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The Most Beautifully Bodies Celebs Reveal Their Workout Secrets

There are stars and there are super stars, and some others who shine brighter than the rest. This is what you think when you see Cameron Diaz flaunting her legs in a minidress, Megan Fox’s flash her abs on screen, Kim Kardashian’s butt in a hot bikini, and Jada Pinkett’s ripped arms in a bodysuit. These are the workout moves that helped these stars shape their captivating assets:

Diaz’s traffic stopping legs are some of the best in Hollywood. Her trainer, Teddy Bass shares her secret thigh trimming moves: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at chest. Squat. Rise to start. Step left into a side lunge, left leg bent at the knee, right leg straight. Shift weight to right foot; step left leg behind right in a curtsy. Repeat. Return to start. That’s one rep. Aim for two sets of 15 with each leg.

Kardashian’s bootylicious body looks sensational and creates a stir wherever she goes but she swears by this work-out move that makes her clothes fit a little more snug around her butt and things: Stand on an unstable surface, like a CorDisc or BOSU, with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a weight in each hand at shoulders. Keeping abs engaged to stay steady, squat. Return to standing. Repeat. Do 2 sets of 16 reps.

Fox is stunning all-over but her best asset is still her abs and she confesses that she is not one for workouts. But this workout routine helped her get her Transformer abs: Start with warm up exercises like butterfly crunches. Then go in for 15 minutes of high intensity bicycle kicks, mini leg lifts, knee ups, standing leg lifts, and ball leg lifts. Then cool down with 30-45 minutes of cycling, which burns the fatty acids released during the work out. This alternate fast and extended slow movement routine is great for burning tummy fat.

Pinkett has some seriously ripped arms that still look feminine. This is how she gets her sculpted arms: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weighted bar in front of hips, palms facing forward (you can also use dumbbells). Curl bar to your shoulders, then extend arms overhead. Keeping upper arms still and abs tight, bend elbows and lower bar behind head. Straighten arms, then slowly lower bar to starting position and repeat. Do 4 sets of 10 reps.

Hope these workout secrets do the trick for your assets!

Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_12_28/ai_n32429293/

http://www.self.com/healthystars/2011/06/stars-favorite-workout-moves-slideshow?slide=5#slide=5

http://www.ehow.com/how_5310797_abs-like-megan-fox.html

Oscar Worthy Fitness Lessons

From the best and the worst of red carpet looks to who finally  walks away with the golden statuette, there’s a lot to look out for during the Oscars. Apart from the gossip and excitement, there’s also a lot we can learn about staying fit, eating right and looking like a million dollars. Agreed we do not have the time, money or legendary personal trainers to match what these stars do for their red carpet look but here are some valuable lessons that can motivate us to step up our everyday look:

Lesson Learnt# 1- Accept Your Body: Toned abs is not a luxury but a must-have for the Oscar night. However, amidst a bevy of toned celebs, not-so-toned actresses like Octavia Spencer and Melissa McCarthy managed to shine in their plus sized figures and we love that. They both agree that their bodies are work-in-progress and it’s something that’s important to them but they don’t spend every waking moment obsessing about it. A balanced body image is the  right approach towards healthy living.

Lesson Learnt# 2- Understand Your Body: As expected we were bowled over by svelte figures of Stacy Kielber, Maria Menousas and many more. If that steps it up for you, start with understanding the muscle groups in your body because a toned body will result from working all of these. Use a combination of exercise routines with a mix of weights, long cardio, short spikes of intense cardio and cross-training so that your body and metabolism is challenged in new ways.

Lesson Learnt# 3: Limit alcohol and packaged foods: George Clooney is reportedly on a no alcohol spree since the New Years. Along with cleansing your liver, a no-alcohol and no-processed food diet works amazingly well for flat belly results. If a total denial seems too harsh, limit intake to once a week for 4-6 weeks and see visible results.

Lesson Learnt# 4: Control stress & get sleep: Fluid retention and inflammation can result from stress and lack of sleep that can contribute to puffy eyes and extra padding on the waistline. Get 7-8 hours of sleep and practice meditation and yoga techniques to decrease stress. To fight bloats and a puffy stomach, try and go on a cleanse. Unless you are an anxious Oscar nominee, don’t stay on the pin and needles before a big day where you want to look good.

