2011 is the official H&H year of toning. Last year I was very focused on getting to and maintaining a certain weight. While in that pursuit, I let a few other areas go to pot. Specifically, my rear end. I have a very contentious relationship with my butt. It wants nothing more than to melt into the back of my leg. I, on the other-hand, demand it look like Jessica Biel’s even though I only average doing 2-5 squats a week. I figure in Florida time, I have 2 1/2 months to literally get my ass into shape before bikini season arrives. If you are lucky enough not to live in Florida, you have closer to 4 months.

I am banking on the kettlebell to do the trick. Here’s why I think I am going to give Ms. Biel a run for her money:

1. Kettlebells are highly efficient and allow you to do fitness and weight training in one workout at the same time. Efficiency & time - two things highly sought after in mom world.

2. Swings develop the important posterior (aka: butt) chain muscles of the body such as the hamstrings, glutes, core and back. These muscles are often overlooked with traditional weight training but they are crucial for a large number of sports as these muscles are heavily involved in sprinting, jumping and tackling movements. Okay, I don’t know how much tackling I’ll be doing but I would love an increase in strength for my sprinting.

3. Swings work the abs and strengthen the core muscles as they provide a stable platform for other muscles to pull from. Traditional crunches are useless and do nothing for you, hit your abs with functional abdominal training that actually has benefit in the real world.

4. A key benefit of kettlebell swings is that they train all parts of the back from the lower back all the way to traps. They train all the muscles together giving you a great functional workout.

5. High rep swings also develop back endurance which has a very positive effect on the reduction of back injuries. Example: No more back strain from toddler lifting!

6. Swings are a fantastic conditioner and body fat burner. More and more studies are concluding that greater body fat burning occurs when training is performed at higher intensity levels rather than long slow endurance type training.

Getting Started:

Stand straight with your legs shoulder width apart.

Lean forward at your waist slightly and bend your knees so as to go into a semi-squat. Keep your back arched and head facing forward steadily.

Try a light kettlebell first. I picked up a 20 lb. bell at my local used sporting goods store for $40. Let you arms hang loosely and raise the weight with both hands over your head and inhale. Then, swing the weight with both hands in between the legs towards the back of you while exhaling. Move the kettlebell using power thrusts from the hip, thigh, and lower back muscles. Powerful hip snap on every rep are musts.

Work your way up to 5 sets of 20 reps of kettlebell swings with a minute pause between each set of repetitions (3x a week). I started with 3 sets of 20 and am definitely feeling the effects. With heavier weights, inhale on the swing between your legs and exhale when you raise it above your head.

Give the kettlebell a try and let me know how it works for you. If you are a kettlebell fan already, share your workout!

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Name: Forbes Riley

Kids: 8 year old twins, Makenna & Ryker

Occupation: TV Host, Health & Fitness Expert, Product Developer, Mom-preneur

Hometown: Oceanside, New York


H&H Interview with Forbes:

1. What are the top 3 items in your grocery cart?

Juicable Vegetables (for my Jack Lalanne Juicer) including carrots, beets, celery, kale etc.

Almond Milk (a must for our daily protein drink)

Raw, organic peanut butter & Wasa Crackers (the ultimate snack)

2. What are you reading (honestly)?

Facebook, Dr.Victor Zeines book “Living a Longer Life”, and lots of bedtimes stories to the twins!

3. What is your guilty pleasure when you get a break from the kids?

1. I love a great massage, sauna and jacuzzi – Beverly Hot Springs when I’m in LA, Safety Harbor Health Spa when I’m in St. Pete and I just installed a sauna in my house when I can’t get to either – in fact I love the home sauna so much I am selling it on HSN!

2. The movies with just my husband (nothing animated!) and a large tub of popcorn

3. A stroll through the mall, I shop so much on line I miss the good ole days of window shopping and trying on clothes and shoes!

4. What is your favorite reality TV show?

Dancing with the Stars (have loved it since the beginning and funny story – the night before Jennifer Gray won this year, I sat with her in the jacuzzi at the Beverly Hot Springs). Also addicted to Keeping Up with the Kardashians (Kim, Kris & Bruce are old friends) and its just fun!

