The 10 Fitness Tools You Should Be Using

by Lucy Danziger and the staff at SELF

Odds are, your gym is littered with fitness tools like BOSUs, kettlebells and pilates rings, but if you’re not using them, you’re missing out big-time—and you may even be wasting time during your sweat sessions by not getting the results you crave. Case in point: A pilates ring is proven to help increase the tush-toning power of a standard squat by a whopping 50 per-cent! Ready to upgrade your workout? Use this easy-to-follow gizmo guide from SELF, which gives you the 411 on your soon-to-be favorite gear, plus fun, effective moves to tone and tighten all over. Give them a go today—do them three times a week and we guarantee they’ll help make you slim! 

STABILITY BALL
Crunches are up to 38 percent more effective on this inflatable orb, which comes in three sizes (55, 65 and 75 centimeters). For the right fit, your thighs should be parallel to the floor when seated. For proven gut shrinking, try the rollout, says Michele Olson, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Auburn Montgomery University. This stomach slimmer was rated most effective at firing ab muscles compared with six other ball moves, according to a study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.

The rollout

works abs, arms, back
Kneel on the floor behind the ball. Place your forearms on top of the ball, hands clasped, to start. Contract your abs and roll the ball forward as far as possible without bending your back or hunching shoulders (as shown). Hold for 2 counts, then return to start for 1 rep. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

MEDICINE BALL
A soft, weighted medicine ball is as versatile as dumbbells but easier to hang on to, especially during dynamic moves that require twisting, swinging or throwing. (Ever try hurling a dumbbell? Please don’t!) The balls range in size from 2 to 30 pounds. Start with a 4-pounder; if you can fly through 12 reps unfazed, increase by 2-pound increments until you feel fatigued by the final rep, says Paul Katami, a trainer in Hollywood, California. To sculpt jiggle-free arms while taming your tummy, try the power-packed suitcase crunch.

Suitcase crunch

works abs, shoulders, butt
Lie faceup with your legs straight, arms extended behind your head; hold the ball with both hands above the floor. Bring your left knee toward your chest as you lift your upper back off the floor and bring the ball to your left foot (as shown). Return to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 2 sets of 12 reps.

KETTLEBELL
Quick physics: Because all of a kettlebell’s weight (5 to 100-plus pounds) is in the cast-iron ball, not the handle, momen-tum is on your side during swinging moves, so you can likely hoist twice your typical heft. The quirky shape (teapot sans spout) also creates a long lever, providing unique resistance during static strength moves. The gunslinger capitalizes on that leverage, leaving your biceps no choice but to get buff!

Gunslinger

works biceps
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the kettlebell in your right hand at your side. Keeping your elbow at your side, curl the bell toward your right shoulder until the bottom of the bell is pointed forward like a pistol (as shown). Lower to start. Do 12 reps. Repeat on opposite side.

BOSU
If you cut a stability ball in half and slapped a plastic base on it, you’d get the BOSU. Think of this balance trainer as a surfboard for landlubbers: Staying steady while standing on it activates your abs. Most people stand on the squishy side, but for an even more effective balance challenge, flip the BOSU over (it does mean “both sides up”), says Rich Barretta, who owns a private training studio in New York City. Now you’re working to steady yourself and the BOSU, so during our tush-tightening, saddlebag-busting side kick, your abs are working, too!

Side kick

works abs, hips, butt
Stand with your right foot centered on the flat side of the BOSU; step your left foot back and to the right on floor, arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Balance on the BOSU, swinging your left foot out to the side at hip level (as shown). Return to start. Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

BODY BAR
Unlike a barbell, the weight on a body bar is evenly distributed along its 4-foot length, keeping you balanced. (Imagine you’re a tightrope walker.) The bars are covered in rubber for a comfy grip and range in size from 4 to 36 pounds. Start with an intermediate-level 12-pound bar and go heavier or lighter from there, suggests Lashaun Dale, national creative manager for Equinox Fitness Clubs. Grip the bar during our pullover bridge to fight arm flab and keep your body in proper alignment.

Pullover bridge

works butt, arms, abs, thighs
Lie faceup with knees bent, feet flat, hips lifted; hold bar at waist with both hands to start. Lower hips to floor as you ex-tend right leg, bend elbows and reach bar behind head (as shown). Return to start. Repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 20 reps.

STEP
This is no ’80s flashback—the deck popular in high-impact aerobics classes is also a universal toning tool. Add risers to customize the height on this use-anywhere weight bench, Dale says. Do the decline squat to downsize your butt and thighs while going easy on knees. Standing downhill helps perfect your form: You can sink deep into the squat without bringing knees too far over ankles.

