To get strong shoulders, try this move by Kristin McGee. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and scoop in your belly button to really engage your core. Watch this video to learn how to do this move, which is great if you are warming up before an upper-body workout.
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To get the strong, sculpted abs you’ve always wanted, try this move from yoga instructor Kristin McGee. In this powered-up version of Boat to Canoe, she uses a pair of dumbbells for maximum impact. Watch the video to learn how to give your abs a good workout.
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The boat pose strengthens and challenges the stabilizing muscles within your core, making it one of the best yoga moves for flattening your belly. Watch the video to see yoga and Pilates expert Kristin McGee demonstrate all the different ways you can do this pose to get flat abs fast.
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In this video, celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson shows you how to do a Plank With Arm/Leg Lift workout move. This is a challenging move that targets the upper back, chest, sides, core and glutes.
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Learn how to a Mini Squat With Leg Extension workout move by watching this video by celebrity fitness trainer Tracy Anderson. You can seriously work your glutes, quads, and more with this challenging move. You’ll want to go all in on this full body move, so lengthen your leg as much as possible to really feel a stretch.
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Watch this video to get a serious head-to-toe and front-to-back workout with celebrity trainer, Tracy Anderson. You can lose up to 10 inches over your entire body in 10 days by doing these exercises six days a week along with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio. This workout series leaves no muscle unworked! To start, cycle through all of the exercises on your right side, then repeat them on your left.
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Want fab abs, but hate sit ups and crunches? We can help. Just add these gentle yoga moves, which are just as effective as the traditional crunch, to your ab routine. These moves tighten and tone your core, resulting in a slim waist and a flat belly.
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Want a tighter butt? Of course you do. This lunging twist strengthens and tones your trouble spots, including the hips, thighs, and butt. And since you’re working out your entire lower body, you’ll burn mega calories at the same time.
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If you want sexy arms, it pays to add some weight to your yoga routine. Watch this video to learn how to challenge your triceps by combining Warrior 3 pose with a set of dumbbells.
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For tight abs and a sexy waist, try this Pilates move called the Criss Cross. It’s similar to the bicycle move, but with some key differences. End result? You can strengthen and tone the abdominals, hips, and waist.
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You need exercise for a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that it can also improve your digestion? Watch the video to learn how to stimulate your gut, boost your immune system, and even relieve constipation andbloating.
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Water is the most important nutrient you need, and is essential for digestive health. Watch the video to learn how drinking water helps keep you more regular, and can even help you lose weight.
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Stress can cause problems for your gut, ramping up acid production in the stomach and exacerbating irritable bowel syndrome. Watch the video to learn how high levels of stress can affect your digestive health.
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Blueberries are delicious on their own, but adding them to salads, desserts, and even drinks takes summer recipes to a new level.
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Got lackluster locks? Or a scaly patch on an elbow? Your body may be trying to tell you something. “There are huge links between how we appear on the outside and what’s happening inside,” says Ramsey Markus, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Even the most common beauty woes, like brittle nails and a dull complexion, can hint at issues beneath the surface. Give yourself a once-over for these six superficial signs you should see your doctor.
If you have: Thick, dark facial or body hair
It might mean: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). “We’re not talking about a few wispy strands,” says Zoe Stallings, MD, a family physician at Duke Medicine in Durham, N.C. “This is a thick coat of ‘I have sideburns that tweezers can’t handle’ hair.” It tends to sprout in places where men grow hair (like the cheeks, chin, chest and back) and may be due to elevated levels of male sex hormones—a common symptom of the endocrine disorder PCOS, which can increase your risk of infertility and diabetes. Ask your doc for a blood test. Birth control pills and lifestyle changes like losing excess weight (even just a few pounds) can reduce symptoms. Your MD might also prescribe a steroid to help correct the hormone imbalance or a cream that inhibits the growth of facial hair. Another option: talking to your dermatologist about laser hair removal. “The pro is that it’s effective,” Dr. Stallings says. “The con is the price.” Each session costs around $300, though some insurance plans will cover the treatment.
If you have: A brittle nail
It might mean: Fungus. It’s disgusting but true—your nail bed is a perfect home for fungi. “They like having a warm, moist layer of skin to feed off,” Dr. Markus explains. When a parasite moves in, your nail may start to split or crumble at the edges. A derm might prescribe medication. It may also help to limit exposure to moisture by wearing gloves to do the dishes or changing socks after a workout.