Lesson Learnt# 5- Dress For Your Now Body: Even the fittest of celebrities get it wrong sometimes so make sure you dress for your age and body type. We love Meryl Streep’s age appropriate look this year, which flaunts no arms and cleavage. Again don’t sweat for the lack of a stylist, since it is easy to find flattering styles. Get clothes that fit comfortably with no muffin tops. Remember monochromes create straight lines and breaks attention away from bulges.

Scary Skinny: How Thin is Too Thin?

Every woman, no matter how skinny she really is, secretly wants to lose a few pounds in certain places, but its important not to give in to an unhealthy obsession with weight. Hollywood and the fashion industry seems to have set the standard impossibly low, making many women think that a size 0, or even smaller, is the healthy and beautiful size to be. This misconception is reinforced by the delusional protestations of healthiness coming from obviously sick starlets like LeAnne Rimes and Ali Lohan. But what are the REAL facts on weight?

First of all, what counts as underweight? The conventional knowledge is that women who have a BMI of less than 18.5 are considered to be underweight. This would mean that many of those “enviable” models you see strutting their toothpick legs on the runway are actually at risk for the following side effects:

- Muscle weakness and fatigue are side effects of being underweight. You may also lose muscle mass if you are too thin, because your body starts to use your muscles as fuel.

- Hair loss is a side effect of being underweight, because your body does not have enough nutrients to grow healthy hair.

- Osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass, is more common in very thin women. Those who don’t eat enough might be low in the nutrients calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for strong bones.

- Being underweight lowers your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is too low you might feel tired, have dizzy spells and actually faint.

- Irregular menstrual periods and difficulty getting pregnant are side effects of being underweight, because your hormonal system is disrupted from lack of nutrients.

- Being too thin, especially if you are approaching middle age, will age your face. When you lose weight, you also lose the fat in your face that reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

We at Lichi promote a safe, healthy weight maintenance program. Though for many of us, putting weight on is not a problem, we must also keep in mind that from fat comes fuel for our bodies. Please visit www.lichidietplan.com to find out more about finding the right healthy balance for your body type!

Worlds Most Influential Women On Their Bodies

Think you are the only one who struggles with self-confidence and body image issues? You are not alone! Some of the world’s most influential women like Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Lady Gaga, Oprah, Ellen Degeneres, Beyonce Knowles, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Lopez have openly discussed their struggles with self-confidence and body image. Many celebrated and influential women like them consider healthy weight management as one of their biggest achievements. Remember Jennifer Hudson saying “I’m prouder of my weight loss than my Oscar!” after winning the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Dreamgirls.

See what some of the most influential women today have to say about maintaining a balanced perspective about their bodies and living a healthy lifestyle:

“I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy, and it will ripple and benefit my kids, my husband, and my physical health. That’s hard for women to own; we’re not taught to do that. It’s a lesson that I want to teach my girls so they don’t wait for their “aha” moment until they’re in their 30s like I was (laughs).” -Michelle Obama

“Getting my lifelong weight struggle under control has come from a process of treating myself as well as I treat others in every way.” – Oprah

“What we have to do… is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities.”- Hillary Clinton

“I’m with a man who’s evolved enough to look at my body and see it as more beautiful, because of the journey it has taken and what it has created. He genuinely sees it that way. So I genuinely feel even sexier.” - Angelina Jolie

“I was always very comfortable with who I was. Confident. I’ve never looked at myself [my body] in a negative way. Just like anybody I try to watch what I eat – there’s no big science to it, which is what sucks. One of the good tricks is to have a goal – for me it may be getting in shape for a video shoot. The other is portion control. I love to eat everything and you pretty much can – a little piece of something fattening is not going to kill you. It’s when you eat the whole box that it’s going to kill you. If you can learn to not eat till your stomach feels full and gross, then you can pretty much control your life in that area.”- Jennifer Lopez

“Food used to be really important to me. I loved steak, I loved hamburgers, I loved all that stuff. I can’t believe how irresponsible I was, eating what I ate … I want to be on my toes; I want to have energy. And as much as the [vegan] diet seems like a sacrifice, it’s helping me.”- Ellen Degeneres

