Seven signs that you're sweating your way to max results

By Katie McDonald Neitz

Few things in life — besides chocolate and sex — provide instant gratification. But you can add exercise to that A-list if you know what to look for. These seven signs mean you're well on your way to incinerating fat and maximizing your strength and endurance. It may take a few weeks before you sport spandex at the gym, but it's possible to know within 24 hours of a workout if you're exercising smart. Just look for these telltale clues. (To prevent injury, check out "When Your Workout Isn't Working" to make sure you're feeling your exercise in all the right places.)

Sign No. 1 You feel like Rocky.
No, you're not slurring your words (that would be a bad sign) — you simply feel strong. What used to be a 30-minute treadmill death march now whizzes by, and you can do a pullup for the first time since, well, ever. Need numerical proof of improvement? Rate your level of "perceived exertion" — how challenging the workout feels — using a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means you don't have enough breath to hold a conversation, suggests Bill Sonnemaker, C.S.C.S., director of strength and conditioning at Catalyst Fitness in Kennesaw, Georgia. If you're training properly, that number should go down every few weeks. When you dip below a 5, it's time to up the intensity. Postworkout, jot it all down in an exercise log. Our pick: The New York Road Runners' 2007 Running & Fitness Log ($15, Amazon).

Appeared in the October 2006 issue of Women's Health

So you went out for dinner with friends and ended up polishing off a fried appetizer, a mammoth entree, and a vat of tiramisu (along with a couple of cocktails). Don't panic. "Feeling guilty has never burned a single calorie, but learning from your error can save you thousands," Dr. Gullo says. Everybody slips — the key to success is to take it in stride.

To bounce back after a binge, the most important thing to remember is that all the effort you put into eating right before your little lapse was not in vain. "No one ever got heavy from one slipup. It's when you let it become a chain that you get in trouble," Dr. Gullo says. So instead of declaring that you blew your diet and cramming your face full of every high-calorie treat you see until nightfall (since you'll just wait and start fresh tomorrow), begin eating healthfully again with your very next meal — or snack.

And no matter what, don't step on the scale at the end of the day. "Weighing yourself after overindulging isn't healthy or helpful," Dr. Kearney-Cooke says. Depending on your salt intake or where you are in your menstrual cycle, your weight can fluctuate several pounds. Instead of trying to assess the damage every time a stray cookie slips between your lips, pick one day each week for your weigh-ins and stick to it.

To battle the bulge, get your brain on your side.

By Megan McNamara

womenshealthmag.com

You already know the secret *to weight loss: Eat fewer calories than you burn and you'll be zipping up those size 4 jeans in no time. So why aren't we all as svelte as Heidi Klum? Because lasting weight loss has little to do with crunching numbers. "In focusing on calories in and calories out, the field of nutrition has ignored the most critical variable: behavioral and cognitive changes," says Stephen Gullo, Ph.D., a weight-loss expert in New York City.

In other words, if you don't want to fall headfirst off the diet wagon the next time Mom rips into your new haircut, you have to retrain your brain. "To deal with unhealthy eating behaviors, we must challenge the thoughts, feelings, and cues that have been built up over a lifetime," says Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., the Jordan Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Not to get too Freudian, but many doctors and weight-loss experts say that permanently altering your waistline means permanently altering your relationship with food.

When you're feeling an energy slump, it's good to know which things will keep your tank full —and which will leave you sputtering on empty

By Tamar Haspel

Of all the things we'd like more of —time, sleep, another finger-scoop of cake icing —energy is at the top of most of our lists. For almost all of us, energy levels swirl down the day's drain as more hours pass. Slowly leaking. Until. We. Finally. Crash. Sometimes, we don't know what makes us tired, whether it's too little sleep, too little exercise, too much stress, a lack of sunlight, or just the evening news. But we do know many of the cures —and they come in the form of what you drink, eat, and pop. So here's a guide to the major myths about energy-boosters, and what you can do to make sure you have energy to spare.