If the nails on both hands are brittle, you can probably blame overzealous hand washing; a supplement could do the trick. Vitamins containing keratin, in particular, improve nail strength, according to a 2014 study.
Related: Lifestyle Changes to Look Younger
If you have: A scaly red patch
It might mean: Psoriasis. This rash isn’t just a skin problem. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that can crop up at any age and is linked to inflammation throughout the body (experts are unsure if psoriasis causes inflammation or vice versa). Lesions—typically on the scalp, elbows and knees—are a common symptom, but moderate to severe psoriasis is also connected to cardiovascular disease, according to a longitudinal study published last fall. Fortunately, “your risk of heart attack goes down when you treat a more severe case of psoriasis,” says Jennifer Chen, MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Stanford School of Medicine. See your derm: A variety of oral and topical meds, as well as phototherapy, can reduce outbreaks.
If you have: Persistent acne
It might mean: A hormonal imbalance. Breakouts aren’t just for teens and tweens. “Acne may recur during perimenopause,” Dr. Chen explains. As estrogen and progesterone levels drop, your hormonal balance can tip toward testosterone, which triggers a surge in the production of pore-clogging oil. “Like menopause itself, this acne varies in duration and intensity,” Dr. Chen says, though the pimples often appear on the jawline. The good news, Dr. Chen says: “We have great medications to prevent acne. You just have to be proactive about it.”
If you have: Dry, blotchy skin
It might mean: An omega-3 deficiency. “As we age, our sebaceous glands produce less oil that lubricates skin,” says Valori Treloar, MD, co-author of The Clear Skin Diet. Omega-3 fatty acids help keep your complexion healthy-looking in part because they protect dry skin from developing inflammation. If you have a deficiency, your skin may become itchy and blotchy, Dr. Treloar says. Eat plenty of foods rich in omega-3s, like walnuts, flaxseed and cold water fish. Still worried you’re not getting enough? Consider taking a fish oil supplement.
If you have: Thinning hair
It might mean: Hypothyroidism. When your thyroid gland is underactive, too many of your hair follicles go into resting mode. As strands naturally shed, they aren’t replaced, and “women start to notice that their scalp is showing,” Dr. Stallings says. Synthetic hormones and other remedies can help. Another possible culprit: low estrogen. For women in menopause, a B complex multi with collagen may restore thinning tresses, Dr. Stallings says. If you’ve just had a baby (another cause of an estrogen dip), don’t fret: Your hair’s volume should return to normal by the time your little one is six months old.
Related: 18 Style Mistakes That Age You
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When Anna Z. moved to Chicago¸ one of the first things she did was join a meet-up group for Arabic speakers. “I love trying new things¸” she explains. “I saw this group and thought¸ ‘Why not?'” As luck would have it¸ the organizer was born and raised in Fez¸ Morocco¸ the city where Anna lived when she was learning the language. The two struck up a conversation¸ and today they’re happily married with a little boy.
Some people might say that kismet led Anna to her future husband within a week of landing in a new city. But Anna’s openness to life’s quirky possibilities put her in the right place at the right time to create her own fate.
Contrary to what most of us have always believed, luck isn’t some mysterious, ephemeral force. “There are huge chance factors that affect what happens to us, of course,” says Richard Wiseman, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Hertfordshire in England and author of The Luck Factor. “But to a very large extent, we are responsible for much of the good fortune that we encounter.”
And some folks tend to be naturally skilled at spotting good fortune around every turn. To learn how those “lucky” souls do it, Wiseman and other experts have been studying the constellation of traits that separate them from the self-proclaimed unlucky. Their research suggests that four habits in particular can help us all catch a few more breaks.
Related: Fight Aging: 6 Secrets to Staying Young
Expect good things
The first rule of lucky people? They feel lucky, which tilts the scales of serendipity in their favor. But the reason has nothing to do with hocus-pocus, says Wiseman, who has spent 15 years researching folks’ perceptions of their fate: “People who count themselves lucky expect the best outcomes, and their expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies.”
Researchers at New York University discovered this effect among lovesick undergraduates. In the study, students who believed that they would get a date were significantly more likely to win over the object of their desire.
The simple explanation is self-assurance. If you believe that you’ll do well—whether you’re trying to impress a crush or pitching a project—you’re more motivated to persist until you reach your goal. Feeling lucky might even help you win the door prize at a charity dinner: The more optimistic you are about your chances, the more raffle tickets you’ll probably buy (and the more likely you’ll be to buy tickets at the next event, despite losing in the past).
