Sarah Hyland Shares Photo of Her Super-Toned Abs on Instagram

Posted on 08/08/2019 by vrapto08/08/2019

I don't know about you, but for me, Sarah Hyland is a damn inspiration. Is she successful and beautiful? Yes, sure, but that's not the reason: The girl has gone through countless surgeries and medical issues (she was born with a condition called kidney dysplasia, or kidneys that weren't fully developed), and she still kicks ass in work, life, and the gym like it's NBD.

Oh, and she's got some rock-hard abs.

In her latest round of Instagram stories (girl is extremely active on social media—respect), Hyland shows off her midday workout at Dogpound, an NYC- and LA-based gym. "Voluntarily used my break in the work day to have @pohlenfitness kill me @dogpound," she wrote, captioning a video of her doing some pretty intense hanging crunches at the gym.

In the next video, Hyland is still going with her abs work. "Surprised myself though," she wrote. But a few slides later, the real magic happens: Hyland shared a pretty stunning photo of her super-toned abs. "Hi. Point me to the tacos," she wrote. In the next slide, Sarah's posing with her trainer, showing off her backside (unfortunately, the photo's pretty blurry, but I assume her butt is also on point).

Hyland's no stranger to giving fans a glimpse into her life. In May, she shared a selfie of her scars from her two kidney transplants—in underwear gifted to her by Ellen DeGeneres. In 2018, the actress told Self that by the time she was 26 years old, she’d had 16 surgeries. Her two kidney transplants took place five years apart: one in 2012, when her father gave her a kidney, and one in 2017, when her body rejected her father's kidney and her brother donated one of his.

When she's not opening up about her medical struggles, Hyland's reminding us just how seriously funny she is (hello, she's on Modern Family for a reason). In June, Hyland shared a selfie of her uncontrolled mane. "When your friend posts a picture of their curly hair getting wild, so you want to too," Hyland wrote on her story of her natural hair. "But then you realize you look like a terrifying possessed children's doll." (For the record, she did not look like that, but we still feel her pain.)

So yeah, again about Hyland being crazy-inspiring. I think my argument is pretty strong—and apparently, so is she.

6 Exercises To Get A Bigger Butt

Posted on 07/08/2019 by vrapto07/08/2019

If you're in search of a butt that rivals Jennifer Lopez's, you might have to manage your expectations a bit—a killer behind like that is thanks, in large part, to genetics. Still, that doesn't mean you can't work toward the best (and biggest) your own special butt can be.

And while how your backside looks in jeans might be your number one reason for doing more squats at the gym, it shouldn't be your only motivation—a stronger butt has some serious health perks, as well, says Quianna Camper, CPT, a trainer with RSP Nutrition. "Stronger glute muscles can help reduce the risk of injury, boost your metabolism, improve your athletic performance, and give the appearance of a lifted, rounder bum," says Camper.

Also important: Butt building moves don't just result in glutes gains. “You can do exercises that primarily target the glute muscles,” says Camper. “But the movements you should do for stronger glutes are multi-joint, multi-muscle movements that are also going to strengthen your whole body.” That’s because all the muscles in the body work together—which means a more toned butt can mean gains for your entire body, too.

So, now that you're convinced that you need to start working your glutes more, how do you do it? Here, Camper shares six key exercises to get a bigger butt and stronger glutes. You'll want to add these to your workout routine ASAP.

1. Glute Bridge

How to do it: Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the ground and hip-width apart. Extend your arms down by your sides, and palms on the floor. Pressing your feet into the floor and keeping shoulder blades rooted to ground, lift your hips into the air, until your body creates a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for one to three seconds, then return to ground. That’s one rep. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps total.

To add weight, rest a barbell straight against your pelvis. Place your hands on the bar right on either side of your hips to keep the weight from rolling down your body. Then, complete the movement as described above.

2. Jump squats

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Breath in, engage your core and keep your chest up as you drop into a squat. Continue lowering your butt until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Exhale and drive back up through heels to jump up, using your arms as necessary. Land with bent knees to absorb impact. That’s one rep. Do three sets of 12 to 20 reps.