Myth: Sweet snacks give you a sugar high and then a sugar crash.
If you're sluggish at 4 p.m., conventional wisdom says you're hypoglycemic. Your blood sugar's low, and a handful of M&Ms will make those levels —and you —spike and then plunge. But that line of thinking has as much truth as the Loch Ness legend, without even a grainy photograph to back it up.

"There's no evidence to support the idea that midafternoon tiredness is caused by hypoglycemia, or that healthy people feel normal fluctuations in blood sugar," says Phillip Cryer, M.D., professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "The threshold for symptoms of low blood sugar is 50 to 55 milligrams (mg) of glucose per deciliter of blood, and it's very, very rare for a healthy person to get to those levels."

Rather than being low on blood sugar, you're low on serotonin —the brain chemical that makes you feel focused, attentive, and energetic, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a researcher in women's health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Instead of the celery sticks: Bring back the carbohydrates. Carbs become glucose in your bloodstream, and as insulin goes to work on the glucose, it starts a chain of chemical events: An amino acid called tryptophan travels to the brain and converts to serotonin to keep your energy up. Dr. Wurtman goes against conventional wisdom by recommending snacks that are almost pure carbohydrate —which means the vending machine licorice or a small bag of pretzels isn't necessarily off-limits anymore.

Still, you'd be better off with a carb that gives you more nutritional bang for the buck —a piece of fruit or a couple of handfuls of fat-free popcorn will keep your serotonin levels up without doing the same for calorie counts. "You'll be more attentive to what you're doing and feel you can take on more tasks," Dr. Wurtman says. "It's not that you'll feel extremely energetic —you won't get that no matter what you eat. But you'll lose the desperate feeling of tiredness."
 

by Jonny Bowden, MA, CNS

ivillage.com

So many diet programs are about what you can't have, but what about focusing on things you can add to your diet? What a concept! More food instead of less?

Well, of course there's a catch.

Just adding more of these foods to a bad diet won't cause a drastic overnight weight loss. But adding them -- even to a bad diet -- will improve your health in some significant ways. And the good news is that if you begin to replace some of the foods that keep you fat with the foods on this list, you may well begin to see benefits not only in the health department but on the scale as well.

1. Blueberries. High in fiber, low in sugar and calories, and delicious right out of the box. (I don't even mind if you add a spoonful of fresh cream, especially if the combination replaces a dessert). Some studies suggest that regular consumption of blueberries protects the memory.
   
   
2. Oatmeal. Use the regular, slow-cooking kind instead of the sweetened, overprocessed "instant" variety. Oatmeal is the second-best source of the essential fatty acid GLA in the world. It contains fiber and protein as well.
   
   
3. Cabbage. This lowly vegetable may elicit bad memories for many people, but it's time to get past that and try it again. Cabbage contains a cancer-fighting phytochemical called indole-3-carbinole. One cup of cooked cabbage delivers about 100 mg of this powerful ingredient, not to mention fiber, other beneficial phytochemicals and vitamin C.
   
   
4. Kale. This green leafy vegetable is loaded with antioxidants. It's particularly delicious with lemon, garlic (another amazing food) and butter.
   
   
5. Sardines. Sardines are like a health food store in a can. They're cheap, they're widely available, they're convenient, and you can take them with you anywhere. And sardines are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. All that and a superb source of protein and calcium (if you eat the bones).

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 01, 2006 10:50AM EST

By Stephen M. Silverman

people.aol.com

Katie Couric's digitally slimmed-down photo didn't surprise Rosie O'Donnell, who says she's been there, done that.

In her online blog, O'Donnell, who joins ABC's The View on Tuesday, writes (in her signature haiku-like style): "they retouched katie .../ yea....and/ they airbrush everyone/ in everything we see on tv or in print/ EVERYTHING."