Not a Pollyanna by nature? You might want to pick up a rabbit’s foot—seriously! Experiments have shown that lucky charms can actually work, by boosting a person’s confidence. In a 2010 study at the University of Cologne in Germany, superstitious subjects were asked to play a memory game; people who got to keep their talismans while they played scored higher than those who played without their jujus.
The researchers observed the same phenomenon among golfers who were told that they were playing with a lucky ball: The belief that they had a supernatural edge led them to putt significantly better than golfers in a control group.
Donald Saucier, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Kansas State University, encourages following any (harmless) ritual that makes you feel better when you’re nervous, from rubbing a lucky penny to donning special undies: “These optimistic gestures are good at creating comfort—and that can help you perform better.”
The key, he says, is coupling your hopeful expectations with action. “If you think luck is going to take care of you entirely, you’ll do less to design your own destiny,” he explains. “But if a superstition helps you manage your emotions so you can focus on the problem at hand, that’s awesome.”
Related: 12 Counterintuitive Health Tips
Court chance
Another reason good fortune seems to find certain people is that they make themselves easy to find, says Tania Luna, a researcher at Hunter College in New York City and author of the new book Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected. “Lucky people court chance by breaking routine, saying yes more often and meeting people beyond their circle,” she notes.
Indeed, Wiseman has learned that lucky people cultivate lots of friends and acquaintances. In one study, he showed hundreds of participants a list of common last names and asked them to indicate if they were on a first-name basis with at least one person who had each surname. Of the subjects who considered themselves lucky, nearly 50 percent ticked eight names or more. Only 25 percent of unlucky people could do the same.
“Lucky people talk to lots of people, attract people to them and keep in touch,” Wiseman says. “These habits result in a ‘network of luck,’ creating potential for fortuitous connections.”
But if striking up small talk with strangers isn’t your style, you can still create that advantage, Luna says: “Reach out to an old friend you haven’t seen since high school. Or invite a colleague to join you at a new lunch spot. The idea is to move outside your comfort zone.”
Colleen Seifert, PhD, a cognitive scientist and a professor at the University of Michigan, echoes Luna’s advice to get out of your everyday rut, which could mean attending a conference, for example, or volunteering at a political fundraiser—even signing up for scuba-diving lessons. “Throwing a little chaos into your life opens you up to a chance encounter,” she explains. That person could end up being your soul mate, future business partner or just someone you chat with for five minutes and never see again. But that’s OK. The goal is to stay open to possibilities.
Look for silver linings
Here’s a novel way to boost your success: Find the value in bad luck. Even if something doesn’t turn out the way you wanted, consider that it may be a blessing in disguise, Luna says.
“When you reframe a situation in your mind, your brain actually processes it differently,” she explains. For a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Luna showed kids emotionally intense images—like a dog growling and a boy crying—while measuring the activity in their brains. Then she showed them the same images again and offered a reassuring explanation for each, like “This dog is defending a little girl” and “This boy has just been reunited with his mom.” The participants’ brains exhibited a dramatic drop in activity in the amygdala—the part of the brain that processes fear. “It was like they were seeing completely different photos,” she says.
Lucky people reframe negative experiences in a similar way. When they hit a stumbling block, they’re more likely to transform it into a positive event, Wiseman says, which helps them maintain their optimism and continue taking chances. “They have an uncanny ability to cope with adversity,” he says, “and even thrive in spite of it.”
To build that type of resilience, Luna recommends facing your next setback with a series of questions that will help you move forward: What’s one bright side effect? What have I learned from the experience? What do I want now? And how can I get it?
“Lucky people know that with uncertainty comes opportunity,” Luna says. “Fortunately for everyone else, shifting how you perceive things is a trainable skill.” The more quickly you can bounce back from a blow, the sooner you’ll be able to spot your next big break, and the more likely you’ll be to go for it.
Related: How Healthy Is Your Home State?
Trust your gut
Elizabeth B. remembers her luckiest moment as if it happened yesterday: She was driving home to New York from her parents’ house in Pennsylvania a few years ago when something told her to stop and buy a lotto ticket. “I never, ever play the lottery,” she says, “but the idea popped into my head and I listened.” After she pulled over, a terrible accident occurred just ahead on the road: “A pickup had crossed into my lane and crashed into a guardrail. If I hadn’t stopped, my car would have been totaled.”
