Motivation

Music Monday: Beyonce’s Super Bowl Halftime Playlist

February 4, 2013 at 10:59 am
By Marianne Magno

Whether you were rooting for the 49ers or the Ravens, or barely paying attention last night, we think there’s one thing we can all agree on: Beyonce rocked the halftime show at this year’s Super Bowl. B stomped out on stage and delighted the audience with her hits — and even brought out Kelly and Michelle, a long-awaited Destiny’s Child reunion! Queen B and the Destiny’s Child ladies are on our playlists on most days anyway, so we’ll happily work out to this playlist today.

Tell us: What were your favorite moments from Super Bowl XLVII ?

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Music Monday: Taylor Swift’s Top Tunes

January 28, 2013 at 9:51 am
By Samantha Shelton

A good bee-bopping song tossed into our workout mix every now and then is a great pick-me-up; something catchy that will undoubtedly end up stuck in our heads for the rest of the day, if not the entire week. T-Swift is one young artist who fills this playlist gap quite well – we have to admit, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is great for holding a 9-minute mile. And since Swift is sitting pretty at the top of the iTunes chart with her grungier hit, “I Knew You Were Trouble” (check out the video), it’s time to highlight some of our favorite hits from the star. She may be constantly switching beaus, but it makes for great music. Pop those headphones in and get ready to head bob your way to the gym. Go ahead and sing a little, too – we won’t tell.

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Take a Breather With the Merrithew Movement Tour

January 23, 2013 at 2:55 pm
By Karla Walsh

One smart strategy FITNESS editors rely on to stay on track with fitness goals: signing up for future active events! (Like the MORE/FITNESS Half-Marathon coming up in April. Have you registered?) Doing so inspires us to train to stay in shape, plus the actual race/fundraiser/conference is a fun way to test your limits and maybe even meet some like-minded new friends.

Interested in trying this approach yourself? We found a great option for those who aren’t big on competition: the Merrithew Mindful Movement World Tour. To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Merrithew Health & Fitness (founders of Stott Pilates), they are hosting three-day gatherings in New York, California and other locations worldwide. While certified Pilates instructors will be on-hand to learn new techniques, those who have never tried the core-focused fitness method are invited to try something new with master instructors leading the way.

Click here to learn more about the classes and events offered, and register by February 15 to receive an early bird discount.

Now tell us: What get-moving get-togethers are on your to-do list?

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Jackie Warner Shares Resolution Success Secrets & Which Celeb She Wants To Train!

January 23, 2013 at 9:57 am
By Samantha Shelton

One of the perks of working at FITNESS is getting the opportunity to workout with celebrity trainers. So when we heard Jackie Warner had partnered with Wisk and wanted to personally hand us a sweat-dripping, butt-kicking workout, we just couldn’t say no. After 30 minutes of nonstop circuits that left our thighs burning and core shaking, we took a breather to get the inside scoop from the star.

First of all, what a great workout! And we didn’t use any weights.  If you only had 10 minutes and no equipment, what would be your quick routine?

I love to do a yard workout, something outside. I would tell you to sprint 50 paces, jump down and do sprawls. Here’s how you do it:

• Start in a standing position. Lower your hands to the ground and quickly jump back into push-up position.
• Shift your hips to the ground, then return to pushup position.
• Jump back to standing position.

So that’s a sprawl; it’s the name of my training technique. Do 15 of those in a row, then sprint 50 paces and repeat. Complete four sets – you could likely do that in about five minutes, and it’s really intense. So if you want to go for 10 minutes, do eight sets.

Why would you say that’s such an intense workout?

The sprinting is getting your legs in place and the sprawls are getting your upper body and core in place. Your whole body is being worked in a short amount of time.

For those who are just starting to workout, what tips do you have to help ease themselves into the gym?

You shouldn’t ease yourself into the gym if it isn’t something you like. Don’t force a type of training on yourself that you do not like because you will fail long-term. Go to Google and find something you’ve always secretly wanted to do. There’s a wealth of information and classes out there, as well as trainers, that will find that one thing you like to do, whether it be mat Pilates, bootcamp, Spinning, or Muay Thai. There’s so much out there. So find the thing you secretly want to do and do that.

What advice do you have for those who struggle with morning workouts?

I prefer morning workouts, but we all have an internal strength clock. It’s a biological thing; we’re all built with it and it’s a unique clock that allows us to be stronger through time periods throughout the day. Some of us are stronger first thing in the morning, some mid-morning and others in the afternoon or evening. You need to experiment with it to find out what’s best for you and try to workout within that time. For me, my strength clock is between 9am and noon.

So don’t feel bad if you’re not working out first thing in the morning?

No, absolutely not. The good thing about working out in the morning is that you’re burning all throughout the day, which is fantastic. And you release a lot of hormones in the brain, which can give you more of a balance throughout the day. But if it’s not for you, then it’s not for you.

Keep reading to find out which celebs she’s loved working with, and who she would love to train in the future!

Read more

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Crowning Achievements for Married Women

January 22, 2013 at 4:42 pm
By Christie Griffin

Glamorous gowns, toned bodies, and serious accomplishments. No, we’re not talking about Hollywood’s awards season—we’re talking about pageant season, people! Why you should care: Based on the 2,000+ entries we received for our 2012 Face of Fitness Contest that required essays about your accomplishments, some of you married ladies very well could be contenders for a crown someday.

