short-shorts-workoutSummers in Columbia are famously hot, and when the mercury rises, so do the hemlines. The best way to feel more comfortable—aside from keeping a bottle of ice-cold water at hand, and spending as much time as possible in the air conditioning—is to wear cool clothes that maximize the amount of heat that escapes your body. But, it’s difficult to be truly comfortable in summertime clothes, especially shorts, if you’re not so confident about your body. But, you don’t have to live with legs and glutes that you wish were different—you can do something about it!

Click here to check out a 5-move workout that’s virtually guaranteed to make you feel more confident in your shortest shorts.

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easy-everyday-tricksWhen it comes to life, the little things count. The same is true of your health. Here are some simple things you can do every day to contribute to your health, and even help you lose weight.

Boost Your Fiber Intake with Popcorn

Fiber is pretty amazing. A recent study found that when women doubled their daily fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams, their bodies absorbed 90 calories less per day. So, when it comes time for a snack, reach for high-fiber, low-calorie popcorn. Sweet or salty, crunchy and satisfying, popcorn is delicious and much better for you than pretzels or chips, so much away.

Fix a Bad Mood Fast and Burn a Few Calories with Dance

We all have those days when nothing goes as planned and no one is happy about any of it. Tough days can take a toll on your mood, and lead to questionable coping behaviors like overeating or zoning out on the couch. Fortunately, there’s an easy activity you can do anytime, just about anywhere, that will lift your spirits and zap some calories at the same time: Dance! If you can spend a few minutes in privacy with your iPod or gather your family for an impromptu dance party, you can boost your mood and your health just when you need it most.

Improve Your Diet by Keeping It Simple

When you’re focused on wellness and fitness, it can be very easy to fall into elaborate dietary plans and schemes, relying on expensive processed products like sports drinks and energy bars. But, really, none of that is necessary if you focus instead on choosing whole foods from nature—veggies, unprocessed meats, fruits, nuts, whole grains, water, lean dairy—which will support your energy needs and nourish your body. It’s nature’s guarantee.

Cut Down on Chore Overload and Move a Little Extra Everyday

Do you dread Saturday morning, when you start to tick through your household chore list only to find it seems to get longer instead of shorter the more time you spend working? Chores pile up during the week, it’s unavoidable. But, by tackling one chore per day for a few days per week, you can make huge progress before the weekend comes, and get in a bit of extra movement. Feel trapped doing 5 loads of laundry on a Saturday? Try doing one or two on Wednesday evening to get ahead. Do you get frustrated dusting every room in the house on the same day? Tackle one or two on a couple of evenings during the week and you’ll get it done in short bursts that don’t feel so onerous. Bonus: You’ll burn a few extra calories over a few days—they can add up!

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Chicken with Chunky Vegetable Sauce

June 12, 2013

Ingredients 2 tablespoons  all-purpose flour 4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) 1 cup  finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 14 1/2ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and halved 1/3 cup  reduced-sodium chicken broth Dash of black pepper 2 teaspoons  drained [...]

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Get Beach Ready with This Bikini Body Bootcamp Sequence

June 10, 2013

South Carolina is famous, and infamous, for a lot of things, from our wacky politics to our wonderful food culture. But among our very proudest features are the beaches of South Carolina. With 187 miles of coastline to choose from, surely you and your family have a favorite S.C. beach destination, and with summer’s official [...]

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Strategies to Help You Keep it Off for Good

June 7, 2013

Congratulations, you’ve reached your weight goal! Now…what…? Once you reach your goal, it can be very hard to keep it off. If you have had the disheartening experience of losing a lot of weight, only to regain it later, you’re not alone. In fact, research shows this happens to around 90% of people who lose [...]

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Seasonal, Simple Shrimp Ratatouille

June 5, 2013

(Bonus points if you grow one or more fresh ingredients in your home garden!)   Ingredients 2 tablespoons  plus 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 red onion, roughly chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 yellow [...]

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Win Prizes From Lululemon, Gwen Rawls Shoes & Hand and Stone!

June 4, 2013

JSF Ultimate Cross Training Challenge: 30 Classes in 40 Days Starting Monday, June 10th, see if you have what it takes to complete the JSF Ultimate Cross Training Challenge. You will have 40 days to try and complete 30 classes at JSF. Here’s how it will work: * If you want to compete in the [...]

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Reformer Pilates Sessions are BACK!

June 3, 2013

Reformer Pilates Sessions are BACK at JSF! Starting Tuesday June 11th, for a limited time, you can book a 45-minute private session on the Pilates reformer for just $25. Suzann Sox is the reformer Pilates instructor at Jamie Scott Fitness. Suzann is certified in Reformer 1 and Movement Principles by Balanced Body. Having been a [...]

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Cardio and Sculpting in Six At-Home Moves

June 3, 2013

Interesting, challenging, sweat-inducing moves—you can never practice and learn enough of them. It’s smart to build up an arsenal of exercises you can do anywhere, with little or no equipment. Knowing some moves by heart is empowering because they enable you to bring the gym with you everywhere you go. Recently, Fitnessmagazine.com shared a great [...]

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“Detox” Your Bad Habits the Natural Way

May 31, 2013

You don’t have to spend big money on fancy cleanse programs or go to any kind of extreme to “detox” your body in healthy, natural ways. In fact, you can target your particular bad habits and eliminate them with these simple strategies. Stop the Snack Habit Are you that guy? That guy in the office [...]

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