Maybe Elizabeth’s pit stop was an incredibly fortuitous fluke. Or maybe her intuition had warned her to get away from an erratic driver approaching in the distance.
She can’t be sure. But what scientists do know is that we process far more visual information and other sensory details than we consciously realize, which sometimes leads to instincts we can’t explain.
Lucky people listen to those hunches, Wiseman says. His research shows that 80 percent of them use their intuition as a guiding rod in their careers, and 90 percent trust their gut in personal relationships.
“Intuitive feelings are faster than normal forms of thinking,” explains Karla Starr, an expert in the psychology of luck and the author of an upcoming book on the subject. They often hit you on a visceral level before your consciousness catches up.
A study by the U.K.’s Medical Research Council demonstrated the power of these subtle physical signals. Researcher Barnaby Dunn, PhD, asked his subjects to play a game, turning over cards from four decks, while he monitored their heart rates. What the folks didn’t know was that the game was rigged: Two of the decks were stacked with high-value cards, and two were stacked with bad cards.
After just a few rounds, the players’ heart rates dipped when they went near the high-value decks—indicating that their bodies had identified the difference in the decks before their minds suspected a thing.
The trick to tapping into that sixth sense is trusting your instincts. Wiseman has found that lucky people are more apt to do activities that help them tune in to their inner voice, like meditating and taking walks.
A gut check can improve your luck in another way, too, Starr says: “It can help you act more decisively.” In other words, a hunch about your fate may be just the bump in confidence you need to reach for the stars—and make them align.
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You drift off at night like a newborn baby yet can’t recall the last time you woke up truly refreshed. It may not seem that weird: “People tend to assume that because our modern lives are so hectic, nobody feels rested,” says Meir Kryger, MD, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine. But the reality is, you might have a sleep disorder and not even know it. There are a handful of problems that can cheat you out of quality slumber, leaving you more tired in the morning than you were when you went to bed. Find out what could be going on between your sheets and how to catch more restorative z’s, starting tonight.
Sleep Problem No. 1: You snore like a saw
Those snuffle-snorts mean that your slack tongue and throat muscles are narrowing your airway, possibly due to the shape of your soft palate or any extra weight you’re carrying.
Although you’re likely to wake up if you get short of breath, it may not be for long enough to remember. Some people wake dozens or even hundreds of times a night—a disorder known as sleep apnea that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and possibly osteoporosis, according to a new study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. “Those repeated awakenings are as disruptive as someone pinching you every two minutes all night long,” says Safwan Badr, MD, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.
Sleep aid: If you rarely wake up feeling bright-eyed, see a specialist to get checked for sleep apnea.(Three to 9 percent of women between the ages of 30 and 70 suffer from it.) If you have the condition, a CPAP machine and mask can help by keeping your pharynx open with a steady stream of air.
To quiet your snore, avoid rolling onto your back—a position that makes your airway more likely to collapse. Rachel Salas, MD, associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, suggests this little trick: Sew a tennis ball into the pocket of a sweatshirt and wear it backward to bed.
RELATED: 14 Reasons You’re Always Tired
Sleep Problem No. 2: You grind your teeth
Do you wake up with a sore jaw or get chronic headaches? If so, you may be gnashing your ivories overnight. All that clenching can cause enough pain to interfere with your shut-eye (not to mention wear down your enamel). Experts believe that teeth grinding, which about 16 percent of us do, is associated with anxiety—though an abnormal bite and antidepressants can also play a role.
Sleep aid: A dentist will fit you with a mouth guard. If you’re clamping down because you’re overwhelmed and overloaded, find a healthier way to manage stress, urges Michael A. Grandner, PhD, an instructor in psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s also crucial to spend plenty of time winding down before bed so you drift off in a calm, relaxed state,” he adds.
RELATED: 11 Signs You’re Sleep Deprived
Sleep Problem No. 3: Your body clock is off
Not even drowsy until the wee hours? Delayed sleep-phase syndrome (DSPS) is the technical term for this disorder, which afflicts 10 percent of people who seek help for insomnia. It involves a biological glitch that prevents your body from making melatonin (the sleep hormone) until 12 a.m. or later. A prime sign you’ve got DSPS: You’ve been a night owl since high school. The syndrome is common among teenagers and sometimes persists into adulthood. If you’re not squeezing in at least seven hours of z’s a night, you’re at greater risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. What’s more, a recent study published in Cognitive Therapy and Research found that people who nod off late (and get less sleep as a result) tend to experience more negative thoughts.