3. Barbell Front Squat

How to do it: Prop an empty barbell into the squat rack so that when you’re facing it, the bar hits you at chest height. Step towards the bar, place fingertips under bar, so that they’re just outside of your shoulders. Drive elbows up so that they’re parallel to the ground and lift barbell out of rack, stepping back. Get into squat position by adjusting feet so that they’re hip-width apart and your toes are pointed out slightly.

Breathe in, engage core by drawing your bellybutton to spine, then shift hips back and bend knees like you’re sitting back. Actively press knees out, and elbows up (to keep chest up raised) as you lower. Continue lowering until your hips are lower than your knees. Breathe out and push through your midfoot and heels to return to standing, squeezing glutes at the top. That’s one rep. Aim for four sets of 8 to 10 reps, resting two minutes between sets.

4. Dumbbell Walking Lunge

How to do it: Start holding two dumbbells, one in each hand, with straight arms and shoulders back and down. Engage core and step forward with your right leg, lowering hips until your right leg is bent at a 90-degree angle and left knee grazes floor. Drawing shoulders back away from your ears, press your right heel into the ground and push off with your left foot to return to standing. That’s one rep. Repeat with your left leg. Aim 4 sets of 12 total reps.

5. Hip Thrust

How to do it: Start seated with a barbell back of your shoulder-blades resting against a bench or box, feet flat and slightly narrower than hips-width. Rest arms on bench of stability and root feet into the ground, then lift hips to up until your trunk is parallel with the floor. Squeeze glutes at top before returning to start. That’s one rep. Aim 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Once you have the movement pattern down, add weight by laying a barbell across your hip crease. Load barbell so that you can do at least five “clean” reps in a row.

6. Good Morning

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width, barbell resting on your back hands holding it just outside of your shoulder blades. Elbows pointing towards the ground, use your hands to pull the bar down and against your back. Inhale and brace core, then hinge at hips by bending at the waist and pressing glutes back. Continue pushing hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and your torso is parallel to the ground. Exhale as you push your hips forward and return to start, squeezing glutes at top. That’s one rep. Repeat for three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Whitney Way Thore Just Got Real About Weight Loss Compliments—And Why She Doesn’t Want To Be Anyone’s Inspiration

Posted on 05/08/2019 by vrapto05/08/2019

Real talk: Mentioning a person's weight loss (or apparent weight loss) is typically meant as a compliment, but it's not always well received—and with damn good reason. Take it from reality TV star Whitney Way Thore, who recently called out Instagram commenters who congratulated her on even just appearing to have lost weight.

In a new Instagram post, shared yesterday, Thore, star of My Big Fat Fabulous Life, opened up to her followers about this. "Just had to get this off my chest," she wrote in the caption. "Reminder: Your value does not increase if your weight decreases."

She spoke out in a selfie-style video after noticing that many of her followers liked to congratulate her on the weight they think she's lost. “I’ve been reading my comments, and a large majority of them are people congratulating me for losing some amount of weight that you have perceived that I’ve lost—but I guarantee you that I’m still fat as s—t,” Thore says.

She goes on to say that she doesn’t want to be equated with your hashtag fitness goals—because she’s more than that. “I’m not out here to be anybody’s weight loss inspiration. I’m a complex human being focusing on a lot of other things in life besides losing weight. [Being congratulated on weight loss is] not something I will ever feel comfortable saying thank you for.”

Her post comes at a time when the body positivity movement has been somewhat trampled on by diet culture. The message of the true body positivity movement is simple: Respect and love your body regardless of what you look like. But fitness goals and weight loss challenges have, in recent years, horned in on that message and warped it into a new one: Respect and love your body by being thin.

This isn't the first time Thore has spoken out about unneeded Instagram comments. Last year she took to Instagram to call out trolls, explaining that she simply doesn't care what hateful people have to say. "When you come into my space, I can make you leave. This doesn't mean I can't handle a contrary opinion. It means I take no stock in your opinion and it's unnecessary noise."

Thore’s recent post is a great reminder that we're all more than our appearances (and that weight-loss compliments aren't always appreciated, and often miss the mark). She explains at the end of her enlightening PSA that she doesn’t want people to be impressed by her weight loss—or again, her percieved weight loss. Instead, she hopes anyone who has been touched by her story finds inspiration in her self-care and truly body positive message.

