BurnThis: The Hot New Fitness App We Love

Find new fitness classes, book your spot, and share your schedule with friends—all with one app!

Calling all gym class heroes! Want to sample all the fitness classes your city has to offer without committing to a gym membership? There's an app for that, and it’s called BurnThis.

Here's how the free app works: First, you select your fitness personality (are you more of a "Pumped on Pilates" kind of girl or a "Bootcamper"?). Then, BurnThis uses your current location to show you the schedules and prices for all the boutique classes in your area that might be a good fit for you. Pick a class, type in your credit card info, and you're all set to sweat.

Right now, you can use the app to search for classes in several major cities, including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Austin. Don't live in one of the areas BurnThis serves? It could be a useful tool for staying fit while you travel—use it to find a great workout when you're passing through an unfamiliar city on business or spending a weekend visiting girlfriends. 

BurnThis isn't just a workout reservation system, though; it's actually its own social network, where you can follow friends and keep them posted on your latest workouts. And that's great because sharing your workouts keeps you more accountable—and research has shown that people who log their workouts more frequently tend to lose more weight. Download it today from iTunes.

Heading to SXSW? Women's Health is partnering with BurnThis and the new cycling studio Cyc for a super-fun and super-sweaty free class on March 8. Download BurnThis, and select the "SXSW 2014" event to find class times and sign up. Get ready to #partyonabike!  

Not going to SXSW? You can still WIN an amazing prize pack from Women's Health, Cyc, and BurnThis. Get more details here.

 

Fitness Time: This Week’s Workout Wardrobe

Let’s be real: working out sucks if you don’t look cute.

Like, sweats & an oversized tee don’t work for me. And if I’m busting ass in the gym then my ass should at least look cute, right?

What’s so annoying though: there’s so many awful workout clothes for women.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so annoying if I didn’t have to see camel toes x 10 at the gym ( super awkward ). But seriously…there’s so many unflattering brands.

It’s a real sigh of relief to find workout clothes that have that special, I woke up like this, flattering-look.

Right?

Let’s Get Real & Talk About Fitness

Kristin 02.11.14 at 6:10 pm

Winter has been tough in MN to go to the gym. What works best for me is going over my lunch at work for a 45 Tabata or shred class. I can’t get up earlier in the morning (don’t want to) and too many excuses after work. Plus I get to warm up my car over lunch lol! Love your fitness and food posts, keepem coming and can’t wait to read you’re book.

Reply ↓

This Tough Love Fitness App Ridicules You If You Gain Weight—Is It Crossing the Line?

Critics say it promotes body-shaming—what’s your take?

Let’s face it: Reaching your goal weight means you’ve got to take an honest look at some of your less-than-healthful habits and crack down on them. But a new app might be taking that tough love thing a little too far: It’s called Carrot Fit, and like other fitness aids, this $1.99 app (available on iTunes) lets users set goals and keep track of their progress. Succeed and shed pounds, and the app will heap on praise and offer pointers to help you keep it up. But if you blow your goal, Carrot Fit will berate you. One example: "You're not going to get the butt you want by sitting on it.” Another snide comment: "Suck it up so one day you won't have to suck it in."

Users say that’s the appeal—that being called out and ridiculed helps motivate them to stick to their regimen. But critics think it’s sadistic and promotes a negative body image. “This is another example of body shaming, which is already too common and, sadly, not being addressed in a society obsessed with unrealistic body image,” the National Eating Disorders Association said in a statement. “People who are criticized for their size often engage in dangerous dieting behaviors that put them more at risk for disordered eating and, ultimately, eating disorders.”

What do you think: Can a fitness app with a snarky streak be helpful—or is it abusive and bound to backfire? Share your opinion in the comments.

More From Women’s Health:
News Flash: Food Guilt Can Make You Weigh MORE
The Best Workouts for Your Body Type
Kim Kardashian and Ke$ha's Mom Speak Out About Weight Bullying

Why It’s Okay to Turn Down A Fitness Friend Date (And How To Do It)

It’s not always the best idea to work out with a friend

We can pretty much guarantee that you already know the main perks of working out with a friend. She holds you accountable and therefore keeps you motivated (aka will text you REPEATEDLY if you’re late for your yoga date), and she may encourage you to push yourself to the max. But here’s the thing: Just because fitness friend dates work for so many women doesn’t mean they necessarily work for you.

