I DIG a good workout – one that really makes my muscles burn, so when the folks at Pop Physique asked me if I would like to try something called Cardio Butt School – along with another two DVDs in the Pop Physique family, I really couldn’t resist.

With a name like that, you start to get curious about what it would be like to take your butt to school. You start to get curious about how it will do.

In case you’re not familiar, Pop Physique combines barre-inspired exercises with elements of Pilates, ballet and light weights. The workouts feature a variety of effective and challenging moves, including isometrics, strengthening, core shaping, and stretching.

I liked each of the Pop Physique workout DVDs straight away. The leaders are likeable, and the pacing and the music are both really nice. Each of the DVDs offers a great workout and features strength moves that I might be intimidated to try in a class setting.

As I’ve written about before, I love to exercise outside – either running or hiking or cross country skiing – and this is how I do my every day workout because I can take my dogs and I get outside to suck in some Vitamin D, fresh air and sunshine. But I find that, if I do one of these DVDs three times a week, it strikes a nice balance of cardio and strength training.

The folks at Pop Physique says you’ll be burning 500 or more calories with each workout, and I believe it. You will be using all your muscles in moves that will make you feel strong and long and lean.

In case you’re wondering, I found that my butt did pretty well in school, actually. Cardio Butt School wasn’t the most intense workout I’ve ever done in terms of cardio, but my muscles were BURNING.

You can buy these DVDs separately, but they are each good for different days. One day you’ll want more cardio. Another, you may want to focus on energizing and strengthening. So do yourself a favor and buy the full 3 DVD collection, which is available online here.

Here’s more details of each of the DVDs in the set:

PopPhysique Hardcore
This workout focuses on shaping each muscle group with isometric muscle work.
Run time: 65 minutes.

PopPhysique Original Butt
Tone and sculpt in a low impact workout featuring strengthening and stretching. Promises quick results: “lifted rounded butt, sleek arms, flat abdominals, and slimmed legs.”
Run time: 55 minutes.

PopPhysique Cardio Butt School
Here, the Pop Physique team has taken the hardcore workout to a cardio level, flowing from one muscle group to the next, so you can get all the toning done in a short period of time.
Run time: 39 minutes.

For more information about Pop Physique, please visit www.popphysique.com.

Disclosure: Pop Physique provided these workout tapes free of charge for review, and this post contains affiliate links. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Bob Greene and The Best Life.com Launch “Best Life’s Small Change Movement” – a 15-Week Rewards Program Based on Making Small Changes to Help People Lose Weight, Get Healthy and Live Their Best Life

TheBestLife.com, the online weight-loss program based on the best-selling book The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene, is proud to announce the “Best Life’s Small Change Movement” starting on Tuesday, May 15. The program, which is free and open to the public, is based on the successful strategies that Greene has used over the course of his 25-plus years as a health and fitness expert.

He will be offering advice and encouragement throughout the 15-week program, and will even give participants a chance to win an array of prizes. The details of “Best Life’s Small Change Movement” can also be found on the company’s website: www.thebestlife.com.

Register today, and, each week through August 15, you’ll be challenged to meet small weekly goals.

Throughout the summer, Greene will send encouraging e-mails to help motivate participants. There will also be several chances to win prizes, including a Blendtec Blender, a Phillips Wake-Up Light, a Phillips Go-Light Blu, and several books by Best Life creator Greene.

More from Bob Greene:

The Best Life Diet Revised and Updated
Price: $11.25
From the bestselling author of Get With the Program! and Bob Greene’s Total Body Makeover comes The Best Life Diet, a lifetime plan for losing weight and keeping it off. Bob Greene helped Oprah achieve her dramatic weight loss, and he can help you too. You’ll eat the same delicious food that Oprah enjoys, and, just like Oprah, you’ll have Bob to encourage you at every step. Unlike a celebrity, however, you don’t need to hire a staff of experts to aid and advise you, because Bob’s plan, easily tailored to an array of tastes, lifestyles, and activity levels, acts as your personal trainer and private nutritionist.