She says, “If you’re inspired by me, I’m glad, but I hope it’s because I’m a woman who learned to love herself no matter what size she is.” Amen.

To get more real talk on health and wellness, sign up for our weekly WomenIRL newsletter

5 Exercises for Tighter, Stronger Thighs

Posted on 03/08/2019 by vrapto03/08/2019

These Pilates-inspired exercises will give you more stability and help you build muscle.

Selena Gomez’s Trainer Shares 4 Moves That Keep Her Butt and Abs Super Toned

Posted on 02/08/2019 by vrapto02/08/2019

When it comes to whipping A-listers into tip-top shape, Amy Rosoff Davis knows a thing or two (she trains Selena Gomez, after all). But whether you’re a celeb client or someone a little less famous, her training principles remain the same: balance and wellness. “I’m not about making the workout crazy and obsessive, but doing things that feel fun,” says Davis.

For Davis, it’s all about encouraging her clients to find ways to move that they love—and that means giving them a variety of different workouts (she calls them “kitchen-sink workouts,” FYI). “I will do kickboxing with someone one day. I’ll do an entire yoga flow another day—sometimes it’s a really hard yoga and others it will be Ashtanga, which is more of a detoxing type of yoga. I’ll make them do two minutes of jump rope on and off for an hour,” she notes. “I get bored doing the same stuff and I know Selena and my other clients would be bored doing the same thing every day too.”

It's this focus on variation that not only keeps her clients interested, but also helps them reach their fitness goals easier and quicker. “A lot of people don’t know that you need to do some sort of cardio and some sort of toning to get results,” she says. “To build musculature and get your metabolism working, you have to do some of those toning moves. But cardio you need for your endurance and stamina and to burn calories.”

So what are some of the specific go-to exercises Davis shares with her clients (and Selena, specifically)? Check out Davis’s four favorite moves below—all of which focus on core strength, while still toning your arms and butt. Each move engages all your muscles and works them in different ways. “I find it really helps get results and makes people strong,” says Davis.

1. Inchworm to Push-up to Shoulder Taps

Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Hinge forward at your hips, bending your knees, if you have to, and place your palms on the ground. Walk your hands forward to come into a high plank. Bend elbows and lower chest down to the ground. Push back up to high-plank, and while keeping hips square, lift the right hand off the ground and tap the left shoulder. Place the right hand down and then repeat the move with the left hand and right shoulder. Do 5 taps and then walk hands back in to feet and rise to standing. This is one rep. Repeat entire sequence 5-10 times.

2. Second Position Plies w/ First to Second Arms

Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width apart and toes pointed out at 45 degrees. With a one-pound dumbbell in each hand, hold arms at sides so that they form 90-degree angles; palms should face forward. Bend your knees and lower your hips down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. This is your starting position. Pulse up and down while alternating between extending arms straight out as you rotate them so palms face back and returning them to starting position. Start with 30 reps, making your way up to 50.

3. Double Mat Roll

Lie faceup on a mat with legs together and arms extended straight overhead. Roll over to the left, completing one full revolution. When you reach face-up again, bend knees and place feet firmly on the ground as you sit up, raising torso toward knees and lifting arms up. Slowly reverse motion back to start and then roll to the right and repeat. This is one rep. Do 10.

4. Hip Up + Leg Lift

Sit on your left hip with legs stacked; bend legs so feet are behind you. Place left hand on ground for support and right hand on right hip. This is your starting position. Lift hips, coming onto left knee as you lift right leg up and extend it straight out on a diagonal. Keeping hips up, bring right leg back until knees meet. Then, with leg bent, slowly raise your knee up, until it is parallel to the ground. Lower knee back down, and then drop hips back down to the ground. This is one rep. Do 30, working your way up to 50.

Half Dome Day Hike in Yosemite National Park is the Park’s Most Difficult Hike

Posted on 31/07/2019 by vrapto31/07/2019

This hike is not for the faint of heart.

One of the most famous and popular hikes in Yosemite National Park is the Half Dome, found at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley.

The gigantic hike attracts hundreds of hikers all year long due to its unsurpassed views, gorgeous waterfalls and miles of beautiful forests you can see along the trail.

