The 5-Minute Ab Workout to Strengthen Your Core

Photo: Daily Burn

Got five minutes? That’s all the time you need to work your core, thanks to this quick 5-minute ab workout from Daily Burn trainer Anja Garcia. Whether you’re tacking it on to the end of your cardio session, or simply squeezing in five minutes of fitness before you start your day, we promise you’ll feel the burn. “If things start to shake, things are working,” Garcia says.

RELATED: Daily Burn 365: New Workouts, 7 Days a Week

Perform each move for 50 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest in between. You’ll be done before you know it.

The 5-Minute Ab Workout You Won’t Get Sick Of

1.Standing Cross Crunch
How to: Stand straight, arms behind your head. Perform a standing crunch, bringing your opposite elbow to opposite knee. “You may feel like you’re getting off balance, but that’s part of the drill here,” Garcia says. With each crunch, try to drive your knee so it’s at a 90-degree angle.

RELATED: Pulse, Plank, Plié: The Barre Workout You Can Do at Home

2. Beast Crunch
How to: Get down on the floor, positioned on your hands and knees. Lift your knees a few inches off the ground. Twist your torso side to side, bringing your right glute towards the ground (but not touching!), then your left. Need a challenge? Pick up your right hand, and bring your left knee in to touch your right elbow — and repeat on the opposite side. “You’ll feel that right into those obliques — those are the side abs,” Garcia says. “I really like this movement because we’re not on our back, but everything is working from the front of our core to the backside.”

3. Side Plank
How to: Lie on your right side, propped up on your right elbow, right knee on the ground, left arm straight up in the air. Reach your right arm down, threading it under your torso, then bring it straight up into the air again. Then, lift your left leg up, bending at the knee, as you bring your left arm down, touching knee to elbow. For an extra challenge, lift your bottom knee off the ground to come into full plank. Repeat for 25 seconds on each side.

RELATED: Tone Your Thighs: 3 Moves for Awesome Legs

4. Plank Walks
How to: Sit on your butt, legs out in front of you. Plant your hands on the ground just behind your butt, fingers pointing towards your toes. Lift your butt off the ground, keeping your legs straight. Hold there, or for an extra challenge, bring alternating knees towards your chest. “Now remember that your core involves your back as well as the front side, which is why this move is so important,” Garcia says. Keep your hips lifted as you go; they might start to drop as you get tired.

RELATED: Burn Fat, Build Muscle: 3 Killer Circuit Training Workouts

5. Tick Tocks
How to: Stand up, feet positioned wider than your hips, toes pointed out. Put your hands behind your head and get into a squat position. Then, keeping your torso upright, reach your elbows side-to-side, bringing your right elbow to your right knee, and left elbow to your left knee. Keep your belly button tucked up and in. “Pretend that there’s a wall in front of you, so you’re not starting to hunch forward,” Garcia says.

Want more no-equipment exercises like these? Head to DailyBurn.com/365 to get new live workouts, daily.

Life by Daily Burn is dedicated to helping you live a healthier, happier and more active lifestyle. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain strength or de-stress, a better you is well within reach. Get more health and fitness tips at Life by Daily Burn.

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Secondhand Smoke in Hookah Bars May Put Employees at Risk

MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Hookah bar employees are at risk for exposure to secondhand smoke, a new study warns.

“Hookah [water pipe] use is often exempt from clean indoor-air laws that protect people from secondhand smoke,” study senior author Terry Gordon, a toxicologist and professor in the department of environmental medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said in an NYU news release.

“Ours is the first study that links poor hookah bar air quality to damaging effects in workers, and the results recommend closer monitoring of this industry to protect the public,” he added. Gordon is also a professor at the New York University College of Global Public Health in New York City.

Hookah bars and lounges are increasingly popular in the United States, and New York City has about 140 of them, the researchers pointed out.

For the study, 10 hookah bar employees were tested after completing their work shifts. They were found to have inhaled high levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine while at work. The workers were also found to have signs of inflammation associated with airway and lung diseases, the researchers said.

The test results in some of the hookah bar employees were similar to those seen in heavy cigarette smokers, according to the study published online Jan. 25 in the journal Tobacco Control.

While many young people consider hookahs a safe alternative to cigarettes, these study findings highlight the threat they pose to both smokers and those exposed to secondhand smoke from the devices, the researchers said.

“Our findings challenge the belief that secondhand exposure to hookah smoke is safe. We hope that our paper leads to larger studies of indoor air quality and regulations that protect workers and patrons,” Gordon said in the news release.

Secondhand smoke exposure is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to the study authors. Secondhand smoke causes 35,000 heart disease deaths and 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year among people who never smoked, the researchers said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about hookahs.