Bob Greene’s Total Body Makeover
Price: $11.9
Kick-start your metabolism into high gear with Bob Greene’s revolutionary new exercise and health program!

See more Weight Loss Coupons and Deals >

Healthy Habits: Introducing Your Family to Red Foods
A guest post from Cheryl Tallman, Creator of FreshBaby.com

In Japan, the color red signifies energy and power and is often used as a color for heroic figures. This is a good description because when you include red fruits and vegetables in your child’s meals, they will grow up strong like superheroes.

Red foods are packed with lots of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. Red foods also contain compounds called phytochemicals, which have been shown to have positive health benefits. Phytochemicals you might have heard about include flavonoids, lycopene, reservatol and capsaicin.

Make a game out of letting your kids choose one “superhero” red food to eat every day. Our favorite red foods include:

* Strawberries – Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Strawberries are best fresh, for a special treat add them to yogurt, cereal and smoothies.

* Tomatoes -Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, potassium and vitamin C. They taste great fresh off the vine and cooked in sauces, stews and soups. Try them with scrambled eggs.

* Red Peppers – A bright red pepper contains potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Red Peppers can be served raw as a snack or in salads, cooked in pasta and stir fry dishes or roasted in soups and stews.

* Apples – The wonderful shiny red apple contains soluble fiber, pectin and flavonoids. For a healthy afternoon snack, slice an apple and top with peanut butter. Yummy!

* Watermelon – You know its summer time when you see watermelons. Watermelons are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C and lycopene. A big slice of fresh watermelon is sure to put a smile on your little one’s face.

* Red Beets – Red beets contain iron, niacin and potassium. Start introducing red beets to kids in salads or roasted with olive oil and ground pepper. Pickled red beets are also a good introduction.

* Red Grapes – Red Grapes contain flavonoids, reservatol and quercitin to help keep your heart healthy and strong. Grapes are a great snack. Freeze them for a hot summertime treat.

* Cherries – Cherries are considered a nutritional super food because they are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins and, they taste great! Remove the pits to make it easier for little ones to enjoy this delicious treat.

About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food and the new book So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.

Learn more about Cheryl’s work:

So Easy Baby Food Kit: Make It Natural, Make It Fresh.
Price: $23.85
An award-winning, all-inclusive solution for making baby food in less than 30 minutes per week. The month-by-month Cookbooks uses fresh ingredients with no additives. Kit includes a cookbook, freezer trays, how-to video, and nutrition card, and pays for itself in just three weeks compared to jarred baby food.

So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week
Price: $8.95
Baby Food Cookbook including recipes and instruction for making stage 1, 2, and 3 baby foods. This book also includes the basics of introducing solid foods and developing healthy eating habits. Available in English and Spanish.

So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips & Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
Price: $8.95
When it comes to eating, toddlers can be tough to please. So Easy Toddler Food is the perfect resource for parents looking for survival tips and 35 simple recipes that will win over even the pickiest toddler. Available in English and Spanish.

A pet can be an important part of your family, but it can also be a source of frustration. If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies to pet dander, having a pet can even be a health risk.

Simply having an allergy to dogs, however, doesn’t mean you can’t have one in the home. You need to start by:

• Having your allergist identify exactly what animals you’re allergic to and how severely.
• Know the risks involved in exposure to those animals.
• Do some research to determine which pet or specific breed might be best for you.