It also happens to be an extremely dangerous hike, especially if you’re unprepared.

Forest rangers for Yosemite warn hikers that this all-day hike is best to be started at dawn, or even a little before, in order to complete it safely. Depending on where you begin the trail, you could be walking between seven and 23 miles round trip. Usually, hikers need a full 12 hours in order to walk the full trail, and no one wants to find their way down the steep path in the dark.

Hikers should make sure they have plenty of food, water and are physically fit to hike the trail — and you’d be surprised at how demanding it actually is. The park suggests hikers have a full gallon of water to drink during the day, plenty of food and well-tread hiking boots. You’ll also need a permit to even begin the trail.

In addition, always keep an eye on the weather. Most accidents and rescues happen when the trail is wet, making it very slick. Especially when hikers are at the top of the dome, exposed to the elements, or holding on to the metal cables, risk of lightning strikes can be treacherous.

But as long as hikers take the proper precautions, hiking the Half Dome is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Half Dome’s peak rests at 8,842 feet, which is about 4,800 feet from Yosemite Valley, and the trail has 900 feet of waterfalls and quite possibly the widest view you can find once you reach the top.

If you do plan on prepping for a hike, you can find more information on the Half Dome on the Yosemite National Park website.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

Watch Jennifer Lopez Crush This Gym Workout with A-Rod

Posted on 29/07/2019 by vrapto29/07/2019

Stuck in a workout rut? Never fear, because Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have you covered. The power couple started the New Year by doing a killer (mostly) upper-body workout together that A-Rod posted to his Instagram on January 1. "The grind never stops," he captioned the video. "What are you going to make of 2019?"

The video shows the former Yankees player and the actress crushing some seriously tough moves at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, CA. The duo performed each exercise back-to-back, starting with incline machine rows and going on to barbell bench presses, weighted Roman chair (aka glute-ham raise machine) trunk extensions, lat pull-downs, chest presses, and more. (Here's another upper-body workout for sculpted, sexy shoulders.)

Not to mention J.Lo's look screamed #gymlook goals with a strappy black sports bra and leggings, showing off her abs, and a long dreamy high ponytail.

This isn't the first time these two lovebirds have shown off their skills in the gym. (In fact, J.Lo and A-Rod might just be our favorite fit couple.) A-Rod posted several workout videos throughout 2018 to show just how badass he and his girlfriend really are.

It's clear that putting their health first is a major priority for this couple. Case in point: J.Lo's incredible physique at 49 years old and A-Rod's reputation as an all-star athlete. So it makes total sense that the two choose to do their workouts together. Not to mention, working out with your SO can do wonders for your relationship (and your sex life).

"Establishing the pattern of doing positive, healthy activities together is something that makes you aligned with each other," said Tracy Thomas, Ph.D., a psychologist and clinical director of her own virtual and in-person practice. "Being aligned with each other is actually more important in a relationship than compatibility because you're able to be in a similar pattern of life, which in turn facilitates growing together. When you're able to grow together, you're more likely to be able to help each other evolve as people."

So if you're looking for someone to help you crush your New Year's fitness resolutions, take a cue from J.Lo and A-Rod and sweat it out with your SO. (Not sure where to start? Scope these eight active date ideas that won't make you sweaty.)

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

This article originally appeared on Shape.com

Jennifer Lopez Shows Off Incredible Biceps as She Says She’s ‘Feeling Like Superwoman’

Posted on 27/07/2019 by vrapto27/07/2019

Jennifer Lopez doesn’t need a cape to look and feel like a superhero.

On Wednesday, the “El Anillo” singer, 49, showed off her buff biceps in a clingy maroon dress and silver hoop earrings on Instagram. With her hair swept back, Lopez flexed her incredible arms as she looked confidently at the camera over her shoulder.

“Feeling like superwoman after the show tonight!” Lopez wrote.

In the caption, Lopez reflected on her jam-packed residency at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, which comes to a close on Sept. 29.

“When I started this run I thought omg 15 shows in 27 days that’s a lot,” Lopez explained. “But I made a promise to myself that instead of letting it wear me down I would be even stronger at the end of it…I will work out and be in the best shape of my life…”

She continued, “There were moments I was tired and there was travel and I had to fit in my workouts where I could… but here we are with only 3 shows left!! And I am having so many emotions but mostly just feeling strong, happy and grateful!!!”