“Beauty is not just physical,” she says. “It’s about what you stand for, how you live your life. And as long as I don’t veer too far off from the woman I want to be, then I don’t think this”—she runs her finger over a scar—“can make me any less of what I was before I got it.” - Halle Berry

“I really believe that everyone is supposed to be different, and whatever is a natural weight for you is usually what looks best. I never want to get to that point where it’s not natural. […] I think it’s important to feel like a woman, as well as look like a woman.” - Beyonce Knowles

“You know I am totally confident about my talent, I am totally confident that I am an incredible artist and performer. “I have complete faith in myself in so many ways, absolutely. “I love the way I look, I am extremely confident about my body, the way I dress, the way I want to look.” - Lady Gaga

“Sometimes I’m running and get passed by a 70-year-old woman with a better body,” Handler claims. But still, “I can’t be skinny all the time. I like to drink and I like to eat. I like burgers and bagels.” - Chelsea Handler

5 Dangers Of Extreme Dieting & Celebrities Who Swear Off Them

It’s not only the red carpet set that falls prey to extreme diets but many of us yo-yo dieters have most likely tried some form of extreme dieting, maybe to fit into a bridesmaids dress, look fabulous for a high school reunion or to get ready for a beach holiday. Lightening-speed weight loss methods can wreck serious health hazards and even celebrities who tried them, have openly acknowledged the evils of extreme dieting. This is one of the reasons, we at Lichi, believe in healthy and natural weight-loss that is gradual and sustainable, supported by a wholesome diet. Here’re 5 dangers of extreme diets and celebrities, from Beyonce to Angelina Jolie, who swear not to revisit them:

Chronic health problems: Denying your body certain food groups mean that you are depriving yourself of some essential vitamins and nutrient, which affect your health and overall appearance. Diet deficiencies can cause short-term problems like brittle nails, sallow skin, hair loss, extreme skin dryness, and anemia.  Worse still, long term deficiencies and eating disorders can lead to low blood pressure, heart problem (irregular breathing), osteoporosis, kidney disorders, bone fractures, and cavities.

Lowered Metabolism: When you are not consuming enough calories, your metabolism rate drops. So your body goes into a starvation mode, and holds onto whatever you eat for future energy stores. Then the moment you stop dieting and get back to a regular diet, your body is incapable of burning off those calories, wrapping you up in a lifelong cycle of weight loss and weight gain.

Reduced cognitive skills: Extreme dieting can interfere with your ability to concentrate on task at hand, weakens immune systems, and reduces energy levels, leading to decreased productivity and absenteeism from work.

Emotional problems: Extreme dieting is often linked to poor body image and low self-esteem, which affects your ability to socialize and have meaningful relationships. This is further complicated by the lack of positive brain chemical production such as seratonin and dopamine, which are supported in your body by a healthy diet.  Skipping groups of food can also lead you to ostracize yourself from social events involving food.

Lifelong weight problems: According to NEDA, 95 percent of extreme dieters regain lost weight and this makes them susceptible to weight-related conditions such as obesity, cholesterol problems and heart disease. Food deprivation is also likely to set off crazy cravings later on, tempting you to binge eat, and keeping you in an unhealthy body weight loop for the long run.

The pressure to lose weight is multiplied by the fact that Hollywood and the fashion industry equate beauty with thinness, but even though their lives demand it, many A-listers are seen shying away from extreme weight loss measures. Here is a look at some celebs who have sworn away from an extreme diet and are happier for it:

Beyonce lost 20 lbs for her role in “Dreamgirls”, by going on a maple syrup based cleanse. She quickly gained back the lost weight after she stopped the diet and advises her fans to not try this one out.

Kourtney Kardashian wanted to loose weight quickly for a photo shoot post-pregnancy and kept pushing herself to exercise without any food and landed up in the hospital. She gave up on pushing herself to the extreme and regained her healthy cover girl body and plans to stay that way.

Portia Di Rossi looks naturally skinny but confesses to living on 300 calories a day to loose weight due to her weight obsession. After she dipped to under 100 lbs, she got help and fixed her obsession to get a healthier body.

Vegan diets are known to have turned Hollywood hotties like Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox painfully thin. Angelina snapped out of it last year and has confessed her love for red meat…and recently a more filled out and extremely radiant Megan was spotted after discarding her vegan diet.