O'Donnell, 44, writes that when she was in the 1996 movie Beautiful Girls with Matt Dillon and Uma Thurman, "i saw the poster and said aloud/ 'i didn't know courteney cox was in this film'/ it wasn't courteney – it was me."

She writes that she called her agent, laughing; her agent called studio chief Harvey Weinstein, who, O'Donnell says, replied, "so what – she should thank me – she looks a lot better."

O'Donnell also says she was digitally trimmed in the new publicity shot for The View, in which she appears with co-hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar and Barbara Walters. She writes:

look at the amount of white space
between my arm and body
barbara and elisabeth seem to vanish
there in my underarm thinnest
yes i say
photoshop

by Liz Neporent, MA

ivillage.com

Dear Fit by Friday:
My underarms (the part that waves with your hand) are flabby. Well, they're loose and fatty. When I walked a lot and lost over 35 pounds, the problem wasn't so noticeable. Lately I haven't been exercising. I've gained weight, and the problem has gotten much worse. Any suggestions?
--cyndy

That underarm flab -- often referred to as bingo arms, Hi Janes and the Hadassah hang -- is certainly a common problem. It's a result of out-of-shape triceps (the muscles in the back of your upper arms) and the extra fat that for some reason likes to deposit itself there.

There are three factors to take into account: weight, body composition and muscle tone.

by Liz Neporent, MA

ivillage.com 

Who needs machines when dumbells do the trick? You don't -- if you use this step-by-step routine with your favorite free weights!

General Guidelines
Aim for 8 to 15 repetitions per set using a moderately heavy weight; you should feel as if you've pushed yourself hard by the time you complete the last rep of each set. Do 1 to 3 sets of each exercise and rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets to give your muscles plenty of time to recover (unless otherwise noted).

One-arm Dumbbell Row
(Back, shoulders, biceps)

1. Stand to the right of your weight bench and hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in. Pull your abdominals in and bend forward from your hips so that your back is naturally arched and roughly parallel with the floor and your knees are slightly bent. Place your left hand on top of the bench for support and let your right arm hang down. (You may see this exercise performed with your left knee up on the bench, but that variation can increase pressure on your back and make you tilt your body to one side.) Tilt your chin toward your chest so that your neck is in line with the rest of your spine.
2. Pull your right arm up until your elbow is pointing to the ceiling and your hand brushes against your waist. Lower the weight slowly back down.

Dumbbell Chest Press
(Chest, shoulders, triceps)

Triceps-Tightening Workout 

by Catherine Censor

ivillage.com 

That jiggly stuff under your arms that keeps waving goodbye after you've stopped? It's history with this triceps-firming program.

The back of the arms is a common trouble spot for females. Although the triceps (the proper anatomical name for the waggly part) make up about two-thirds of the upper arms, they are somewhat underrepresented in the tasks of daily life.

Compared to your triceps, your biceps are something of a stage hog. Every time you bend your elbows, your biceps are pressed into service. They work particularly hard when you pick up something that's heavy ‑- groceries, files, kids, bags of pet food. Your triceps straighten your arm, and you use them when you push away something. But how often do you give them a workout by pushing something heavy? Although stuck doors and loaded shopping carts give your triceps something to do, unless you make your living moving pianos, chances are they could use a little extra attention.

BY HOLLY CRAWFORD from ivillage.com

What's Giving Away Your Age?

Our secret plan for defying Father Time: Think beyond the crow's-feet. "Most women are so conscious of every little wrinkle on their face, they forget about the other body parts that may be showing some wear and tear," says Jeanine B. Downie, M.D., a dermatologist in Montclair, New Jersey. So by all means, let's deal with those wrinkles — but aging affects everything from the whiteness of your teeth to the thickness of your hair, so it's imperative that you address your problems from head to toe. The key thing to remember: Every sign of aging boils down to changes in texture and color. The rich sheen of your hair begins to fade; skin that was smooth grows rough. Likewise, every remedy involves preventing, reversing or at least compensating for those changes. So choose your weapons and let the counterattack begin.

Your Teeth
You don't have to say a word about your age — pearly (or not-so-pearly) whites will say it for you.

Age giveaway: Years of eating and drinking can leave your teeth yellow or gray, and if you smoke, forget it. But size and shape also matter. Young-looking teeth are vibrant, with clean, rounded edges, explains Dallas cosmetic dentist Dale Greer, D.D.S. Older ones are the opposite (small, worn, chipped). In addition, your gums may recede over time and leave you looking as if you have gaps between your teeth, he says.

Reverse the clock: Peroxide-based whiteners deep-clean and brighten. To try: Crest Whitestrips Renewal. (A dentist's treatments will give you striking results in just one day — but at a much higher price.) If teeth are worn, ask your dentist about a bite guard to prevent grinding. To correct tiny or damaged teeth, ask about crowns, veneers and recontouring. Gum-recession gaps? Consider caps.

Your Neck and Chest
Four words: Look below your chin. Like your face, that area has suffered environmental damage — from the sun, wind, pollution — and it shows.

Age giveaway: If you care for your face (using moisturizer, wrinkle concealer, etc.), it may look a whole lot better than your neck and chest, which may be leathery, spotted or deeply wrinkled. That contrast says you're older than your face reveals.

Reverse the clock: "It sounds simple, but you should treat the skin of your neck and chest just as you would your face," says Dr. Downie. Every day, apply creams with antioxidants like vitamins A and C. Your doctor can use a combination of chemical peels (or microdermabrasion and a laser) to fade age spots and firm up sagging skin. Botox injections in the vocal cord area can improve the look of a turkey neck, says Dr. Downie. To slow further damage, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.

Your Hair
Here you're contending with not one but three aging factors: time, chemicals (from dyes and highlights) and the environment (yep, it does damage in this area too). "A 25-year-old can have 50-year-old hair — and vice versa, depending on the level of exposure to these elements," explains Atlanta stylist Gary Travis.

Age giveaway: For every cause of aging hair, there's a different manifestation. Dryness — in the form of messy frizz and loss of shine — is public enemy number one. Damage or age is to blame if your hair used to look good but is now thinning or dull or has a dishwater color.

Reverse the clock: Hair isn't alive, it's dead — but so is a cashmere sweater, and it will still look better if you care for it. Older hair is thirsty, says Travis, so first and foremost, you need to give it moisture — but not the kind you find in the shower, which is drying. (It sounds counterintuitive, but the less often you wet your hair, the healthier it will be.) Instead, after every shampoo, use a protein- or antioxidant-rich conditioner or treatment to strengthen and protect and to restore shine. To try: Nexxus Y Serum.

If you color your hair, try touching up just the new growth rather than recoloring (read: damaging) your whole mane. It's also important to soften your color as you get older, says colorist Louise Galvin, who's based in London, England: "The same tone that looked good when you were younger can seem too harsh as you mature." Your cut can also make a difference: Ask for one with movement, then keep ends trimmed and go easy on ultrahold products — a stiff, supercoiffed look always adds years.

Your Hands
They take a daily beating, says Dr. Downie. The culprits: everything from harsh soaps and shuffling papers at the office (both suck out skin's moisture) to the UV dryer at the nail salon (which — who knew — contributes to those dreaded age spots).

Age giveaway: As you get older, hands look bonier and veins become more visible — both the result of reduced collagen production. Sun spots from years of exposure become more pronounced.

Reverse the clock: You don't have to wear gloves, but you do need to protect your hands with sunscreen — just as you'd apply hand cream. Exfoliate regularly to improve circulation and texture, and moisturize 24-7. For paper-thin skin that really shows the veins, ask a doctor about laser therapy to help the overall appearance of your hands. Restylane injections will work faster (plumping up the backs of your hands) but are more costly and can be painful.