surfing (catch all of the action this Saturday—find air times on redbullsignatureseries.com). Who better than an athlete who spends nearly all of her waking hours in the waves to help us hold on to that easy breezy summer feeling during our workouts all year long?

Now tell us: What song immediately sends you into summer mode?

5 Ways “Empire Girl” Adrienne Bailon Stays Fashionably Fit

Written on September 7, 2012 at 8:41 am , by Karla Walsh

Actress and singer Adrienne Bailon is known for her former role on The Cheetah Girls, for being a founding member of the music group 3LW (remember “Playas Gon’ Play“?) and today for her reality show Empire Girls. Now, in addition to her series that “focuses on friendship and following your dreams rather than fighting,” according to Bailon, she is recording a solo album, working on an upcoming film and is in talks to expand into the fashion world.

Bailon recently teamed up with Lady Foot Locker to celebrate their Fashionably Fit “refresh.” The campaign aims to make stores brighter, cheerier and filled with bolder clothing and different music. We spoke with Bailon before an event in Chicago to find out her top five tips to look stylish while sweating.

1. Invest in quality clothing. “You feel better when you look better while exercising. I get inspired to go to the gym if I feel good in my workout clothes.”
2. Save time with multitasking wardrobe items. “My go-to outfit is capri pants with a bright top and Nike sneakers. The gym can really feel like a fashion show with the vibrant colors on the racks now! What I love most is that if I make smart fashion choices, I can throw on a hoodie and meet my girls for brunch right after.”
3. Aim to be your best you.“My goal is to have the body of my dreams by age 30, but that’s strong and toned, not skinny.”
4. Make the most of today. “I get up at 5 a.m. to hit the treadmill and don’t stop working toward my goals—in all areas of life—until I hit the pillow. There are so many things I want to accomplish and I don’t want to have any regrets!”
5. Find a role model. “If I could join any other celebrity in the gym, it would be Beyonce. She’s extremely focused, so I know I would try hard to keep up with her. I wouldn’t be messing around with Instagram, that’s for sure! Even when I’m working out solo, her music motivates me.”

Now tell us: What is your favorite fitness outfit?

Fit Blogger We Love: Hungry Healthy Happy

Written on September 6, 2012 at 9:56 am , by Karla Walsh

One of the best things about our digital age is how small it makes the world feel. Just a decade or two ago, it may have been tricky to connect with UK resident Dannii of Hungry Healthy Happy (requested by you, her fans, as an individual to feature on a previous Fit Blogger We Love post!). But when we reached out to her just days ago, we heard back within minutes. Awesome news for us, since we could hardly wait to hear how she was able to drop nearly 100 pounds!

Read on for success secrets from this clean eating fan who inspires readers worldwide.

My “I did it” moment: Winning the mental battle that comes along with losing weight. One day everything just “clicked.” I realized that eating didn’t have to be a battle. I didn’t have to deprive myself and I could still enjoy the foods I loved every now and then. Working out didn’t have to be a chore, I just needed to find the workouts that I enjoyed and looked forward to doing. Of course there are still days when I don’t want to get up at 6 a.m. to hit the gym and other days where I want to eat a giant pizza (I’m human), but giving myself permission to sometimes skip a workout and indulge in a pizza was pretty liberating. I have found balance, happiness and health, to me that means that “I did it.”

My favorite fit snack: I am a big snacker—that is something that hasn’t really changed since I have lost 98 pounds—but what I snack on has changed. I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I get creative in the kitchen and create healthy snacks that taste like chocolate cake, but don’t come with all the calories, like these healthy chocolate fudgey brownies. You would never know they were healthy and only 135 calories a slice!

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Fit Blogger We Love: Powercakes

Written on August 30, 2012 at 3:14 pm , by Karla Walsh

“Like mother, like daughter” is a common refrain, and Kasey from Powercakes and her “mamacakes” are proof that can be true. With a personal trainer mom, Kasey learned the power of fitness and recently graduated with a degree in health and physical education!

We caught up with the clean eater and CrossFit newbie to discover her favorite fitness method and go-to splurge food.

My favorite way to work out: I love weight lifting. I used to be a cardio junkie but my mindset has completely changed, along with my body, once I introduced weights! I also love to superset my exercises to keep my heart rate up. When it comes to cardio, I absolutely love Tabata intervals (which consists of doing 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for a set amount of rounds). I have a few of my favorites on my video page!