Whatever your weight-loss goals are, extreme dieting is never the way to go. So incorporate healthier weight-loss solutions and supplements and back it up with a sound diet and exercise regime to keep the weight off, and radiate beauty and health inside out.

How These Celebrities Stay Fit and Fabulous Over 40

You may think it doesn’t take a genius to figure this one out. They are all stars blessed with good genes and the rest can be easily fixed with million dollar nips and tucks. But some stars do it better than others, holding on to their youth and perfect bodies by following a balanced and healthy lifestyle that not only makes them look good on the outside but keeps them fit and energized on the inside as well, seemingly forever. Here’s how our top-of-the list stay fabulous in their 40s:

Sandra Bullock: You wouldn’t believe she turned 47 this week by looking at her. She didn’t get to look that way by fluke; after all she has been smart about maintaining her diet and exercise regime over the years, mixing up her workouts with bit of pilates, kick-boxing and strength training to make sure that her body never hits a plateau. And she indulges in everything from cheeseburgers to chocolates, but not all the time. She sticks to a chalked out meal plan with plenty of veggies, complex carbs and proteins and gives herself one cheat day a week. Her fitness trainer Eden Paul says she does a lot of lunges and squats for her lower body. Her secret: don’t get beat up about missed workouts, just make the most of it!

Salma Hayek: This curvaceous and exotic actress maintains her full-figured look with portion control. She eats whatever she likes in measured portions without ever letting herself feel deprived by going on a starvation diet. But she confesses that she has a real body where she fights cellulite just like the rest of us so she is very cautious about what she puts in her mouth. And then she hits the gym hard…being a gymnast she is inclined towards resistance training and flexibility based exercises. Her secret: She tries hard because she doesn’t think her body is anywhere close to perfection.

Cindy Crawford works on being 80% good, 80% of the times as she puts it. She likes to eat healthy and set a good example for her daughter to follow. Her typical day starts with oatmeal and blueberries for breakfast, salad with chicken and shrimp for lunch and fish and veggies for dinner. She gives in to a little chocolate fix once in a while. He loves hiking to burn off calories and does vibration training to reduce cellulite. Her secret: She never falls off the wagon, it’s about maintaining a healthy body weight and good habits.

Halle Berry: One of the all-time sexiest Bond girls maintains her toned body with a mix of a good diet plan and body sculpting workouts. She follows the Five Factor Diet which lets you eat low-fat, low-glycemic carbs and high protein meals five times a day with no counting or measuring and incorporates forty five minutes of a daily workout plan involving cardio, strength training and maintenance exercises. Being naturally athletic, she loves jogging in the mornings and playing baseball. Her secret: Taking fitness seriously with super healthy habits, no slip-ups and lots of sports.

In fitness one size doesn’t fit all so its worthwhile to find a celebrity whose personal fitness style inspires you and use that as a source of motivation to help you look nearly as fabulous when you hit your 40 year old mark.

Pack A Punch To Your Workout With Power Yoga

Power yoga delivered the more relaxed style of stretching and breathing techniques practiced in traditional forms of yoga to modern gyms. With a more rigorous fitness based approach, power yoga is the latest craze among fitness enthusiasts, going beyond the promise of physical fitness to improving mind-body balance, flexibility, immunity and inner confidence. Power yoga also breaks away from the structured sets of poses, which is the norm and makes it more fluid and adaptable for your personal fitness goals.

With the radical and iconoclastic Lady Gaga to all-time diva Madonna swearing by the hand of yoga in empowering their lives and artistic performance value, let’s see how and why power yoga can benefit you:

• Bolstering stamina and strength: Vigorous moves in power yoga can help improve muscle tone and strength and even the less intense ones focused on alignment to deliver the same results. Popular upper body strengthening poses include downward dog, upward dog, and the plank pose. The standing poses, especially if you hold them for several long breaths, build strength in your hamstrings, quadriceps, and abdominal muscles. Poses that strengthen the lower back include upward dog and the chair pose. The icing on the cake is that most poses when practiced correctly build core strength in the deep abdominal muscles for shapely abs.

