Shape Magazine Review: Kate Hudson's Favorite Workout

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So, there are a lot of great workouts in the November issue of Shape Magazine. I mean, a lot. The first I started off with and wanted to review was the workout created for the November cover girl, Kate Hudson. Kate Hudson is the daughter of Goldie Hawn and (kinda) the step-daughter of Goldie's long-time partner, Kurt Russell. I have loved Goldie Hawn since I was a wee little baby, so it makes complete sense that Kate Hudson is one of those must-love actresses as well.  

Beyond being a clone of Goldie Hawn, she is a great actress with an always bubbly personality. This article is pretty great and is filled with tips on staying fit while still living life. Kate seems to be a pretty normal girl who does not join fad diets or shy away from the dirty-word-food, pasta.

The interview is not the only exciting part of this article. Kate's workout is comprised of some of her favorite and weekly Pilates moves. Yea, I will take a few pointers from her Pilates instructor, Nicole Stuart, considering that Kate is 34 and looks more like 23.

The Workout

Although I put up my best Pilates breathing and tightening fight, this workout was not as great as I expected it to be. Granted, it is not really a workout- just four great Pilates moves that are recommended to do 2-3 times per week. The first two exercises very much focused on the abs and upper body, while the last two were more lower body centered. There was one move that felt like it was doing some burning of that fat and conditioning of that muscle; the rest are things that we have all done before and are usually saved for a cool-down in a routine, instead of being the routine itself.

These four moves could be great to complete after a jog or other form of cardio, but I would not recommend doing them on their own. If you really want to get some good abs going, I would highly recommend the second exercise, it is an ab doozy.

Since I was making this a complete workout, I decided to do three sets with no brake between the reps or sets. It took a total of 16-minutes and burned a whopping 62-calories. Again, not the greatest workout out there, but maybe it could be paired with a few others and used as a cool down; otherwise, there is very little to get out of it.   

Beginner Yoga

I recently found this yoga instructor on YouTube and fell in love with these flows. The shortest yoga flow that she has is 20-minutes long and most of them are power flows. Ali does the entire class, then has a voice over explaining what to do, how to stand, when to breath, and a few other tips as well. This is, probably, the most similar instruction to an actual yoga class that I have found on YouTube.

Although this flow is a beginner yoga flow, it is fantastic for anyone. I did this flow a few nights ago and still have some sore spots here and there. Ali is great at reminding us to push ourselves and stand with correct posture, activating every muscle during the flows. Yes, the flows are super simple, but it gives those who are new to yoga a chance to hone in on those tiny muscles and perfect each movement.  

If you want a bit more intense of a flow, this Power Vinyasa is what i will be doing today. It is not long and looks to be a bit more intense that the beginner flow.  

6 Great Nail Art Tutorials

Nail art is one of my favorite new girlie trends. I absolutely love the geometric patterns and fun glitter designs that are so popular to don on our nails! There are a few nail art trends that are my absolute favorite right now. Yes, you can take any of these pictures to your local nail tech extraordinaire and they can do it for you. But, if weekly nail art appointments just won't cut it, take a lesson from the pro's and get super savvy at doing your own!

All of these nail art tutorials are pretty simple and can be done by, pretty much, anyone. The best part about these seven is how great they look when they are complete! If the idea of having super cute nails that get chipped within 20-minutes of getting them finished is worthy of crying over, use my nail tip: once your nails are dry, put a top coat of shellac over them. This will give an extra shine and keep them way longer than polish alone. 

Glitter Fade

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As far as nail art goes, this look is one of the most classic and one of the easiest to complete... All your really need is a base color and some glitter polish.  

Bleeding Blue

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I love this one. It could be done with any color and almost looks like a city scape. I may choose to do this with different Metallica colors like a deep gun metal, gold, and pewter.

Herringbone Design

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This is probably one of the most, if not the most, intricate nail art design out of the seven. Although this design is pretty intense and will take a fair share of time, it is just too cute to pass up!

Skulls

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What better time to have skulls on your fingers than at Halloween. Out of all the dozens of skull nail art tutorials, this is my favorite. It is spooky enough but still stylish and not creepy.

Matte Finish

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This one is not a tutorial as much as a guide on which matte polish to buy. Remember way back when there were tutorials on how to matte your own nails? Oh how far we have come!

Geometric Nails

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This has to be my favorite design yet. Love the colors, love the patters, and super love the exact edges!

5 Great Inner Thigh Workouts from YouTube

The fact that there are so many inner thigh workouts and inner thighs are one of the most difficult areas to tone is no coincidence. This realization that most women are in a life-long battle with their inner thighs came to me when Suzanne Sommers started praising/advertising the effects that a certain thigh master had had on her. I can still remember trying the thigh-master when I was young and thinking "this is the most pain I have ever experienced". Thankfully, we no longer need silly butterfly-shaped contraptions to keep our thighs in line, we now have YouTube.

Just searching "inner thigh workouts" on YouTube will lead to pages upon pages of workout videos and dieting recommendations. With so many to choose from, it can be hard to sift through the good, the bad, and the crazy. Here are a few that I have tried and loved. If you are trying to get your inner thighs in shape, or keep them looking as stellar as they already do, these workouts might just become part of your fitness regimen.  

Thigh Exercise for Fat Loss

This XHIT Daily workout is a great beginner workout for those just starting to get those thighs into shape. There is no cardio in this workout, but it will get your heart rate going and that fat melting away. This workout would be great to do multiple times for a day's workout, or before some yoga as a warm-up.

Ballet Beautiful Workout

There is no question that ballet dancers have incredible legs and bums. Ballet is great for the legs, arms, core, and any other area of the body that I forgot to mention. This workout may seem easy, but you will be feeling it in the morning. This workout by Mary Helen Bowers is one of my favorite leg workout and she is one of my favorite instructors. Her soothing voice makes it easier to complete these intense workouts without wanting to roll over and cry.

Sexy Leg Workout

This workout is a bit like the first workout listed, but longer and more intense. It is a great option for those who liked all of the moves in the Thigh Workout for Fat Loss, but want a more intense burn. I also love this trainer, which makes the intense side lunges and calf raises a bit more bearable.  

5 Moves for Toned Thighs

If you want something super quick and extremely simple, this workout how-to was made for you. There are five simple moves taught that can be done together, or separated, depending on your preference. These can also be completed in multiple sets for a bit more oomph in the results department.  

Beach Barre Workout

This is an incredible workout. It may be only 15-minutes long, but your legs and bum will be feeling it for quite a bit longer. The workout uses barre routines mixed with floor work to get an all over burn that will even reach far down into those itt-bitty, hard to reach muscles of the leg.