Hula Hoop Your Way to Great Abs

What is one thing about fitness that you can always count on? Answer: new ways to get that fit body. I would caution that some new fads and pieces of equipment that promise new, amazing bodies in a matter of days, are a bunch of ... well, let's just say, they don't live up to their claims.

Hula hooping for exercise isn't necessarily a new idea, but in Minnesota, hula hoop classes are the newest fitness craze. Hula hooping for abs? I can see this working. Now, I wouldn't recommend dropping your normal fitness routine for this, but maybe incorporate a little hula hooping into your ab routine. Work your abs and have fun with it! Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Drink Your Water

Are you getting enough water during the day? It is recommended that we drink 10 glasses per day. When you break it down, that is actually 8 cups per day which equals 640z. It may seem like a lot, but really if you drink two 1 liter (approximately) bottles per day, you're there!

Why focus on your water? Well, one, it's an essesntial nutrient. When you're losing weight, water flushes out the by-products of fat breakdown. Fat cells contain water and when you don't get enough water in the day (dehydration), your body will store water in these cells. Your body doesn't know when more water will come, so it stores the water it has. The more water you drink, the less prone your body is to hold onto that water and thus reduces the size of your fat cells. Smaller fat cells = a smaller you!

The Skinnygirl Margarita

We all have our guilty pleasures and I'm no exception. When I'm not working out or thinking about the next day's menu, I like to watch TV just like the next person. I hesitate to admit this, but, yes, I am a fan of The Real Housewives. "Which one," you may ask? All of them! And while I'm being honest here, I enjoy an occasional drink too.

So, you can imagine my delight when Bethenny Frankel of The Real Housewives of New York came out with her book Naturally Thin. I purused its pages while in Barnes & Noble one day and was sort of surprised to find that it's not half bad. There are a lot of deliciously healthy recipes in there.

One recipe that stood out was her lighter version of the margarita. Who doesn't like a margarita? But, when you order them at restaurants they are loaded with tons of sugar and calories. Especially the ones that come in those giant glasses. You could be taking in around 600 calories or more for one single margarita!

For a new spin on the popular drink, check out The Skinnygirl Margarita by Bethenny Frankel. Cheers!