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More People Under 50 Getting Colon Cancer, Analysis Finds

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Colon cancer rates are rising among men and women under 50, the age at which guidelines recommend screenings start, a new analysis shows.

One in seven colon cancer patients is under 50. Younger patients are more likely to have advanced stage cancer, but they live slightly longer without a cancer recurrence because they are treated aggressively, the researchers reported.

“Colon cancer has traditionally been thought of as a disease of the elderly,” said study lead author Dr. Samantha Hendren, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“This study is really a wake-up call to the medical community that a relatively large number of colon cancers are occurring in people under 50,” she added.

However, Hendren said it’s too soon to say whether colon cancer screening guidelines should be altered to reflect that trend.

In the analysis, colon cancer among younger patients was often found at an advanced stage, meaning the disease has spread to lymph nodes or other organs. “Part of the reason for this is that these young patients are often diagnosed only after their cancers start to cause symptoms, such as anemia, bowel bleeding or a blockage in the colon,” Hendren explained.

Doctors should be on the lookout for these warning signs of colon cancer, she added.

Not all bowel bleeding is caused by cancer, she said. “Bright red bleeding with a bowel movement is usually due to hemorrhoids or fissures, but dark blood or blood mixed with the stool is a warning sign,” Hendren said.

People with a family history of colon cancer and others who are at higher risk should begin screening earlier than the age of 50, she said. “This is already recommended, but we don’t think this is happening consistently, and this is something we need to optimize,” she added.

The report was published online Jan. 25 in the journal Cancer.

Dr. Andrew Chan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said the reasons for the increase in colon cancer among younger adults isn’t known.

“It is unexplained,” he said. “It’s not simply a change in diagnoses, it’s a very real increase. There may be an effect of our environment that could be contributing to the increase.”

Smoking, obesity and physical inactivity are all risk factors for colon cancer, as is a poor diet, Chan said. “When we are faced with patients who have many of these elements, we should think more about the potential of them developing colon cancer at an earlier age,” he said.

For the study, Hendren and her colleagues culled federal government data on nearly 260,000 patients diagnosed with colon cancer between 1998 and 2011.

Of these patients, nearly 15 percent were younger than 50. These patients were more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer and more likely to have surgery than older patients (72 percent versus 63 percent). Radiation therapy was also used more often in younger patients than in older patients (53 percent versus 48 percent), the researchers found.

Younger patients lived a little longer without a cancer recurrence, even though they tended to have more advanced cancer, Hendren said.

For patients under 50, about 68 percent survived five years, while about 67 percent of the patients 50 and older survived five years, she said. “It looks like patients’ young age helps them in their cancer treatment and survival,” she added.

These findings raise the question of whether screening for colon cancer should begin at an earlier age, Hendren said. “This would be a big and costly change, and I don’t know whether it would help more people than it would hurt, so a lot of research would be required to understand this before any changes should be made,” she said.

Chan noted that although the incidence of colon cancer is increasing among people under 50, the risk is still low. “I don’t think the data at this point support expanding screening to younger age groups,” he said.

Hendren said that “the cancer community needs to prepare for the increasing number of very young colorectal cancer survivors who will need long-term support to cope with the physical and psychological consequences of their disease and treatments.”

More information

Visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute for more on colon cancer.

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Smudge-Proof Your Lipstick With This Makeup Artist’s Trick

A bold lip is fun and makes a statement…until it starts to smudge. So how do you get it to stay put? We called on New York City celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt to give us the scoop on how he makes a bright hue stay in place and last all night—and kiss your lip prints goodbye.

Prep

Your color won’t be able to shine if it’s flaking off. “Always exfoliate your lips first so they are smooth and ready to hold color,” says Surratt. “I like to mix sugar and water for a quick DIY scrub in a pinch.” Or you can try Fresh Sugar Lip Polish ($24; sephora.com).

Prime

Create a neutral base for your lipstick shade by applying a thin layer of your preferred foundation to lips beforehand. “This creates the best foundation—literally!—so your lip color will last,” says Surratt.

Powder

Separate a two-ply tissue into two pieces. After applying your lipstick of choice (I’m wearing Clarins Rouge Eclat Lipstick in Coral Pink ($27; nordstrom.com), blot your lips with one of the tissue pieces then apply another layer of lipstick. Take the second piece of tissue and lay it on your lips while brushing an invisible setting powder—I used Milani Prep + Set + Go Transparent Face Powder ($10; walgreens.com)—on top with a fluffy brush. “The powder will absorb the excess moisture so the color won’t slip around as easily,” Surratt explains.