5. What is your cocktail of choice?

Unsweetened ice tea (not Long Island!) I don’t drink alcohol.

6. What is your favorite quotation?

Leap and the net will appear

Only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!

7. What would we be surprised to find in your purse?

3-5 SpinGyms (no surprise), 2 pairs of readers (constantly misplacing them), and a 1/2 eaten protein bar!

8. What are you currently working out to on your iPod?

Love the Black Eyed Peas, anything vintage Billy Idol and the Rocky Theme — need to stay inspired and motivated — I like it loud and rockin’

9. What is the funniest thing your kids have said or done lately?

We bought my daughter a new style of underwear called “Wedgie Free” (the kind that claims not to ride up).  That night she stands at the top of the stairs crying, saying “We have to return the panties, because they don’t work!”.  I asked what she was talking about – she said her brother had given her a wedgie and they didn’t stop him!

10. Who is your favorite celebrity mom and why?

I really admire Reese Witherspoon – through a very public divorce and raising 2 children she always seems to be so bright and sunny and her career continues to sky rocket – just love her positive energy and the most recent photo of her getting her star on the walk of fame – she had her children right there!

11. What is something most people don’t know about you?

That I love acting on stage – I performed all 15 characters for 2 1/2 hours nightly for 6 months in Lily Tomlin’s one woman stage play “Search for Signs of Intelligent Live in the Universe” and that I got my private pilot’s license at 16 (my dad loved to fly)

12. What is your secret to staying Hot & Healthy?

Good food, good friends and family – great fun! Enjoying each day and taking a moment to be grateful for what I have rather complaining about what I don’t have.

A little exercise everyday from walking to pilates, playing ball with the kids to rollerskating and ALWAYS having a SpinGym with me for those down moments or frustrating times at my desk — I blow off steam and get fit doing it!

Written by Lea Barlow • 5 Comments

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to bring out your inner-showgirl if you are part of the lucky crowd that has booked a sitter for the big night. I will most likely be on the couch wearing my pj’s well before the the ball drops. But if I were going out here are a few ways I would add a bit of flash to my look…

Super-sexy sequin shorts. I LUV this look. And really, there are only 2 times you can pull this off- NYE and when you are in Vegas.

Sequin bustier or bandeau. I rocked a bandeau myself this year with a white workshirt and a little peek-a-boo skin. Very hot. I really wanted to pair it with a winter white blazer but I had already exceeded my holiday clothes budget. Boo.

Surprise, surprise it’s another clutch. I picked up the black and silver version of this BCBG two tone lovely yesterday. I hope my other clutches don’t get jealous.

Shoe porn.

If I got my hands or rather my feet on these beauties I would probably never take them off. Pink sequin D&G 4 inch heel? Perfection. I bet my imaginary bestie Lisa Vanderpump has a pair.

You can never go wrong with a huge cocktail ring. I am obsessed with these big flower rings lately. I own close to 10. Reader tip- Oddly enough, Pier 1 Imports sells AMAZING rings now and they are only priced around $10. Go get one or two or four…

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Over the holidays I always get my hair and make-up done professionally for parties. I do this for 2 reasons: 1. I am quite inept at doing my own ‘fancy’ makeup without looking like a clown  2. It makes me feel sooo purty. I highly recommend that you go to the pros occasionally as well. I leave the salon feeling like a super-model and only light in the wallet $75. Totally worth it. Anyways, during this year’s party beautification, I came away with a new amazing mascara. By her own admission, my makeup girl is a Laura Mercier snob. It’s the only product she uses religiously. I am very aware of this fact so I was slightly alarmed when she pulled out the ultra-yellow Maybelline mascara. I guess I had become a snob too. Turns out to be a fabulous volumizing product and super-cheap. I went out and scooped up the Maybelline Colossal Mascara in Classic Black and Glam Brown for $5.94 a pop at Target. Comparatively, my old trusty Clinique mascara is $14.00 and only available inconveniently at the mall makeup counter. Sometimes you have to be reminded to keep things simple. I am loving rediscovering drugstore makeup.

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment