workouts

- This is a guest post by Erica Chapman -

Barre fitness is an oldie but goodie.

Lately it seems like everyone and their mother has tried a barre fitness class and raved about it in a tabloid. But the barre method has actually been around for ages.  What's with the sudden surge in popularity? And with all these new studios and DVD's popping up, how is a girl to choose which barre to do her plies at?

Differentiating between barre workouts.

For answers, I tested out 3 different barre workouts--two classes and one DVD--to get a sense of the differences between the brands. First, though, the common ground: a barre workout is simply a series of strengthening exercises using very small, repeated movements and the body's own weight resistance, mostly performed at a ballet barre for balance, and alternating with periods of stretching to keep you long and lean. It is NOT dancing (girls with 2 left feet, rest easy--I was joking about the plies back there). And...

I heart ASYM ear buds because...

They feel good. When I popped ASYM ear buds (in catfight hot pink) into my ears, I experienced superior comfort right away. These buds are shaped for asymmetric ears (don't pout, no one's ears are perfect). Instead of the awkward ear clip which always rubs me the wrong way (literally), ASYM's ear phone cable runs over the top of your ear in a non-intrusive, fashionably smart way.

They sound good. I selected a mix by dj/producer Lauren Flax and slipped into a world of intense sound. It felt like I had headphones on, not ear buds! I even removed them to see if they were emitting sound because the sound was so unbelievably powerful for a bud. They weren't. Which means no one has to know what you're sweating to. It's OK, we all have embarassing music that gets us going.

They price is good. At $39.95, these non-invasive ear buds are fitness-friendly and will make your workout mix jump. Not bad at all as long as you steer...

This is a guest post by Erica Chapman.

Here's something that goes without saying: you're busy. You work hard, play hard and even relax hard....and that doesn't leave much time for working out.  Unfortunately, exercise tends to slip to the bottom of the priorities list during a packed day, and we've all been there, right? No judgment here!

Luckily for us on-the-go chicks who want to stay fit but can't always find the 2 hours in a day that a long run and shower eats up, former professional dancer Robert Brace has invented the NYLean25 class! If you've guessed from the name that the number 25 is involved, you're right: this is 25 minutes--to the second--of some of the most intense intervals you've ever done. Yup, it's hard, but here's the greatest part: it's over in less than half an hour! And Robert promises this is the fastest, most effective way to build muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness.

Check him out. His abs don't lie.

Here's the...

MyBodyTutor - What's the point?

My friend Dan from Cornell University's Food Lab emailed me about MyBodyTutor.com because he knows I'm a proponent of mindful eating over fad dieting. His email came at the perfect time because my Swedish Fish addiction was spinning out of control.

MyBodyTutor is an online wellness service that keeps you on track with your food and fitness goals. All you need is a computer and no more than 10 minutes a day to log-in to your account and tell your personal tutor about what you ate and how you exercised that day. If you've never exercised before, your tutor will help you with a plan of action. Your tutor is a real person; a professional trainer, nutritionist or life coach. He/she gets to know your health status and goals and then provides feedback on your daily reports. Tutors bring bad habits to your attention and suggest food and exercise modifications. You're asked to set daily goals (because it's too easy to flake-out on long-term...

I hadn't heard of SusieQ until I got an email from her claiming she could give any woman Michelle Obama arms. I was intrigued and asked for proof. The very next day SusieQ Fitlife: Arms Of A First Lady was in my hands. She clearly wanted me to start working out ASAP. So that's what I did.

The Arms of A First Lady DVD is a great, uplifting workout. SusieQ is engaging and positively pigtails. 

Lots of fitness pro's claim their workout will give you Michelle Obama arms but SusieQ's DVD actually delivers...and in more ways than one. She takes the whole presidential theme to the extreme with exercises like The New Bama Swing and Armed Force Raise. Her quirky White House references take the edge off the burn and raise your spirits throughout your workout.

The DVD is 52 minutes long and includes a beginner and advanced workout. Choose between the 2 levels or play the entire DVD from start to end and adjust your weights throughout the workout. 3-5 pound weights...

I love everything about Wordlock except the boring cable colors on the bike locks. I'm mostly concerned about the locking system but some neon or metallic couldn't hurt.

A word is so much easier to remember than a number, and more fun to keep changing around! Keep things interesting in the gym locker room by constantly updating your 4 or 5 letter password. You never know who's after your Lululemon gear!

Wordlock comes in a SPANISH language lock too!

Shop/Browse Wordlock Bike Locks on Amazon

What word combination would you pick if your first choice (POOP) hadn't been exposed to the world?