Latham Thomas

1. Get Twisted: Spinal twists in yoga are a great way to keep your spine supple and cleanse your internal organs while lengthening the obliques and creating a leaner waistline.

Twists stimulate circulation and have a cleansing and refreshing effect on the middle organs, glands, and spine. When we release the twist, fresh blood flows in, carrying oxygen and the building blocks for tissue healing.

Begin by sitting sideways on a stable chair. Take a moment to ground your sitting bones and draw your spine straight up toward the ceiling. Begin twisting from the lower back and let the twist unfold, rotating toward the back of the chair and turning your head. Breathe deeply and twist deeper, then release and twist in the other direction.

2. Snack Smart: Schedule snacks between meals to sustain energy, instead of grazing anytime you’re bored. If you keep your blood sugar stable, you’re less likely to crave fatty, processed foods or to over eat at mealtime. Eating balanced snacks is key. An apple isn’t going to provide you much sustained energy, but an apple followed by a handful of almonds will give you energy that lasts because the fat content in the almonds slows the burn of the fruit sugar.

Other smart snacks include edamame, unsalted nuts, seeds, veggies and hummus.

Latham Thomas

3. Discover Your Roots: Root vegetables provide carbohydrates, minerals (such as potassium and phosphorus), small amounts of iron, vitamin C, fiber, plant chemicals and a cornucopia of carotenoids beyond beta-carotene.

One cup of turnip or rutabaga supplies as much vitamin C as one grapefruit or half an orange. Volume for volume and calorie for calorie, roots supply more nutrients and fewer calories than grains. Their soluble fiber will make your belly feel more satisfied, aid weight loss, and keep you regular.

Some suggestions for root veggies include roasted beets, butternut squash soup, maple glazed acorn squash, and whipped turnips.

4. Walk Off  the Weight: In colder weather, we find it more challenging to get out and ride a bike or go for a run. Try integrating walking into your daily routine; setting aside 30-40 minutes daily for brisk outdoor walking. Walking briskly will bump up your energy by increasing oxygen levels while releasing endorphins. Any activity that causes your heart to pump will increase your daily calorie burn significantly and aid in your weight loss.

5. Get Your H20: We constantly dehydrate ourselves by forgetting to drink water, and by drinking caffeinated beverages, smoking, eating processed foods, etc. Carry a water bottle with you daily. Drinking water aids in weight loss. The liver’s job is to convert stored fat to energy. Unfortunately, the liver also picks up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity.

Image credit: Latham Thomas

Post from: Hot Mama Daily

A yoga posture.

“Dedicating 2.5 or 3 hours a week to your body is important,” Malfitano says.

The yoga instructor explains that each posture has a physical benefit such as massaging the internal organs and stimulating the circulatory system. 

From a mind/body standpoint, yoga’s focus on the breath is particularly helpful to New Yorkers.  “We need to leave the external and go [within],” she says.  Additionally, yoga can help:

• Build strength
• Improve your posture and flexibility
• Create longer, leaner muscles
• Speed up your metabolism
• Lose weight
• Enhance your balance
• Recover from injury and chronic pain
• Reduce stress
• Have more energy and passion
• Experience a new level of emotional calm and mental clarity
• Open yourself to the process of transformation
• Enjoy life more

YogaWorks has several locations in New York City and offers a yoga class for “every mood” and every style. As an introductory offer, new students can enjoy 10 consecutive days of classes for $20. Individual classes are regularly $22 or save by purchasing an monthly membership class card for $100.

Click here  for YogaWorks’ class schedules and more information.  

Image credit: Tender Shoots Wellness

Post from: Hot Mama Daily

The Yummie Tummie Story

Created by fashion designer and celebrity stylist Heather Thomson — the creative force behind P. Diddy’s Sean John line, Beyoncé’s fashion lines, and Jennifer Lopez’s Sweetface brand — Yummie Tummie gives a smoother appearance and is more comfortable than Spanx or a traditional girdle.  When Thomson became frustrated with the existing shapewear options available to her and her clients – all of which compressed the bust, didn’t stay in place, and were horribly uncomfortable and unflattering – she created an innovative way to fight the battle of the tummy bulge.  

How It Works

Yummie Tummie tank tops and t-shirts are made with a patent-pending dual fabric technology, and its extra bonus comes from its same-tone, firm control midsection panel, which smoothes and shapes your stomach and hips, erasing pounds from your frame, and concealing any lumps and bumps. Because that panel is made with a microfiber fabric that actually wicks moisture away, you will always feel cool and comfortable.  And since they’re made with sleek, non-cling yarns, Yummie Tummie tanks and t-shirts never roll or ride up. 

In addition to making you look 5 lbs. slimmer, the body contouring tops provide core stability, a benefit also derived from taking a yoga or Pilates class. No wonder celebs including Tyra Banks, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Jennifer Lopez love their Yummie Tummies.

The Hot Mama Test

I received a long-sleeved black t-shirt ($82) and a white tank top ($62). I wore the white tank around all day today and, unlike a girdle, it didn’t feel constricting.  I didn’t even have to wear a bra because it fits so snugly.  My tummy felt flatter and to my surprise the tank absorbed any moisture.  I plan to wear Yummie Tummie the next time I get dressed up and need extra support. So it gets the Hot Mama thumbs up!

To order yours, go to Yummie Tummie’s website.

Photo credit: Yummie Tummie

Post from: Hot Mama Daily