Decline squat

works abs, butt, thighs
Put three risers under one side of the deck. Stand facing downhill, arms extended at shoulder height. Squat, then move your right heel down the step, toes up (as shown). Stand, extending your right leg forward at hip height, bringing your arms behind you. Return to start. Repeat on the opposite side for 1 rep. Do 2 sets of 12 reps.

FOAM ROLLLER
Foam tubes come in 12-inch and 3-foot sizes and are generally used for rolling out tight, achy muscles, especially in the quads, hamstrings and calves. The fancy name for the technique is self-myofascial release—it’s basically a sports massage minus the masseuse. During the treasure chest, the roller also has your back: Lying on it releases tension in the muscles around your spine and forces you to balance, for firmer abs, says trainer DeAnna Bellamy, a corrective exercise specialist and owner of Body Revolution in Chicago.

Treasure chest

works chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs, hips
Lie faceup on the roller with your head supported, knees bent and feet flat. Hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand, arms bent 90 degrees. Contract your abs to stabilize and extend your arms up (as shown). Return to start. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

YOGA BLOCK
Not-so-flexible yogis lean on these foam blocks to maintain proper alignment during poses or sit on them for bonus back support. In the serving tray, the tone-up toy hangs in the balance, and keeping it stable helps to shrink your stomach as you lean your legs, says Kristin McGee, a yoga and pilates instructor in New York City.

Serving tray

works abs, butt, thighs
Lie faceup with your legs extended on the floor, arms at your sides. Bend your right leg toward your chest, toes turned out, and place the block on top of your foot to start (as shown). Balance the block on your foot as you extend your leg straight up. Return to start. Do 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

PILATES RING
Pilates devotees believe in the magic circle—a 13-inch soft rubber ring with comfort grips that adds resistance to basic body-weight exercises. Step into the ring and you’ll increase the tush-toning power of a standard squat by 50 percent, accord-ing to a study from The Journal of Applied Research.

Ring squat

works butt, hips, thighs
Stand with the ring around your thighs, feet hip-width apart. Press out into the ring as you squat (as shown) until your thighs are almost parallel to floor. Return to start. Do 3 sets of 8 reps.

TRAMPOLINE
Hopping on a mini-trampoline, also known as an urban rebounder, is 68 percent more effective than running on a treadmill at a similar heart rate and oxygen intake, a NASA study finds. You can jump off the jiggle and go easy on your joints. While there’s no bouncing with the trampoline jackknife, there’s plenty of benefit. The rebounder’s unstable surface recruits even your deepest ab muscles, says fitness expert Jonathan Roche, who developed a trampoline workout system for Gaiam.

Trampoline jackknife

works abs
Sit on the trampoline, your back at a 45-degree angle, knees bent, feet on floor. Grip the sides of the trampoline. Maintain the tilt as you bring your knees toward your chest (as shown). Return to start. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

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8 Best Supermarket Sweets

www.BeHealthConscious.org

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding 

A recent University of Minnesota study found that women consumed about 13 percent of their daily calories from added sugars, and for men that number was closer to 15 percent—a 38 percent jump since 1982. Not surprisingly, the researchers also found that increased sugar consumption mirrored the rise in the participants’ BMI, an indicator of obesity.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Great, now I have to cut sugar from mydiet.” Not so fast. The American Heart Association says that women can safely consume up to 100 calories (about 25 grams) of sugar per day, and men can consume up to 150 (37.5 grams). The secret is finding sweet foods that quell your sweet tooth without blowing out your sugar quota—and that's exactly what I've done here. Below you’ll find the results of our latest report on eight sinfully delicious treats that silence sugar cravings without adding inches to your waistline. Focus on these, and you’ll look more like Jennifer Lopez—and less like the world’s largest cabbage.

DID YOU KNOW? It's easy to drop 10, 20, or even 30 pounds without being on that dreaded four-letter word known as a 'diet'. Improve how you look and feel—fast and forever—with the Eat this, Not That! bestselling series of books, and with life-changing lists like this one: 25 Best Nutrition and Weightloss Secrets Ever!

1. BEST DONUT
Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut 
190 calories 
11 g fat (5 g saturated) 
10 g sugars

Donuts: Everybody loves them. Unfortunately, there is nothing nutritionally redeeming about these circles of dough. That said, having a good go-to doughnut can be a lifesaver if it prevents you from eating something worse. So, when you need a fix of sweet, fried dough, look no further than the Krispy Kreme's original glazed doughnuts, which are now sold in grocery stores. Pop one in the microwave for a few seconds and you’ll have a melt-in-your-mouth treat that’s as good as swinging by the actual store when the hot sign is on. (Krispy Kreme fanatics know what I’m talking about.)

