Author Archives: Fitness_Magazine

5 Beauty Secrets for the Holiday Season

It’s time to start decking the halls— and decking yourself for all the holiday parties in the coming month. Here, genius hair and makeup tips from Lindsay Watts, cosmetology expert and teacher at Empire Beauty Schools that’ll leave you dazzling, stat.

What’s the easiest hairstyle to whip together for a holiday party?

Keep six to eight bobby pins on hand in your desk— you can do almost anything with this little handful of lifesavers. Twist a quick messy bun at the back of your head, secure with the pins, and you have a perfect up-do that looks effortless but flattering. To make it a little more interesting, do the same technique, but pull the hair to the side of your head, sweeping strands to one side in the front: stunning!

What’s the hot party nail look this season?

There are so many great nail trends right now. I always love red nails for holiday and crimson is a great color for long-lasting gel manicures, which are super high-shine. Some nail technicians are actually rubbing grit buffers over these shades for a more matte look. These manicures will take you right through the whole holiday season, and with all the extra things on your to-do list, there’s no better time to have a manicure that you can forget about for two weeks. (more…)

Treat Back Pain by Staying Active

Two women walking ourdoors for fitnessBy Elena Rover for Fitness Magazine

There’s nothing like all-consuming back pain to make you want to become one with the couch. If you’ve been there, you know what we mean. If not, consider yourself lucky: It’s pretty easy to push your back’s intricately entwined bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments out of their comfort zone. “We see a lot of women in their 20s and 30s coming in with back pain because they’ve returned to a sport out of condition or suddenly upped their exercise intensity,” says Daveed Frazier, MD, an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. “Our bodies just aren’t designed to absorb the abuse we give them.”

When pain strikes, your initial response might be to rest. “But even just a few days of lying idle can lead to deconditioning and further harm,” says Roger Chou, MD, director of clinical guidelines development for the American Pain Society (APS). “Staying active helps keep the muscles and tendons loose and strong.” In fact, the thinking about back pain has shifted so much that the APS and the American College of Physicians recently released new treatment guidelines. Read on for the latest in pain prevention.

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Find Your Next Workout Buddy Online

Fitness Magazine’s Alexa Cortese looks beyond her circle of friends for a workout buddy by looking online at some of the newest social media sites.

Research continues to support the idea that we all need a little support to keep us motivated and accountable when it comes to fitness. If you don’t have a friend, co-worker, or family member readily available to join your next stretch, try some of these ideas to find a perfect match.

View Find a Fitness Buddy Slideshow

See more from Fitness Magazine:

8 Ways to Get Your Kids Fit

Why a Virtual Workout Buddy Gives You More Motivation

Fitness Magazine on Facebook

5 Moves for a Crunchless Ab Workout

Fitness Magazine’s model Sarah, a trainer in New York City, maintains tight abdominals by running intervals, biking, and swimming regularly.

Sarah shares some of her favorite ab workouts with us. The best part is that they don’t require doing those dreaded crunches!

These ab workouts are ideal no matter if your fitness level is beginner, intermediate or advanced.

View Crunchless Ab Workouts Slideshow (more…)