Protect

To prevent the dreaded feathering from happening, Surratt suggests using a concealer brush to line the outside of lips with concealer. This creates a wall that prevents lipstick from running away. I used the Revlon Concealer Brush ($6; amazon.com) and Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer ($27; sephora.com).

Smile!

Whether you’re going for a super-bright pink (like me!), a deep hue a la Ashley Benson or Kylie Jenner, or a chic, classic red, this technique guarantees the perfect pout. Pucker up!

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Nut butters uncovered

 

They're 'good fats' but how healthy are the various nut butters? Dietitian Melanie McGrice debunks the spreads.

 

“Nut butters are a good source of protein and good fats, some better than others! Try and pick a nut butter without too much oil, salt or sugar added,” says McGrice. “Many people use nut butter and butter together; it’s better to use one or the other.”

Raw vs roasted
Roasting nuts changes their flavour, but apparently not their nutrition. Raw nuts tend to have slightly less rich and toasty flavours than roasted nuts, so many commercial nut butters use a roasted product. “Roasting doesn’t affect the nuts themselves, but when they roast the nuts, they are often roasted in oil, increasing the fat content,” says McGrice. According to Nutrition Australia, nuts are capable of absorbing two to five per cent of the oil they are cooked in. Roasting nuts also takes out some moisture content, concentrating the nutrients.

‘No added’ vs natural
While both ‘no added’ and natural nut butters are better for you than traditional nut butters, a ‘natural’ label implies that your nut butter is free from preservatives, stabilisers, sugar and salt – i.e. it’s literally 100 per cent nuts. Whereas a ‘no added’ nut butter means you still get peanuts, vegetables oils and preservatives, sans the sugar and salt.

Peanut butter
Peanuts are higher in protein than most nuts and a source of vitamin E and good fats. Traditional peanut butters have a paste-like texture and a rich, sweet and salty flavour. Natural, or pure state, nut butters tend to be drier than commercial butters.

Almond butter
Almonds are low in cholesterol and a good source of magnesium, manganese and good fats. They are also rich in calcium and vitamin E. Almond butter tends to have a more mellow and fresh taste than peanut butters, and their consistency tends to be looser and coarser.

Macadamia butter
Macadamias are quite low in protein compared to most nuts, but are uniquely high in monounsaturated fats (the most of all nuts). They can lower cholesterol and contain thiamine and manganese. Macadamia butter tends to be thinner and oiler than peanut butter, and has a rich and almost fruity taste.

Cashew butter
Cashews are a good source of iron and magnesium and also have a low glycaemic index. Cashew butters usually have a pasty texture and a sweet and rich flavour.

Walnut Butter
Walnuts have been proven to boost brain function and reduce cholesterol. They contain omega-3 fats as well as folate and fibre. Walnut butter tends to be crumbly and less soft and spreadable than other nut butters. It can have an intense woody or ‘green’ taste.

Coconut butter
Clean eating uber-star coconut butter can be subbed in for butter as a spread and used in stir-fries. While the dietetic jury’s hung on just where it ranks in the health stakes, it was recently found to be preferable to polyunsaturated soybean oil despite being saturated fat. A University of California study found that replacing coconut oil with soybean oil caused more weight gain, adiposity, diabetes and insulin resistance.

NEXT: Check more healthy fats to include in your healthy eating regime.

 

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Healthy-Eating Tots Still Like Junk Food

SATURDAY, Jan. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Just because a child eats healthy food doesn’t mean he or she is less likely to eat junk food, a new study finds.

The findings challenge the widely held belief that youngsters who eat more nutritious foods will eat fewer unhealthy treats.

“We assumed that children who ate a lot of healthy foods would also be children who did not eat a lot of unhealthy foods,” study leader Sarah Anderson, associate professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University, said in a university news release.

“I just thought that was the way the world was, and it turned out not to be the case,” she added.

The study included 357 children aged 2 to 5 years. They were all from low-income neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio.

The investigators found that those who ate fruits and vegetables and drank milk on a regular basis were just as likely to eat foods high in sugar, fat and salt as those who rarely ate healthy foods.

The study was published recently in the Maternal and Child Health Journal.

A larger, national study is currently underway, the authors said. If that study has similar findings, it may be necessary to re-think how to improve children’s diets and fight childhood obesity, the researchers explained.

“This suggests that we have to have two conversations,” study co-author Phyllis Pirie, professor of health behavior and health promotion at Ohio State, said in the news release.

“There has been a kind of assumption there that if you encourage people to adopt healthy eating that it naturally leads to a decline in unhealthy eating,” she said.