Try this downward dog tricep push-up for a totally different tricep twist: Knell on all fours with forearms on the ground parallel to each other. Straighten legs and lift hips up, pressing chest towards thighs, inhale and press palms as you straighten arms about half way. Rotating triceps outwards exhale and hold body in that position. Inhale and slowly lower elbows to the ground. Continue with 10 reps.

• Improve flexibility: Yoga poses safely stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons resulting in a sense of ease and fluidity throughout your body by releasing lactic acid that builds up with muscle use and causing stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue.

From the downward dog pose, bring the right foot forward next to the right hand. Pivot on the ball of the left foot and drop the left heel on to the floor with the toes turned out about 45 degrees from the heel. Bend the right knee directly over the right ankle, so that your thigh is parallel to the floor. Draw the right hip back and the left hip forward, so that the hips are squared to the front. Bring the arms out to the side and up. Bring your palms to touch and gaze up toward the thumbs, coming into a slight backbend. Slide the shoulder blades down the back.

• Relaxation and peace of mind: The most immediate outcome of yoga is a relaxed mind with more focus and better mind-body stability. Some yoga styles use specific meditation techniques to quiet the mind while the breathing techniques underlying all yoga poses calm the mind by focusing the mind of the breath. Scientific study shows lowering levels of neurotransmitters leading to a feeling of calm, and a decrease in catecholamines or the stress hormone and increase in oxytocin helping people feel happy and ready to connect. Performers feel that power yoga can bring out the best in their performances and ability to connect with audiences because of these changes in their biochemical make-up.

For a great way to relax try this sounded relaxation technique: Lie face up with feet slightly wider than hips, knee bent and resting against each other. Cross arms over your chest and hug yourself and close your eyes. Lower chin towards your chest to release the back of the neck, inhale and count to 8, then pause and hold your breath for 4 counts. Exhale opening your mouth making a big sound to release air. Do 5 reps.

• Better posture and form: The body’s posture improves as your core muscles strengthen with these exercises and you tend to stand taller and sit straighter with more muscle tone in your body.

Power yoga can do wonders in terms of combating chronic medical conditions, insomnia, improve energy levels, sharpen learning and memory, and helping you overcome emotional stressors. Incorporated correctly into our fitness routine, power yoga improves the overall quality of your life and wellbeing!

5 Motivational Tips from the Fittest Celebrities & Their Trainers

It’s mid-way through the summer, and if you haven’t already achieved your fitness goals, there is a possibility that self-doubt, or defeat, may be starting to set in. Staying motivated is the key to achieving any goal, and to help curtail the urge just to throw in the towel. We have got some great quotes, to get your head back in the game.

Tip# 1: Believe in yourself

Think of what motivates biggest loser contestants keep coming back for every session. As celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel says, “ Believe in yourself and your to overcome whatever physical, mental and emotional challenges you face. Believe in yourself, the rest will follow”…This means that whether it is the last 5 minutes of a workout or shedding the last 10 pounds, have unwavering faith in yourself to get there. Beyonce keeps herself motivated with a painting of an Oscar near her treadmill at the gym to remind her that she is running towards her goal. Beyonce foresees an Oscar in her future and says, “I look at it, and I’m like OK, I have to stay in shape.” Find what goals motivate you.

Tip # 2 Be your own inspiration

Kristi Alley says “My trainer told me to stick pics of myself the way I like to look on my fridge and in my car… I am looking for those today. Good idea!” Design your own motivational messages on posters or keep pictures of that time you were 30 pounds slimmer to serve as reminders of your goals. Instead of looking outwards for motivation, look within yourself and keep reminders of where you want to go.

Tip #3 Be Competitive: Competition Breeds Success

Instead of working out all alone, encourage a friend to workout with you to make your workouts more competitive, challenging and fun and ultimately pushes you to out do yourself and the other person.. Says Eli Manning on recruiting literally anyone, even street guys to play football with him, “Anyone—even if they can’t train at your level—can make an activity somewhat competitive and help you push yourself harder.” Try group training or invite a friend when your gym runs promotional sessions.

