Fall Fitness: "How Can I Zap More Belly Fat?"

While it's not bikini season, fall is an awesome time to kick off a fitness routine to get healthy, fit and fab abs by the next time swimsuit season rolls around. So, with that, here's our fall fitness expert, Kelly, on what every woman can do this season to improve her abs ...

Last week Kelly Singer, an awesome personal trainer and owner of Sassy Fit, was here to talk about how to start a running regimen, and I heard from a lot of readers that this is exactly what they needed to jump start a jogging program. This week, we're talking about abs. Take it away Kelly!

Forget about the infomercials you've seen promising a toned tummy from a magic machine; bikini-baring abs don't come from isolated abdominal exercises! In fact, I'm sorry to tell you, no singular act will get rid of belly fat (other than lipo).

Temazepam

Temazepam

Generic Name: temazepam (te MAZ e pam)

Brand names: Restoril

What is temazepam?

Temazepam is in a group of drugs called benzodiazepines (ben-zoe-dye-AZE-eh-peens). It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause sleep problems (insomnia).

Temazepam is used to treat insomnia symptoms, such as trouble falling or staying asleep.

Temazepam may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about temazepam

Temazepam may cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking temazepam and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Take this medication only when you are getting ready for several hours of sleep. You may fall asleep very quickly after taking the medicine.

FREE Bikini Blast Ab Classes at DavidBartonGym!

Have you guys been doing our 30-day Bikini Blast ab program? Both Sarah and I are, and let us tell you, it's kicking our tummies--in the best possible way. Need a little extra motivation to get started?

Glamour and David Barton, the fabulous trainer behind all the moves in the program, have teamed up to put on a series of Bikini Blast classes--open to everyone for FREE!

The classes, which are being held once a week for the month of April at DavidBartonGyms in New York, Chicago, Miami and Seattle, take you through all the moves you read about in the online program.

I got a sneak peek at what the class entails Tuesday night, and I think my abs are still sore. Seriously, it was that good.

Fitness News: Don't Have Time for Hours in the Gym? Good News--15 Minutes Works Too

One of the biggest complaints I hear from people is "I don't have time to do what it takes to get fit." If you think that getting fit has to take hours a day, think again. A growing body of research reminds us of the power of short bursts of exercise ...

Got 15 minutes? Then you can get fit. In past years there has been a lot of attention on the effectiveness of intense interval training--meaning instead of going on a moderately paced 45 minute jog, you'd break it up into shorter sprints, with rests in between. And a growing body of evidence shows that it does a body good.

"High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise," said Jan Helgerud, an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, who spoke to MSNBC. "This is like finding a new pill that works twice as well ... we should immediately throw out the old way of exercising."

Feeling Grouchy? Try Jennifer Aniston's Crankiness Cure

If you were a famous actress and feeling a tad grouchy, and you could have (presumably) absolutely anything you wanted to snap yourself out of it, what would you choose? Check out Jennifer Aniston's answer (hint: it's very simple and refreshing)...

I totally gave it away with that unintentional (I swear!) pun, didn't I? Yep: she drinks water. Lots of it, she says (well, I think she technically cursed when she described just how much), explaining that she "dehydrate(s) badly" and gets "cranky" when she stops drinking water.

Jen's onto something here. The side effects of dehydration include tiredness, hunger, and headaches--those would make just about anybody cranky, no?

Feel-Good Friday: What One Thing Are You Happy About Today? (Me? My Book Cover!)

My dears, it's been a long and hectic week (at least for me), so why don't we focus on what's going right? Let's have a feel-good moment: What one thing are you happy about or grateful for this week? I'm so excited about the cover for my upcoming novel, which I can't wait to show you (after the jump)...

My happy, feel-good moment this week? The official book cover for my debut novel, The Violets of March, which is out in August from Penguin (I know, forever away!). I finally got the green light to share the cover with the world, and it's been so exciting. This image not only makes me giddy to look at, it also represents months and months of hard work, so it's a very happy sight for me. Do you like it? I'm 100-percent smitten!

Funny Question: Do You Read Into Those Messages on Your Tea Bags?