Curious about the Mrs. America pageant, we chatted it up with Raquel Riley Thomas, a stunning military officer turned pageant queen. Not only is she the Executive Producer/Director for the Mrs. DC America pageant, a preliminary qualifier for Mrs. America, but she is also Mrs. Maryland America 2010-11 and Mrs. American (1st RU) 2010-11. Her accolades would take up this entire post, so we’ll have to skip right to her insights about competing.

On the difference between Miss America and Mrs. America:

The Mrs. DC team likes to say, “Marriage has never looked so good,” but just like the unmarried-girls version, this is not a beauty pageant. It’s a whole package deal. The difference is that instead of a med student standing to your left, she’s a doctor now. And on your right is an attorney. Mrs. America is like the Superbowl of married women.

On competing at the state level:

I can’t speak for the other states, but the reputation of the women in Mrs. DC are that they are the crème de la crème. Not only are they very fit, but they are accomplished in their fields and honorable about their causes. We even have a diplomat in this year’s competition!

On her experience of going from military boots to bikinis:

I love the glitz and glamour, but the service to the community is still there. I just get to do it in heels and beautiful outfits now! Running the Mrs. DC pageant gives me the chance to put a spotlight on some amazing women and say, ‘Thank you for all the hard work you do for the community.”

On her fitness advice for potential competitors:

You have to be really disciplined. Once you have the fitness down, everything else falls into place.

So get to it, readers! We want to throw some roses at you.

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Reebok and Spartan Race Partner Up

January 18, 2013 at 3:00 pm
By Colleen Moody

Obstacle races are hot to trot for lately, and among one of the most popular is the Spartan Race, which will have you rolling, crawling and climbing your way to the finish line. Now, one of the trendiest races has teamed up with Reebok, one of the trendiest brands, announcing a multi-year partnership with Spartan Race yesterday in NYC.

The partnership will start with the January 26 Spartan Race at Vail Lake Resort in Temecula, CA. Reebok will be the official footwear, apparel and accessories supplier for the race series, including a line of products specifically for Spartan Race athletes to help them train better, faster and stronger.

To kick off the partnership, Reebok hosted the Reebok Spartan Race Times Square Challenge, a traffic-stopping race. Celebs like model Brooklyn Decker, former Giants football player Tiki Barber and 2012 winner of the obstacle course of the Reebok CrossFit Games Spencer Hendel climbed a 7 foot wall, mud crawled under barb wire and carried 75 pound sandbags through the heart of NYC to put their fitness limits to the test.

Look out for the obstacle race to be featured in Reebok’s next campaign, and set a date for your 2013 Spartan Race at www.spartanrace.com.

Now tell us: Have you ever done a Spartan Race?

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Music Monday: Justin Timberlake Is Back!

January 14, 2013 at 11:23 am
By Marianne Magno

If like us you’ve waited six long years to hear something new from JT, then this weekend’s release of his new single “Suit and Tie” was nothing but music to your ears. (Listen to it here and tell us what you think!)

We’re dancing in our seats to celebrate Mr. SexyBack’s return to the radio, which got us to thinking about our favorite sweat-to-it songs from his previous albums. Download the playlist below for your next workout.

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Music Monday: Top Tunes From Your Favorite Artists

January 7, 2013 at 5:30 pm
By Samantha Shelton

Last Monday, we presented you with the most-searched songs of 2012. But that’s not enough for your music-loving ears, is it? Although 2012 may be fading away, the hottest artists are still dominating our playlists. So with a little more help from our friends over at Yahoo!, we dug up the top searched artists of the year. With that as our inspiration, how could we not have a new playlist just begging for a new dose of sweat? Check it out below, then let us know which of these artists songs you love the most!

Now you tell us: Who was your favorite artist of 2012?

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Set Your 2013 Goals with a Little Lululemon Help

January 7, 2013 at 1:26 pm
By Colleen Moody

By now you’ve had the statistics drilled into your head–a third of people who make resolutions will break them by the end of January. Make it a point to not fall into that group this year with the help of Lululemon. Throughout the month they’ll be promoting the campaign #readysetgoal, to help others experience the power of goal setting for themselves. Below, some tips to get started on your to-do list from Chloe Gow-Jarrett, program manager of self-development at Lululemon.

• Set goals in present tense. State them in terms such as I am, I have, I create, I own.
• Be specific with your goals. You’re placing an order to the universe, so make sure to ask for exactly what you want.
• Put a deadline on your goals, this will help spur you into action.
• Don’t be afraid to set goals that are audacious. Failing 50 percent of your goals means you are really challenging yourself.

For more goal-setting help, tune in to Lululemon’s live goal coaching event at livestream.com/lululemon on January 23 at 6pm PST for tips and strategies to reach your mile markers this year. If you’re still not totally into the whole buzz around goals and the New Year, check out this video below of Steph Corker, manager of recruitment, who nailed one very big personal goal last year. And make sure to follow @FitnessMagazine on Twitter, especially any tweets with the hashtag #goalgetter for ideas every day on new goals you can accomplish.

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Resolution: Read More in the New Year. Start Today!

January 2, 2013 at 11:28 am
By Lisa Haney

Looking for a good read to start the New Year? Pick up Allison Winn Scotch’s page-turner The Song Remains The Same, now in paperback.

Allison, who has written for FITNESS about why she runs, hits her stride in her third novel—about Nell, a woman who lost her memory in a plane crash and must piece together who she is from unreliable sources: her husband, mother and sister, all of whom have their own versions of her history and agendas for her future.

Fast-paced and poignant, it’s my favorite sort of story—when a character lingers in my mind after I’ve finished it.

RELATED: “Why I Run:” Women on What Inspires Them to Run

 

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