Pirie said attempts to lower childhood obesity rates often typically highlight increasing “good” foods, rather than avoiding “bad” foods. But it may be necessary to put more emphasis on discouraging unhealthy foods, the researchers said.

More information

Let’s Move has more about children and healthy eating.

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Here’s an Elliptical Workout That’s Actually Fun

The elliptical often gets a bad rap as the “lazy” machine—and understandably so. It’s way too easy to hop on and mindlessly move your arms and legs without even breaking a sweat. However, it’s one of the few exercise machines that works your entire body (arms, legs, and core) with little impact on your joints. If you commit to a challenging routine that incorporates incline and resistance, the elliptical can actually be a killer cardio workout.

Still, the common complaint remains: “It’s super boring.” I can’t say I disagree. Which is why I came up with this elliptical workout that’s actually fun.

Don’t believe me? Give it a try! Follow the instructions below, pedaling forward and backward based on the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, which runs from 1 (barely moving) to 10 (how you feel during an all out sprint).

Grab your headphones, cue a favorite playlist, and get ready for a speedy 30-minute sweat sesh!

RELATED: A Fat-Burning Treadmill Workout That’s Actually Fun

 

Since most songs are around two and a half minutes to three and a half minutes long, you should be able to get through about eight to 10 songs before you even realize it. When you reach 30 minutes, slow down to an RPE of 5 for 1 minute, and then an RPE of 3 for 1 more minute before stretching.

Looking for more fun ways to work out? Check out A Fat-Burning, Endurance-Boosting Jump Rope Circuit 

Jennifer Cohen is a leading fitness authority, TV personality, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. With her signature, straight-talking approach to wellness, Jennifer was the featured trainer on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, mentoring the contestants’ to lose hundreds of pounds before their big day, and she appears regularly on NBC’s Today Show, Extra, The Doctors and Good Morning America. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and on Pinterest.

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5 Signs You Might Be ‘Skinny Fat’

Photo: Getty Images

If you’ve always been a normal weight without having to try too hard, you may consider yourself lucky. But the mirror and the scale only tell part of the story: You can look great in a bikini or have a body-mass index (BMI) in the normal range, but if you don’t take care of yourself, you could be just as unhealthy as an obese person.

This phenomena—sometimes known as skinny-fat, or “normal-weight obesity”—may affect up to one-fourth of normal weight people, according to one 2008 study. “They look healthy, but when we check them out they have high levels of body fat and inflammation,” says Ishwarlal Jialal, MD, director of the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research at UC Davis Health System. “They’re at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular problems, but you wouldn’t know it from their appearance.”

Getting your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels checked is the only way to know for sure how healthy you are metabolically. But there are some warning signs that may help you determine whether you’re at risk for normal-weight obesity. If these characteristics apply to you, talk to your doctor about how you can make sure you’re physically fit, both inside and out.

You have a muffin top

Even if you’re a healthy weight overall, sporting a spare tire can be dangerous. In fact, a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that normal-weight people with excess fat around their middle had an even higher risk of dying early than their overweight or obese peers.

“Fat around the middle is worse than fat anywhere else,” says Dr. Jialal. “It’s where the damage starts in terms of insulin resistance and inflammatory proteins.” And this kind of fat doesn’t appear all at once, either, so it’s easy to ignore. “It should be a warning sign if you’re slowly increasing your belt size or your pants start feeling tighter around the waist.”

RELATED: 10 Reasons You’re Not Losing Belly Fat

You can’t do a push-up

Skinny people can still have high levels of body fat, especially if they lack lean muscle mass. And if you can’t remember the last time you broke a sweat, there’s a good chance this could be you. “When people aren’t overweight, they don’t have the incentive to work out and get in shape,” says Dr. Jialal. “But without regular exercise, they just get more and more unhealthy.”

Getting regular aerobic activity—like brisk walking, cycling, or running—is important for maintaining a healthy heart and lungs. But adding in regular strength training will also help you build muscle, which will rev your metabolism and burn toxic fat.

You have a family history

If a parent or sibling has developed diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol (no matter what his or her size), you may be genetically predisposed to these conditions, as well. Maintaining a normal weight will certainly lower your risk, but it will be most effective if you do it in a healthy way—through exercise and a balanced diet.

Talk to your doctor about other ways you can avoid health problems that run in your family. If you still have risk factors (like high blood pressure or elevated blood sugar) even with a healthy lifestyle, medications may help you keep them under control.