Lately I've been obsessed with Good Earth tea--you know, the naturally sweet and spicy (no sugar added of course) caffeine-free tea that tastes like orange peel and cinnamon (mmm!)? Well, each tea bag comes with a little quote or message. I find myself reading too deeply into them, as if they're little fortunes, or something. Crazy, right? Do you do the same?

In her post, "Shi* My Tea Bag Says" (giggle!), Briana from BlissTree wrote about some of the funny things she's read on a tea bag.

I have to admit to reading a little too deeply into the messages on my tea bags. But sometimes they just make zero sense. Take the tea bag memo I got last week, for example, which went something like this:

Have You Ever Kept a Secret About Your Health?

Oh my goodness, did anyone else watch Project Runway last night? Holy moly, it was emotional. Here's what happened...

The designers were tasked with creating a signature fabric, using inspiration from their past. One of the designers, Mondo Guerra, made an exquisite pair of high-waisted, brightly colored pants made out of fabric with big plus signs all over it. His inspiration? A secret he had been keeping for a decade--the plus signs represented his HIV-positive status. Even his parents didn't know.

Although he was planning to keep his inspiration to himself, he eventually told his story to the judges on the runway. Once it was out, he said he finally felt free. I don't think there was a dry eye on that runway.

Having a Bad Skin Day? The Surprising Link Between Acne and Suicide

Have you ever had a breakout--large or small--and felt like it ruined your whole day/week? Honestly, I have. I'm the first to admit that a pimple--as small it may seem--can affect the way we feel about ourselves. But researchers have taken this thinking a step further, noting that acne has been linked to suicidal thinking ...

Having a bad skin day? I am. I can go months and months with clear skin, then--bam--a stress blemish hits. Ever get those?

But while, for most of us, an occasional zit is annoying, it's not the end of the world. Sadly, for some, bad acne can trigger a host of mental health issues, say researchers. In fact, according to a Norwegian study, teens who have bad acne are more than twice as likely to have mental health problems and at a higher risk for suicidal thoughts.

Holy Candy Bar! Chocolate Might Be A "Super Fruit"?

Okay, chocolate is a lot of things: sweet, creamy, nom nom nom-y. And we've even heard lots of good news about how dark chocolates contain some heart-protective antioxidants. But could the dark stuff actually be as good for us as fruit?

According to this new study in Chemistry Central Journal--by the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition (yes, that Hershey... of candy bar and kisses fame)--cocoa powder has more antioxidant power than fruit juice.

When researchers "compared the antioxidant activity in cocoa powder and fruit powders they found that, gram per gram, there was more antioxidant capacity, and a greater total flavanol content, in the cocoa powder."

Imagine a World Without Crunches: Some Experts Are Saying Don't Do Them

We did a lot of crunches in my fitness boot camp last month. Did I like them? Not even a tiny bit. Good news for crunch haters: Some experts say they may be heading to the fitness blacklist ...

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If you think doing 100-crunches a day is doing wonderful things for your abs and your overall fitness, you could be wrong, say some experts. That's Fit recently reported that crunches may not only hinder your progress, but they could also put mega-strain on the weakest part of your back.

"We're always told to bend at the waist and lift with the legs when picking up something heavy to prevent a back injury," writes blogger Ashley Neglia. "Well, a crunch is the same kind of motion, only you're lying down instead of standing up. Repeatedly bending over during crunch sessions slowly breaks down spinal disks, creating a disk bulge or herniation, which can cause back pain, weakness and tingling."

Important Health Memo: Don't Eat This (Potentially Deadly) Halloween Candy

There may be lots of spooky things about Halloween, but candy shouldn't be frightening (aside from the fat and calories). Still, health experts are warning that a common chocolate candy that turns up at Halloween parties and in goodie bags for kids could be deadly. The details after the jump.

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Canadian health officials are warning people not to eat chocolate covered "gold coins"--you know those little round chocolates clad in gold wrappers? The coins were sold at Costco stores in Canada and may contain melamine, a white powder used in plastic making that is highly toxic. Sound familiar? It's because it was first discovered in dog food, then in baby formula.