Tip #4 Squeeze workouts to beat the clock

Time is the biggest constrain people face when it comes to workouts so make every moment count. Maria Menounos shares how to stay fit when pressed for time: “Got a quickie workout in…20 min is all I had. Don’t beat yourselves up if u don’t have an hour-do what u can but make that 20 min count!” Physical trainer Dino Novak suggests… “To increase the burn without adding more time on the workout clock, make each movement as complex and as varied as possible. For example, instead of just going for a run, do sprints — and then stop, start, turn, twist”. According to her adding motion and movement into your activity keep your body expending the maximum energy.”

Tip #5: Don’t give up hope

Amber Stevens the TV star known for her sexy and lean body shares, “ Everyone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. Just know the next day will be better.” She wants girls to remember not to be too hard on them selves when they don’t get the desired result immediately. As fitness trainer Brett Hoebel says, celebrate every victory and don’t get thrown off track by set backs.

The Abs Power Diet : A Realistic Diet & Exercise Option to Stay Fit

The problem with most diets is that they restrict your calorie intake and keep you hungry or craving for more, which throws your body into starvation mode and makes you accumulate body fat. So essentially your body responds better to a diet that keeps you full with a lot of nutritionally sound food coupled with muscle-building exercises that rev up your metabolism. The Abs Power diet is one such diet that lets you choose from a range of healthy proteins, carbs and fats, and promises to show results in 6 weeks times when complemented by their recommended fitness routine.

Apart from the convincing before and after testimonials and stunning results exhibited by celebrities like Jessica Simpson, we love this diet because it is easy and simple to follow with no counting, measuring, slaving it out in the kitchen, restraining yourself from dining out at your favorite restaurant or helping yourself a an occasional burger. It is almost a dream diet that lets you eat all you want of delicious and convenient foods, which makes it possible to embrace these eating habits as an enduring way of life rather than a short fad.

What differentiates the Abs diet from a number of other fad diets is that it does not focus too much on keeping an eye on the calorie but rather lets you eat freely from 12 groups of food which they term as “superfoods”. The premise of the Abs diet is that as long as a person consumes satisfying amounts of food from these 12 food groups in most of their meals, calorie control kicks in and they will be on their way to a healthy body weight backed up by exercises:

Almonds and other nuts
Beans and pulses
Spinach and other green vegetables
Dairy (skim / fat free / low fat)
Instant hot oat cereal
Eggs
Turkey
Peanut butter
Olive oil
Wholegrain breads and cereals
Extra protein (whey) powder
Raspberries and other berries

The diet emphasizes the need to consume unprocessed and whole foods and discourages artificial transfats from corn syrup and hydrogenated oils, which can be easily achieved by opting for freshly prepared meals. The Abs Diet Guide Book includes a number of easy to cook at home recipes and helpful eat-out advice on how to choose the healthier alternative while dining out. They tell you which is the lesser evil in every place from smoothie stands to burrito joints, making it a completely doable diet that one can stick to in the long run.

The diet ups your protein consumption, putting your body in the lean muscle-building mode. This is backed up by recommended exercises that are geared towards building and toning muscles in your body, which will increases your body’s metabolism. A week of exercises will include a combination of total body strength training and light cardio. Some people feel that the workouts were designed primarily keeping men in mind until they came out with an exercise book tailored towards women’s fitness requirements.

For more information on diet and exercises recommended by the Abs Diet, go to http://www.absdiet.com/uof/absdiet/

Learn From The Pros: How To Amp Up Your Approach to Fitness & Health

To get your body into the peak of performance, it takes more than blood, sweat and tears. Just ask today’s professional athletes. The models of fitness inspiration, athletes like Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams, Lebron James, Lindsey Vonn, and Alex Rodriguez make health and fitness their number one priority, whether its fine-tuning their diet or discovering new workouts that will take their bodies to the next level. You’d be surprised at how dedicated these great athletes! Dying to know their secrets? We’ve got you covered!

Maria Sharapova, Tennis Star:
Winner of three Grand Slam titles and star of the new “Make Yourself Girl Power” Nike campaign Maria Sharapova’s knows how to exert her force on the tennis court. Her secret to staying in top form? Cross training. “I’ve been walking hills a lot and biking a little bit outdoors. I don’t do heavy weights at all. I go to yoga classes and work on my core,” she says. Cross training is extremely beneficial because it keeps your body guessing. Sticking to the same fitness routine will leave you bored and at an annoying plateau. Toned abs result in core stability, a must for tennis players who deliver powerful strokes at lighting-fast speeds.