In fact, according to Jennifer Burke, a personal trainer at Crunch in Los Angeles, there are two big reasons why sweating it out solo could be a better option for many women. The first is if your friends are basically using you as their own personal motivators. “Some people are so internally motivated that they don’t need anyone to drag them to the gym. And that's awesome! But what happens with those people is that others pick up on that, and ask them to be fitness buddies because they know they won’t flake," Burke says. The problem? You end up helping your friends more than they’re helping you.

The other reason exercising solo could work better for you is that you get to have your own workout, 100 percent just for you. “You don’t have to feel like you’re either pulling someone else along, or you’re dragging behind someone else,” Burke explains. In other words, there's a beauty that comes with being your own boss and not answering to anyone else’s fitness goals but your own. Plus, working out solo can be a great time to get your thoughts in order. “It gives you time to get your frustrations out, focus on your own problems, and even just plan out your week or your day in your head,” continues Burke. It’s much harder to get lost in your own zone when you’re huffing and puffing next to a friend.

So how do you turn down a friend who constantly asks you to go running together, or go to fitness classes together? It’s not easy. But it is possible. Just tell her that you really appreciate the fact that she wants to spend time with you, but that you use exercise time as your “me” time. And then ask her to hang in some other way, like getting coffee or a smoothie, or hitting up happy hour together, suggests Burke. The caveat: If you can tell that she’s totally one of those people who realllly needs someone else to motivate her to get to the gym, help her out by suggesting fun fitness classes that she can go to on her own (or one that you don't mind joining her on - after your solo workout), or a cool running route that you discovered, says Burke. That way, you’ll still be doing your part to encourage your friend’s healthy lifestyle without sacrificing too much of your own precious time.  

More from Women's Health
5 Signs You're a Fitness Snob
The Five-Minute One-Dumbbell Workout for Total-Body Toning
Baby Got Back: The 15-Minute Workout for a Sexy, Toned Back

 

The Hottest New Fitness Tool Since the Stationary Bike

Tone up all over—and boost your flexibility, coordination, and balance—with this fun new workout

When it comes to exercise, innovative new equipment and classes may sound fun, but they aren't always efficient—or even effective (Think: dumbbells that shake… talk about a total #FitnessFail). But when fitness pros team up with engineers and technology experts to create a new product, seriously cool stuff can definitely happen. 

Case in point: The Fitwall. It's a ladder-like device bolted onto a wall that allows you to perform moves like pull-ups, downward facing dogs, and frog squats by stepping, pulling, and jumping on the rungs. The Fitwall was developed by engineer and martial artist (and rock climber, fittingly) Doug Brendle who wanted a workout that would give him a bigger bang for his fitness buck than do many traditional workouts. And the Fitwall certainly does just that: "It challenges your body in a unique and demanding way that requires balance, coordination, flexibility—and utilizes multiple muscle groups at once," says Clifton Harski, a kinesiologist and Fitwall Ventures' Director of Training and National Head Coach.

Fitwall Ventures offers 40-minute interval-style classes on the Fitwall at studios in California (where you check in on an iPad and get live feedback via a heart rate monitor and Bluetooth sensor). But fear not if you live nowhere near the Golden State. The founders say they're expanding quickly and will eventually sell at-home models with downloadable workouts for your iPad or computer, just like those used in their classes (and since it only comes three inches out from the wall, you'll barely know its there when you're not using it). 

Until then, you can get a sense of the Fitwall workout with these five floor-based moves (done in Fitwall classes) that you can do at the gym, or even in your living room—no equipment required! "We incorporate these moves to complement the exercises done on the wall—but they're also extremely effective when performed on their own if you can't make it to class, because they're still based on the Fitwall principles—they demand many different things at once: balance, coordination, stability, flexibility and strength, says Harski.

Try it out, and experience the intense sweat session for yourself: The Circuit Workout Inspired by Fitwall.

4 Reasons You Should Totally Try a Fitness Fusion Class

In case "get in amazing shape" isn't enough of a reason for you

Maximize your time at the gym with a fitness fusion class. Here, four reasons you should try one, from Natalie Rado, a personal trainer in New York City and owner of Be Well: Fitness By Natalie.

Burn more calories.
Your muscles are challenged in several ways as your body works to maintain the pace—which revs your metabolism.

Get mobile.
Moving in multiple directions not only boosts agility but also makes you less prone to injury and can amp up performance.

Score flat abs.
The variety of moves engages your core in a number of different ways—hitting your obliques as well as your six-pack.