RELATED: 57 Ways to Lose Weight Forever, According to Science

You don’t eat a healthy diet

Maybe you’re able to eat burgers and guzzle sodas without gaining a pound. Or maybe you count your calories, but you fill up on white bread and junk food rather than fruits and veggies. Either way, consuming too much sugar and fat—and not enough vitamins, fiber, and lean protein—can damage your organs and raise your risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more.

Yo-yo dieting, skipping meals, and extreme cleanses can also skinny-fat syndrome, says Cynthia Sass, RD, Health’s contributing nutrition editor. That’s because you pack on body fat when you get hungry and overeat, but you lose muscle mass when you drastically cut calories—a bad combination that wreaks havoc on your health.

You’re in an at-risk population.

BMI isn’t a perfect measurement for any group of people, but research suggests that it may be even less useful for certain ethnic groups as a measure of overall health. For example, a 2011 study found that people of South Asian descent are more likely to store excess fat around their internal organs, compared to Caucasian people of the same BMI.

This type of fat that surrounds organs, known as visceral fat, has been associated with metabolic problems and chronic disease. “Genetics are definitely involved in how people store fat, but culture and diet also probably play a role, too,” says Dr. Jialal. “And obviously eating healthy and getting exercise is good for everyone, no matter what your risk factors.

Another 2014 study found that older adults should pay less attention to their BMIs. Because we lose muscle as we age, it’s common for elderly people to have high body fat percentages, even at normal weights. Focusing on building muscle mass, rather than worrying about the number on the scale, can help older adults live longer and healthier lives, the study concluded.

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You Can Now Locate the Nearest STD Clinic on Tinder

Photo: Getty Images

In addition to a date, Tinder can now also help you find the nearest place to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

As you’ve probably heard, STDs are on the rise. In November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that cases of three major diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) have increased for the first time since 2006.

RELATED: Everything You Should Know About the ‘New’ STD

Why the spike? Some people believe popular dating sites and apps are contributing factors. After all, “the majority of these infections are affecting young people—the demographic that is on their mobile phones all day long,” said Whitney Engeran Cordova, the senior director of the public health division for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), in a press release applauding Tinder’s new function.

Whether the blame falls on technology or our population’s general failure to practice safe sex (reminder: condoms are crucial!), Tinder is taking matters into it’s own hands. Or, more accurately, putting a key resource right at your fingertips.

RELATED: 10 Ways You’re Using Condoms Wrong

In the site’s new Health Safety section, there is a link to Healthvana’s STD and HIV testing site locator, which helps daters find free, quick, and confidential testing at nearby sexual health clinics.

While the new addition is positive, it sprung from a pretty negative dispute between Tinder and AHF. Last year the Los Angeles based non-profit launched an awareness campaign in L.A. and New York City that included billboard ads linking Tinder with STDs.

The dating app put an abrupt halt to the feud when they agreed to include Healthvana’s locator on their site. As a result, AHF is removing all billboards and other advertisements mentioning Tinder.

RELATED: Top 10 Myths About Safe Sex and Sexual Health

So before setting up a date with that cutie you “super liked,” consider taking advantage of Tinder’s new feature. As Tinder sociologist Jessica Carbino, PhD, summed up in the public statement: “An important aspect of any healthy relationship—whether formed on Tinder or otherwise—is ensuring sexual health and safety.”

 

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Obesity Before Pregnancy Tied to Raised Risk of Newborn Death

FRIDAY, Jan. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Infants whose mothers were obese before pregnancy appear to have an increased risk of death, according to a new study.

But even though the researchers found that pre-pregnancy obesity was related to worse outcomes for infants, it’s important to note that the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Still, the study’s lead author, Eugene Declercq of Boston University School of Public Health, said, “There is a need for more open, honest discussions about avoiding the possible risks of maternal obesity on infant health.”

For the study, researchers reviewed data from more than 6 million newborns. The babies were born in 38 states between 2012 and 2013.

Infants born to obese women were twice as likely to die from preterm birth-related causes than those born to normal-weight women, the investigators found.

Infants born to obese women were also more likely to die from birth defects and sudden infant death, the study showed. And, the more obese the mother, the greater the risk of infant death.

Even if obese women adhered to weight-gain guidelines during pregnancy, it had little effect on infant death risk, the study authors said.

The study highlights the need to address obesity before pregnancy, and for more research into what increases the risk of death in infants born to obese women, said Declercq, a professor of community health sciences at Boston University School of Public Health.

“The findings suggest that primary care clinicians, ob-gyns and midwives need to have conversations about weight as part of well-woman care, and when women are contemplating getting pregnant,” he said in a university news release.

The obesity rate among American women aged 20 to 39 years is about 32 percent, the researchers said in the news release.

The findings were published online recently in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

More information

The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers healthy pregnancy advice.

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