Venus Williams, Tennis Star:
Venus Williams, tennis star-turned-author, turns to the pool to get the best exercise. “Swimming is my favorite cardiovascular activity. Lately I have been swimming in the ocean too. The water has been real calm in Florida this Summer and it’s real flat. I call it lake Atlantic . . . get in and go for a swim.” To get the most out of a swim routine, Men’s Fitness recommends doing 30-45 minute sessions four to five sessions a week. A calorie-torcher, swimming regularly helps sculpt muscles throughout the body and increase lung capacity. Just another reason to jump in the pool!

Lebron James, Miami Heat Basketball Player
He may not have won the 2011 NBA championship but he is clearly a winner when it comes to fitness. A fitness powerhouse, Lebron uses cutting-edge techniques to harness his power and explosiveness. Some impressive techniques Lebron uses to amp up his fitness includes combining squats with jumps and using vibrating platforms while lifting weights to improve stability and core strength. On top of that, Lebron runs basic drills to keep his agility and cardio levels at their peak. If there is one thing to take away from Lebron’s fitness routine, it’s that mixing it up with innovative movements will get you results.

Lindsey Vonn, Olympic Skier
Five-time Olympic Medalist Lindsey Vonn puts her body to the ultimate challenge with her daily workout regimen. Vonn says, “I train all dry-land in the summer, so this year I spent almost six weeks in Austria with my private Red Bull trainers doing my own program. We did six to eight hours a day of training. About half of that was strength—a lot of stability and core, using exercise balls to work on balance, and agility training outside with quick moves like stepping through cones and ladders and hurdles. Then I’d do about three hours a day of biking. On nice days, I’d ride up in the mountains, although it rained a lot, so I’d be on the bike in the gym too. For fun, I’d play tennis against my trainer.” To make sure her body is fueled and ready to go, Vonn keeps a diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. After intense workouts, she replenishes herself with protein shakes and stays away from sweet treats unless it’s a special occasion.

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees Player
When you play 162 games a year like New York Yankees player Alex Rodriguez, keeping your body fueled and ready to go is imperative. To perform at the highest, most powerful level on a consistent basis, Rodriguez makes sure to pack in the protein. Rodriguez eats “…pretty much the same thing—egg whites, oatmeal, chicken breast, brown rice, fish, steak, that kind of stuff. No butter, sugar or oil, none of that craziness. And usually some steamed vegetables. If I am feeling low on energy, I always have a sweet potato.” When asked about his training regimen, he keeps a levelheaded approach. “It’s an evolution. You keep learning. You learn from your mistakes, you learn from different training philosophies, but everything happens for a reason and it has gotten me to where I am today,” the baseball star says.

The Most Beautifully Bodies Celebs Reveal Their Workout Secrets

There are stars and there are super stars, and some others who shine brighter than the rest. This is what you think when you see Cameron Diaz flaunting her legs in a minidress, Megan Fox’s flash her abs on screen, Kim Kardashian’s butt in a hot bikini, and Jada Pinkett’s ripped arms in a bodysuit. These are the workout moves that helped these stars shape their captivating assets:

Diaz’s traffic stopping legs are on display everywhere with her upcoming film Bad Teacher. Her trainer, Teddy Bass shares her secret thigh trimming moves: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at chest. Squat. Rise to start. Step left into a side lunge, left leg bent at the knee, right leg straight. Shift weight to right foot; step left leg behind right in a curtsy. Repeat. Return to start. That’s one rep. Aim for two sets of 15 with each leg.

Kardashian’s bootylicious body looks sensational and creates a stir wherever she goes but she swears by this work-out move that makes her clothes fit a little more snug around her butt and things: Stand on an unstable surface, like a CorDisc or BOSU, with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a weight in each hand at shoulders. Keeping abs engaged to stay steady, squat. Return to standing. Repeat. Do 2 sets of 16 reps.