Lopez tacked on the hashtags “#allihavefinal15,” “#3showstogo,” “#we’renotdoneyet,” “#letsgoooo” and “#makepromisestoyourselfandkeepthem.”

One way that Lopez stays refreshed for her performances is her pre-show ritual.

Before Lopez’s show earlier this month, her boyfriend Alex Rodriguez filmed Lopez grooving in front of a mirror while Cardi B‘s verse on their song “Dinero” played in the background.

“She does this before every show. Seriously,” Rodriguez quipped in the caption.

But it’s not all fun and games: Lopez revealed to Entertainment Tonight in August that she once suffered a dental disaster onstage.

“I’ve chipped my tooth on stage and had to finish the show,” Lopez said. “Like, literally knocked my tooth out and I’m like, ‘Oh!’”

People backstage motivated her to finish strong. “I went back thinking, ‘Can I finish the show like this?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah, it’s fine, it’s just a little chip,” she recalled.

3 Bodyweight Moves You Can Do Anytime, Anywhere

Posted on 26/07/2019 by vrapto26/07/2019

Get your blood pumping with Katie Austin in this quickie workout.

Tess Holliday Reveals She’s Been Called Out for Changing Her Body—Here’s Why She Thinks That’s Ridiculous

Posted on 24/07/2019 by vrapto24/07/2019

The body positivity movement has thrived thanks to its simple, relatable message: You can and should be proud of your body and love it no matter what you look like.

But what if you love and accept your body—but also want to change parts of it? Can you be truly body positive while actively wanting and trying to alter your body?

Tess Holliday, one of our body positive queens here at Health, says the answer is yes, and that she's living proof. She tells us that she's been actively working on strengthening her body since the beginning of the year—and that she loves the changes her efforts at the gym have brought.

“I hired my trainer almost a year ago. We started working out a few times a week starting in January,” Holliday tells Health. “My case wasn’t ‘new year new me’ because I’m so fat,” she continues. “I just wanted to be stronger. My job was becoming more demanding, and I have a toddler. Just being able to keep up with all of those things was really hard for me.”

One of the most crucial body positivity principles she follows is to be kind to yourself; taking care of you should be a priority no matter your size. Holliday says working out has helped her embrace that message. “For me, it’s a form of self-care. I feel like through working out, I’ve learned a new way to love myself,” she says.

But establishing a workout routine didn’t come easy (does it ever?), in part because of the way she grew up. “It was hard because I grew up not really working out. [While] I didn’t judge people [for working out], I didn’t really understand why certain people worked out all the time until literally this year. Something clicked with me.”

Of course, Holliday mentions that people who leave rude messages on her Instagram posts haven’t made achieving her new goals any easier. She’s not referring to people who leave hateful comments about her size. Rather, she’s talking about Instagram users who say that working out is somehow anti-body positive. “People will say, ‘Oh, I thought you loved yourself, and now you’re working out?’” Holliday says.

Those unsupportive comments online have, sadly, influenced what Holliday decides to share with her close to two million Instagram followers. “I stopped sharing my workout stuff as much because trolls will come on my page,” she explains.

But Holliday, who is currently participating in a body positive campaign launched by self-tanner manufacturer Ilse of Paradise, doesn't apologize. “I feel like being able to be fat and go to a gym and work out—even if you’re not trying to lose weight, even if you’re just doing it because it makes you feel good—we should be able to say it without feeling ashamed.”

Her fitness goals go far beyond just toning up. She also hopes that her time at the gym will encourage people in similar situations to take control of loving their bodies—whether that involves time spent working out or not.

“There’s a toxic diet culture where everyone forces this ‘health’ on people. It’s not fair. Not everyone wants to [achieve that]. But for me, personally, I feel so much better.

“I’m just gonna keep doing it and proving it and, hopefully, encouraging others that are maybe scared to go to the gym or want to but are afraid that they can’t. Hopefully, [I am] showing them that they can and that they belong in that space just as much as people that are ‘fit.’”

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Real Wellness newsletter

You Need

Everything you need

Category Archives: Fitness