Not That!
Entenmann’s Frosted Devil’s Food Doughnuts
310 calories 
18 g fat (12 g saturated) 
24 g sugars

DID YOU KNOW? Sleepy women eat an extra 328 calories per day, according a new study from the New York Obesity Research Center. Discover moreshocking health, nutrition, and weight loss secrets like this by following me here on Twitter (where I'll give a FREE iPad2 to a lucky follower) or by signing up for our FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletter.

2. BEST COOKIE
Kashi TLC Oatmeal Dark Chocolate (1 cookie) 
130 calories
5 g fat (1.5 g saturated) 
8 g sugars

What I like about these Kashi cookies is that each one starts with whole grains. What I like even better? They still taste like a decadent treat. Plus, thanks to Kashi's reliance on whole grains, each one packs in 4 grams of belly-filling fiber. That's more than an orange, and it makes this dessert safe to eat as a midday snack. Drop one in your lunch before you head off to work.

Not That!
Chips Ahoy! Big & Soft Oatmeal Chunk Cookie (1 cookie) 
180 calories 
8 g fat (3 g saturated) 
13 g sugars

BONUS TIP: The word 'muffin' was invented to try to trick you into eating cake for breakfast. But when you eat sweets for breakfast you tend not to make up for it over the rest of the day, according to studies. So find great breakfasts with a bit more fiber and a bit less sugar. Check out this Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guidereport on The 24 Best and Worst Cereals in America. 

3. BEST CANDY
Werther’s Original (3 pieces) 
70 calories 
1.5 g fat (1 g saturated) 
10 g sugars

Hard candies are preferable to chewy candies because, simply, they last longer. Try eating 30 Werther’s Originals in a minute. Not happening. Thirty Skittles, though? No problem. What’s worse, 75 percent of the calories in a pack of Skittles come from sugar. That’s crazy. Next time you go to the movies, take along three of these rich, delicious caramel candies rather than your standard pack of Skittles for a tasty treat with a fraction of the calories.

Not That!
Skittles Original Fruit (1 pack) 
250 calories 
2.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated) 
47 g sugars 

4. BEST CANDY BAR
Hershey’s Take 5 Bar 
200 calories 
11 g fat (5 g saturated) 
18 g sugars 

Here’s the scenario: You’re in the checkout line, annoyed from a long day of working, and you seek comfort in anything within arm's reach—and 90 percent of the time that ends up being a candy bar. Well, you’ve just played into a food marketer’s hands. They don’t want you to think about what you’re picking up; they just want you to grab one more tempting treat before you hit the register. So if you're going to give in, at least do so in the least damaging way possible. The Take 5 bar is your safest bet because it relies on pretzel instead of nougat, creating a bar with far fewer sugars than some of the other options in the impulse lane.

Not That!
Nestle Butter Finger 
270 calories 
11 g fat (6 g saturated) 
29 g sugars

5. BEST CAKE MIX
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix (30 g mix, prepared) 
170 calories 
0.5 g fat 
12 g sugars

A good cake mix is paramount, since you'll very likely eat more than one slice. Say you eat three slices before it's gone. That makes one good decision in the cake aisle the equivalent of three good decisions elsewhere in the supermarket. So why Bob's Gluten Free? Because it avoids artificial ingredients, and it rings up a couple grams of fiber for each slice by packing this powder with the flours of garbanzo and fava beans, as well as whole grain sorghum. Choose it over Krusteaz and you'll drop 60 calories and 2 grams of trans fat. And because of the fiber, you'll feel fuller longer.

Not That!
Krusteaz Cinnamon Crumb Cake Mix (33 g mix, prepared)
230 calories 
7 g fat (2 g saturated, 2 g trans) 
26 g sugars

BONUS TIP: Some delicious desserts can help fight fat by revving up your metabolism and providing you with nutrients that push the junk out of your diet--and the fat out of your body! Other desserts, however, contain more than an entire day's worth of calories, fat, sugar and salt! Which is why you need this handy (and certainly eye-popping) list of the The 24 Best (and Worst) Desserts in America.

6. BEST PUDDING
Jell-O Sugar Free Double Chocolate (1 container) 
60 calories 
1.5 g fat (1 g saturated) 
0 g sugars

They're modest in size, but pudding cups can easily pack as much sugar as a small candy bar. Thankfully Jell-O makes a sugar free version that cuts the calorie impact in half without sacrificing the rich, chocolate flavor. If your normal nightly dessert is a 200-calorie scoop of ice cream, and you switch to one of these cups, you can expect to lose 12 pounds a year, even if nothing else about your diet changes!