My biggest indulgence: Cheese. Give me some good feta and I can eat the whole block!

Most embarrassing song I’ll admit I work out to: “Baby” by Justin Bieber. It’s the best to jump rope too, I swear!

My motivation comes from: My family, friends, boyfriend, the FitFluential community and my followers! I really wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

My fave fit snack: Powercakes! I make a big one in the morning or the night before and then cut it up to snack on throughout the day!

Kasey was kind enough to share one of her blog’s namesake recipes. Keep reading for a dish that tastes like dessert (but you have her permission to eat it anytime!)

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Talking Battleship With Rihanna’s Film Trainer

Written on August 28, 2012 at 9:29 am , by Karla Walsh

We know from Rihanna’s music that she’s “Hard,” but even she needed a little help to look authentic as a fighter in the film Battleship (out on DVD today). Director Peter Berg put out as “SOS” (OK, enough with the song title references!) to US Navy officer Jacqueline Carrizosa to show Rihanna the military ropes. After spotting Carrizosa on the soccer field before her deployment, Berg called her superiors and arranged for Carrizosa to return to the states to help out on the Battleship set. She is more than a weapons expert, though: Carrizosa is an avid runner, diver, swimmer and skateboarder.

So what was it like to work with the R&B star on her film debut? Carrizosa spills:

• She can sing, dance and act, but Rihanna can’t do everything. “Rihanna sucks at playing soccer!” Carrizosa says. In a scene where her character is supposed to play, Carrizosa almost stood in for Rihanna, but Berg decided it would take too much editing to make the women look similar. Rihanna’s outfit in that scene did resemble Carrizosa’s look when Berg first spotted her on the field, though.
• The pair stayed active off set too. “We went hiking with Taylor Kitsch and Brooklyn Decker, and I got them all to jump off a cliff into the water below,” Carrizosa says.
• Things did get serious during filming. “I stood on set from sunrise to sunset to make sure that everything was safe and looked authentic,” she says. Gun safety was of utmost importance, so they trained for about four weeks. By the end, Carrizosa remembers, “Rihanna was saying, ‘I can see why you love this stuff!’ It was pretty rad.”
• The end result earned Carrizosa’s stamp of approval. When she went to see the finished movie with a group, “My friends laughed so hard and said, ‘Dude, that’s you!’ when they showed Rihanna,” Carrizosa says. “My favorite part, though, was when the veterans came out. That gave me chills and it made me remember how neat it was to meet those Pearl Harbor veterans in person during filming.”

More from FITNESS:

• Rihanna’s Workout Playlist
• Buddy Up for a Better Body
• Turn On Power: Workouts to Power Up Your Muscles

Staying Fit on the Campaign Trail With Fox News Reporter Shannon Bream

Written on August 27, 2012 at 1:36 pm , by Karla Walsh

We wanted to learn more about what it was like to try to stay in shape on the campaign trail, so we turned the tables and put Bream in the hot seat right before the Republican National Convention that she’s covering in Tampa.

What are you most looking forward to at the upcoming convention?

It’s basically like a big pep rally that the political parties hold every four years. They elicit the best speakers and you are able to see the party faithful gather and get ready for the final election push. I lived in Tampa for years and actually trained for my first marathon there—my husband and I actually ran past the convention center hosting the event hundreds of times. I’m excited to go back and revisit the place where I turned into a runner!

We’ve heard a lot about how Paul Ryan and his P90X routine. How do you stay fit, both at home and on the road?

I run, lift weights and take bootcamp classes. For me, fitness is about feeling a certain way. It’s a huge stress reliever.

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Fit Links: The (Not So) Secret to Flat Abs and How to Save Big on Groceries

Written on August 24, 2012 at 9:34 am , by Karla Walsh

This week’s fit links from around the web:

• You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true… Ab Circle Pro marketers are fined for claiming their tool can sculpt amazing abs in three minutes a day. — NPR
• Greek yogurt fans will go gaga for these unique ways to utilize the protein-packed ingredient! — Fit Sugar
• Did job stress contribute to Rosie O’Donnell’s heart attack? — Forbes
• Trim your grocery budget with these tips, recipes and shopping lists. — Environmental Working Group
• Hey overachievers: Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for a job well done! — Peanut Butter Fingers
• We’re getting our aprons ready to try some of these good-for-you options for our next cocktail party (or upcoming tailgate). Mmm…black bean guacamole. — The Lean Green Bean

Fit Blogger We Love: Dashing Dish

Written on August 23, 2012 at 9:50 am , by Karla Walsh

Do you ever crave waffles drizzled with syrup, cheeseburgers with all the fixings or red velvet cake? Maybe a better question is “who doesn’t?” Katie at Dashing Dish has a knack for taking calorie-packed recipes and making guilt-free versions that taste just as decadent, which is why she’s landed on our bookmarked reading list! Here’s what keeps her moving and motivated.