Stay motivated.
To keep up, you've got to stay mentally engaged. The result: Your interest won't flag during the last few minutes of class.

Welcome to the Age of the Fitness Snob

They correct your form, snark on your snacks, and judge your gym—meet the fitter-than-thou crowd. WH investigates this new type of one-upsmanship

Whether you work out a lot or not, you definitely know one: The weight-room warrior who accosts you mid-squat to correct your posture; the roommate who Instagrams her thigh gap; the coworker who says (with irritating condescension) that she'd love to try your yoga class but it "just doesn't feel like she's exercising if she's not sweating." And don't forget the humblebraggers littering your social media feeds: "Really shouldn't have run that 18 miler in the rain. #sickasadog."

The fitness craze of the past few years has reached a crescendo, ushering in a new type of know-it-all: the exercise snob. This patronizing person works out harder than you do, knows more about fitness than you do, and looks better doing it than you do—or at least that's how she makes you feel. "Fitness is a part of our culture's definition of success now, so women want to show each other that they've got it figured out," says Los Angeles sports psychologist Sari Shepphird, Ph.D.

In fact, according to a recent Women's Health survey, one in three readers has gotten into an argument about the most effective kind of workout, and 69 percent cop to doling out unsolicited fitness advice to a friend or significant other.

Some fitter-than-thou attitudes can be traced to the recent proliferation of boutique fitness classes and their somewhat cultlike cliques, says Shepphird. The fitness gurus behind these workout trends not only feed into the snobbery but also depend on it to make money. They indoctrinate us with their philosophies, and we quote and retweet them to our friends, taking their words of wisdom as the divine truth. And when you're drinking the Kool-Aid (or, rather, the coconut water), it can become easy to view your pal who works out on the elliptical at the Y with derision. "I run six miles six days a week. But because I don't belong to a running group or do any trendy classes, people almost act like I don't work out!" says Lesley, 37.

Of course it's hard not to feel marginalized by the friend who works CrossFit into every chat, but keep in mind that it's often women who feel insecure about their bodies who tend to pass the most judgment. "It's a self-esteem boost to say, 'I train harder,'" says Shepphird. Your best strategy for dealing with a braggart is to nod, smile, and move on. "They'll eventually get the point," says NYC sports psychologist Leah Lagos, Psy.D. In other words, don't engage or indulge her in conversation. Giving her air time positively conditions her to do it again.

But in the sea of snobs there are plenty of women who are truly proud of their achievements and can't help but share, and others who sincerely just want to help a sistah out. (Hint: A genuine advice giver loves getting tips as much as she gives them.) And while you should feel good about losing 20 pounds or finishing a triathlon, keep in mind that most people don't want to hear about it incessantly—and more than that, will not appreciate the implication that whatever they are doing is inferior. Just be careful about how much you boast or offer unsolicited advice—people are more receptive to help when they ask for it.

4 Flat-Abs Secrets from Next Fitness Star Stacie Clark

Our Next Fitness Star winner shares her top tips for super flat abs

Stacie Clark, winner of the first ever Next Fitness Star competition and star of the Women's Health Power Sculpt Series DVD, knows a thing or two about abs. Here, four must-know secrets:

Schedule check-ins
Of all your body parts, your middle is the most susceptible to daily weight changes (think bloating, dehydration, a food baby), but those temporary ups and downs don't accurately reflect your progress. Instead of obsessing over every fluctuation in the mirror, set up biweekly check-ins and take a snapshot—or record your waist and hip measurements.

Give it a rest
Seven brutal workouts each week won't speed up your results. "Giving your body a chance to rest and recover is how change really happens," says Stacie, who recommends taking one or two days off a week. (If you're feeling antsy on those days, do a lighter workout, like taking a hike or bike ride.) When you exercise, you break down muscle fibers; it's the healing recovery process that actually reshapes your body.

Slash portions
The best way to control your calories and keep belly fat at bay is to learn how to distinguish proper portion sizes. "There are so many external variables that can mess with our appetite and hunger cues, like tough workouts, dehydration, and stress," says Stacie. "By focusing on portion sizes you have a very objective measure of how much to eat at one time."

Choose quality over quantity
Forget banging out hundreds of crunches: Three total-body strength sessions each week will get you better waistline results, says Stacie. "If you want extra abs attention, you can add a short core workout before or after a cardio routine." (Like the 10-Minute Belly Melt in our DVD!)

Want to see more of Stacie? Order her new Women’s Health The Next Fitness Star DVD today!