Not That! 
Snack Pack, Chocolate 
130 calories 
3 g fat (1.5 g saturated) 
16 g sugars

7. BEST FROZEN TREAT 
Fudgsicle No Sugar Added Fudge Bar (1 bar, 41 g) 
40 calories
1 g fat (0.5 g saturated) 
2.5 g sugars

Look at this and then look at the bar below. You could eat more than seven Fudgsicles before you hit the calorie load of one Haagen-Dazs bar. Fudgesicle's parent company, Popsicle, produces a wide variety of classic frozen treats that can appease any sweet tooth without packing on the pounds. Another bonus: 35 percent of the calories in each Fudgesicle come from protein and fiber, which together keep you fuller longer.

Not That!
Haagen-Dazs Vanilla & Milk Chocolate (1 bar, 83 g) 
290 calories 
21 g fat (14 g saturated) 
21 g sugars

8. BEST ICE CREAM 
Edy’s Slow Churned Chocolate Fudge Chunk (1/2 cup) 
120 calories 
4.5 g fat (3 g saturated) 
13 g sugars

More so than in any other supermarket aisle, nutritional stats vary widely for products that look and taste nearly identical. Edy's—as well as its sister brand Dreyer's—are among the good guys. (Another favorite of mine: Breyers.) They take a light approach to cream and sugar, so you don't have to hit the treadmill every time you serve yourself a bowl. To get the most flavor in the fewest calories, look no further than Edy's Chocolate Fudge Chunk. It has literally one-third as many calories as Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup.

Not That!
Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup (1/2 cup) 
360 calories 
26 g fat (14 g saturated) 
24 g sugars

DID YOU KNOW? Smart snacking can work wonders on your waistline, whereas ice cream before bed can work blunders on your waistline. Curb your cravings between meals and before bed with any of these great 50 Best Snack Foods in America—they'll help keep you lean and full all day long!

Wendy's Natural Cut Fries: Better Tasting, Yes. Natural, No

www.BeHealthConscious.Org 
When Wendy's (NYSE: WEN - News) created its Natural Cut Fries With Sea Salt, which it introduced last fall and is now promoting in new TV ads this week, the company's product development team found a way to leave the potato skins on, make the fries crispier and give them a much tastier flavor. What they didn't manage to do, however, is make the fries an actual all-natural product. That, says CMO Ken Calwell, would be too difficult given fast food customers' demands for items that are cheap and can be hoisted through a car window.

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"People are saying they want high integrity ingredients, things their grandmother would have used, that don't look like they came out of a chemistry lab," Calwell explained in an interview with BNET. "But they're also saying I've got a family to feed and can only afford to spend about $4 on my lunch, and I've only got about a minute or two to eat it."

So instead of going the more expensive Five Guys route of making their fries fresh and in-house, Wendy's settled for "natural cut." What this means is that inside the processing plant, the potatoes skip the step of getting steamed at such a high temperature that the skins burst off. Wendy's spuds go straight to the high tech cutters where they're sliced.

©Image courtesy Wendy's

And Then the Not-So-Natural Part

Then come the not-so-natural parts. The fries are sprayed with sodium acid pyrophosphate, a chemical that prevents them from turning brown from two baths in frying oil -- one at the factory and the other at the store. They're also dusted with dextrose, a sugar derived from corn, for similar purposes. For comparison, Five Guy's fries don't need sodium acid pyrophosphate or dextrose because they're only fried once and aren't frozen.

And just like every other large fast food chain, Wendy's frying oil is dosed with dimethylpolysiloxane, a silicone-based chemical that helps keep the vegetable oil from getting foamy after countless rounds of frying. (Five Guys doesn't use dimethylpolysiloxane either because their peanut frying oil is more stable than the standard soybean and canola varieties.) Wendy's Natural Cut fries are also frozen like everybody else's, even though it's a big point of distinction for Wendy's that their hamburgers aren't.

Wendy's has also highlighted that it uses "100% Russet potatoes," but John Keeling of the National Potato Council says that this is not a selling point. "Virtually all processed French fries are Russets," he said in an email.

Taste and Compare

But the new fries do succeed in taste tests, even beating those at McDonald's, according to the company's research. Wendy's hired an outside firm to do a national taste test and the results showed that 56% of people taking the test chose Wendy's skin-on fries, whereas only 39% preferred McDonald's (4% had no preference). And Wendy's 6,600 stores, orders that include fries are up almost 10%.

Nutritionally, the skins on the fries add 1 extra gram of fiber per serving for a total of 6 grams in a medium. Although the sodium content went up by 43% to 500 milligrams for a medium, an increase that no doubt helps with the taste factor.

Calwell says that making Wendy's menu items more natural and more real is the company's "North Star."

"We're taking it product line by product line to make our food closer to this real ingredients story. Over time, you'll see our ingredient labels getting shorter and more of those high integrity ingredients. It just takes time," he said.

___ 

Shop @ http://www.cafepress.com/behealthconscious

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