My favorite way to work out: A combination of weight training and interval/HIIT (high intensity interval training).

5 things I can’t live without:

1. My husband
2. My family and friends
3. My Pomeranian Zoey
4. My Bible
5. My Nike tennis shoes

I’m happiest when I’m: In my pajamas at night cuddled up with my husband watching movies!

My fave fit snack: One of my protein shake or protein muffin recipes!

My gym bag must-have: My iPhone (which has a fully loaded iTunes workout playlist) with my armband and headphones.

Of course we had to ask Katie to share one of her favorite recipes! Click below for her 187-calorie cake batter shake—a much lighter take on the treat that can sometimes offer a full day’s worth of calories.

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Is It Really Possible to Score 6-Pack Abs in 6 Weeks?

Written on August 16, 2012 at 10:58 am , by Karla Walsh

Derek Flanzraich is surrounded by the latest in wellness news on a daily basis. Early last year he founded the health website Greatist.com. Still, like many of us, Flanzraich struggles to fit healthy habits in to his own life, so those infomercial claims that promise 6-pack abs in just six weeks sounded awful tempting! But Flanzraich thought he might be able to achieve a ripped midsection on his own with enough dedication, and worse case scenario, “I could be a guinea pig for our readers,” Flanzraich says.

He kept a weekly diary on the site, which surprisingly focused almost as much on his emotional and mental struggles as the physical ones. As you can see above, he reached his goal. What did he learn along the way? Read on for, appropriately, his top six lessons from the “absperiment.”

1. Check your calorie needs. Essentially, he just ate less and moved more, working out about six times a week and being super-strict with his food intake, eating only lean protein and vegetables. The no-cheating-allowed diet was tough, but taught Flanzraich an important lesson. “Before the experiment, I was eating way more than my body needed,” he says. “Now that it’s over, I’m trying to find that happy balance somewhere between my ‘before’ intake and my ‘during’ intake.” [Editor's note: Find your target Calorie Needs Calculator.]

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The Story Behind Mom Makeover Machine Tonique Fitness Method

Written on August 9, 2012 at 11:44 am , by Karla Walsh

In our July/August issue, we shared Weng Funn Chen’s amazing Fitness Fix story (you can also find it here), highlighting her journey to gain energy and find more balance in her hectic life as a mom. One key to her success: A strong relationship with her motivating trainer, Sylwia Wiesenberg, who also happened to be a neighbor. There’s no slacking off when your trainer might catch you walking from the convenience store with a pint of ice cream!

When Chen had so much success following Wiesenberg’s signature Tonique Fitness method, we wanted to learn more about it. Here are three tips from Weisenberg so you can try out Tonique (a name that is a mash-up of toning and unique) at home.

Take the first step. Wiesenberg isn’t picky about how you get moving at first, she just wants you to start. “It’s less important what you do, as long as you move,” she says. Something like climbing the stairs to your office or to your apartment, like Chen did, can make a big impact.

Don’t forget about your behind. “I love squats and lunges, plenty of them, and in every direction. By building strong glutes you’re building a strong core, which can help you run and bike faster and push yourself harder at the gym,” Wiesenberg says. She prefers doing high repetitions with body weight to build endurance, strength and balance. Click here to learn how to try three of her favorite lower body moves that helped Chen score a stronger backside!

Build on a good thing. One of Wiesenberg’s goals is to motivate her clients to try new activities, whether that means running a race or going for a hike. “I want them to get inspired to add new sports and fitness methods beyond Tonique—my goal is to help them want to move,” she says. “Once you experience the unique feeling of truly being fit, you will never want to go back to where you came from.”

Find out more about Tonique at toniquefitness.com and find YouTube videos of signature moves at toniquewoman.com. And stay tuned: Expect two new DVDs this fall, plus, Wiesenberg has a book and a TV show in the works!

More from FITNESS:

• 9 Moves for a Gravity-Defying Butt
• Lose the Baby Weight: Get a Better Body After Baby
• How to Get Fit Without the Gym