Sleep aid: Begin by improving your sleep hygiene. Cut back on caffeine. Avoid tech and television starting 90 minutes before bedtime. Create a soothing wind-down routine. And get some sun first thing in the morning to help reset your body’s 24-hour rhythm. “In 80 percent of cases, these strategies lead people to conk out earlier,” Dr. Badr says. If they don’t do the trick, a specialist may prescribe synthetic melatonin, as well as light therapy with a medical lamp to use in the morning.
RELATED: 20 Things You Shouldn’t Do Before Bed
Sleep Problem No. 4: Your legs feel jittery at night
That creepy-crawly feeling—aptly called Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)—troubles as many as 1 in 10 people and is thought to be linked to a dysfunction in the way the brain processes the neurotransmitter dopamine. However, in some cases it suggests a nutritional deficiency, Dr. Kryger notes: “With people who have low iron, there seems to be overactivity in parts of the brain that results in an urge to move the legs.”
Sleep aid: Ice packs, warm packs, massages, a bath—any of these remedies might help, says David N. Neubauer, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: “Different things seem to work for different people.”
Also, talk to a sleep doc about trying an RLS drug. Be sure to mention your current prescriptions because some meds (including certain antidepressants) reduce dopamine activity. Get your iron levels checked, too, Dr. Gardner advises: “Sometimes a supplement is the only treatment necessary.”
Sleep Problem No. 5: You sleepwalk—and even sleep eat
For reasons that aren’t completely understood, somnambulists are partially aroused in the night—often from the deepest stage of slumber (called slow-wave)—and proceed to wander around the house. The behavior, which may affect up to 4 percent of the population, appears to run in families and is more likely to occur with sleep deprivation. Another trigger: taking zolpidem (one of the most popular sedatives), according to Robert S. Rosenberg, DO, author of Sleep Soundly Every Night; Feel Fantastic Every Day.
Additionally, 1 to 3 percent of people who experience such a zombie-like state actually raid the kitchen. Called sleep-related eating disorder, this condition often strikes women on a diet, who go to bed hungry.
Sleep aid: Benzodiazepines (aka tranquilizers) can sometimes help, and so does getting more sleep. As long as your nocturnal adventures don’t involve anything risky (like, for example, baking cookies), you may not need medication, Rosenberg says: “Just make sure you safety-proof your home by clearing out clutter and stowing away sharp objects.” If you’re a nighttime roamer, let your partner know that the ideal approach is to gently lead you back to bed.
RELATED: Best and Worst Foods for Sleep
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Want Sofia Vergara’s round, firm, sexy butt? Her trainer, Anna Kaiser, of AKT InMotion, shows how to do Vergara’s favorite booty-boosting move—the super-effective Screwdriver—in this InStyle video.
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In just one move, you can tighten up your calves, thighs, butt, back—everything! In this video from InStyle, Anna Kaiser of AKT InMotion—Parker’s trainer—shows you how to get Parker’s amazingly toned and taut bod, with only the help of a resistance band.
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Tone and sculpt a flat, tight stomach with this simple stretch from Sofia Vergara’s trainer, Anna Kaiser, of AKT InMotion. In this video from InStyle, Kaiser demonstrates the exact move Vergara does to whittle down her waist and show off her killer curves—no equipment necessary.
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Paltrow’s bod just keeps looking better and better, and she has trainer (and Health contributing editor) Tracy Anderson, to thank for it. This video from InStyle shows two Paltrow-approved moves for defining arms, core, and legs and creating a firm, feminine physique in no time flat.
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Just call her Kelly Ripped! The TV host’s got some of the strongest arms in show business. Sculpt sexy shoulders and tone everything from your triceps to biceps with this move from her trainer, Anna Kaiser, of AKT InMotion. Check it out in this InStyle video.
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This hardcore move is worth the effort: You’ll tone your back, arms, and shoulders all in one fell swoop and get Sarah Jessica Parker’s super-sculpted upper-body look as a result. Anna Kaiser of AKT InMotion, Parker’s trainer, shows you how in this video from InStyle.
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All that stands between you and and Williams’s super-toned biceps, shoulders, and triceps (no batwings here) are two light dumbbells and these go-to moves from Julie Ann Earls, a trainer at Exhale in New York City, where Williams works out. Check them out in this video from InStyle.
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These do-it-all power meals can burn fat and calories, and keep you satisfied all day long.
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