Fox is stunning all-over but her best asset is still her abs and she confesses that she is not one for workouts. But this workout routine helped her get her Transformer abs: Start with warm up exercises like butterfly crunches. Then go in for 15 minutes of high intensity bicycle kicks, mini leg lifts, knee ups, standing leg lifts, and ball leg lifts. Then cool down with 30-45 minutes of cycling, which burns the fatty acids released during the work out. This alternate fast and extended slow movement routine is great for burning tummy fat.

Pinkett has some seriously ripped arms that still look feminine. This is how she gets her sculpted arms: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weighted bar in front of hips, palms facing forward (you can also use dumbbells). Curl bar to your shoulders, then extend arms overhead. Keeping upper arms still and abs tight, bend elbows and lower bar behind head. Straighten arms, then slowly lower bar to starting position and repeat. Do 4 sets of 10 reps.

Hope these workout secrets do the trick for your assets!

Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_12_28/ai_n32429293/

http://www.self.com/healthystars/2011/06/stars-favorite-workout-moves-slideshow?slide=5#slide=5

http://www.ehow.com/how_5310797_abs-like-megan-fox.html

Lichi Lore: A Lychee Flashback of 4,000 Years

The Lychee Berry has a long history of cultivation and usage, that dates back as early as 2000 BC.  This delicious and nutritious super fruit has stood the test of time as a fruit revered for its delicious flavor, luscious texture, and superior health benefits.  This timeline outlines the lychee’s journey through time, from the ancient trees in China, right to your Lichi Super Fruit Soft Gels.  Pretty impressive for such a little berry!

2000 BC

Lychee crop cultivation becomes prominent in southern China and Malaysia.  Fresh lychees were in such high demand that the Imperial Court of the Sung Dynasty would have special courier services with fast horses expedite the fresh fruit to the palace from Canton.

1500 BC

Horticultural writings of Chinese farmers mention dozens of lychee varieties thriving, despite its extreme environmental sensitivity, attesting to its popularity and precise cultivation.  293 lychee trees were measured as growing up to 100 feet tall.

111 BC

The Han Dynasty royal records describe the planting of lychee trees in the palace by the order of Emperor Hanwu.  The trial of this order ended in failure when the trees could not survive the northern climate, thus resulting in using express horsemen to deliver the fruit to the palace, much like his predecessors.

730 AD

T’ang Dynasty Emperor Hsuan Tsung organizes weekly delivery of the fruit over 600 miles from southern China to his palace in the North, for Lady Yang Kuei Fei, his concubine, to woo her.

1056 AD

Chinese Fruit Culture book is written about lychee, fabling it to be the world’s romantic fruit, as a sign of love, affection and sensuality.  The book states that to win a lady’s heart, a man should give her a fruit basket filled with lychees.

1608

Chinese writer, Sung Chio of the Ming Dynasty writes his treatise on the lychee, organizing a lychee club, and citing all of the favorable and unfavorable circumstances under which he, his family, and his friends consumed the delicious fruit.  The treatise was printed in the Imperial Encyclopedia, and later in Chih Wu’s great work on Chinese Botany.

1775

Lychee is introduced to the West Indies.

1873

Lychee trees are imported to Hawaii, making their first appearance in the United States.

1900

Reverend WM Brewster imports lychee trees to Florida.

1923

French scientist Henri Boulard documents observing patients using lychee to control cholera symptoms

1956

Hermes references “Lychee” colors with its Kelly handbags and has great success with the line when actress Grace Kelly popularizes the purse.

1999

“Growing Lychee in Hawaii”, a popular leaflet published by the University of Hawaii, presents guidelines on everything from how to select the best-performing trees to how to properly prune, fertilize, and irrigate them.

2002

Horticulturist Francis Zee makes a preliminary exploration of a wild lychee forest on China’s Hainan Island, making contacts with some of China’s leading horitculturists and making plans to return and continue his studies on the fruit.

2007

Paul M Gross PhD identifies lychee as a super fruit on naturalnews.com

2008

Yahoo executives discuss their $44.6 billion dollar acquisition by Microsoft over lychee martinis.

2010

Leading health & wellness product company, Bainbridge & Knight has great success when it introduces the Lichi Super Fruit dietary supplement , featuring lychee extract in its proprietary blend of ingredients to the mass market.

2011

Celebrities are taking Lichi Super Fruit to stay slim and in shape.  Pink Berry introduces its limited edition Lychee flavored frozen yogurt.