Accordingly, here are some basics that can get you started on picking the right pet:

• There are several different types of pet allergies. You need to know whether you’re allergic to bird feathers, cat hair, dander from dogs, or some other source. There are some less obvious sources of allergens, however, when you have a pet. For example, if you have mold allergies you’ll want to watch for pets whose environments tend to foster mold, or that increase the humidity in a room. Tropical fish aquariums, for example, can increase a room’s humidity, leading to an increase in household mold as well as dust mites.
• It’s not necessarily about the length of hair on the animal. Most animal allergies aren’t actually to the hair of the animal; they’re to the animal’s dander. Dander is the remains of skin cells, and it’s what most likely will cause an allergic reaction. (There are also allergens in an animal’s saliva and urine.)
• Trial visits don’t necessarily let you know whether or not you’ll react to a given animal. It usually takes an average of about 20 weeks for the allergens produced by a pet to reach significant levels in a home. Being exposed to a given animal for a few minutes will in some cases result in an immediate allergic reaction, but if there’s no reaction it doesn’t mean the pet will necessarily work.
• There are a number of low-allergen dog breeds you can consider. According to the American Kennel Club, there are a number of dogs that don’t produce as much dander as other dogs. Most are from the terrier family, although there are some that aren’t. Common low-allergen dog breeds include Schnauzers, Maltese, Bischon Frise, Chinese Crested, Portuguese Water Dogs, and others.
• Some cats are low allergen as well. If you’re more of a feline lover, there are also some cats that can produce fewer allergens. Most of the low-allergen cats would fall into the “hairless” category, thereby producing less dander. Perhaps the best cat breed is a Sphinx cat, as these are almost entirely hairless. They  are, as you might expect, a fairly expensive cat as well.
• Fish can be good, as well. While they may not have the personality of a cat or a dog, fish make fine pets for those with allergies, as well. Here again, the fish environment is fairly self-contained. Do watch out for how the fish tank impacts the humidity in your home. As mentioned, higher humidity can lead to mold, which can of course lead to an allergic reaction. In general, however, fish are a fairly safe choice for someone with allergies.
• Birds can be good pets for allergies, but require special care. Birds actually created dander via their feathers. Because birds live in cages, however, the allergens can be contained. Make sure that the feathers as well as the droppings are cleaned regularly, and try to have a family member who doesn’t have allergies clean the bird’s cage.

The pet you choose, ultimately, depends a lot on what you’re hoping to get from the experience. If you want a companion, there’s still no better choice than a dog; just choose one of the low-allergen breeds. If you want to help a child learn about nature and try on the responsibility of caring for a pet, fish and reptiles make good choices, too. Pick the pet you want, but contain your choices to those that won’t aggravate your allergies.

About the Author: Dorothy Wheaton, PA-C, is the lead clinical provider for Careworks Convenient Healthcare, a US company operating health clinics and urgent care centers in the Northeast United States.

[IMAGE CREDIT: Some rights reserved by Esparta]

Family Meal: Bento Box Dinner
A guest post from Cheryl Tallman, Creator of FreshBaby.com

A bento is a divided box that originated in Japan. Bento boxes are made from a wide variety of materials, including lacquer, bamboo, plastic and stainless steel. A traditional bento meal includes carbohydrates (rice or noodles), protein (fish, chicken, meat, or tofu), vegetables and fruit. Foods are arranged in the box to display a colorful, healthy meal with a wonderful variety of flavors and tastes.

We’ve developed a family-friendly Bento Box dinner to prepare and enjoy. The recipes are infused with the Japanese ingredients that you can find in the Asian Foods section of your grocery store.

Edamame

Yakisoba (Stir-Fried Soba Noodles)

Grilled Salmon with Red Miso Sauce

Honeydew Melon

Steamed Edamame

If you can boil water, you can make edamame. While traditionally served in the pods, the pods are not edible. To eat simply squeeze the pod with your thumb and forefinger and the edamame beans pop right out.

• Frozen edamame (about 10 pods per person)
• Water
• Pinch of kosher or sea salt

Directions: Bring about 3-4 quarts of water to a boil and place the edamame in the boiling water. Cook 3-5 minutes. Drain. When plating sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Have another bowl at the table to put the empty pods in.

Grilled Salmon with Red Miso Sauce

Miso Sauce:

½ cup red miso paste

1/3 cup sake

3 Tbsp. chicken stock (or Dashi)

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

4 6-ounce Salmon fillets, skinned

Directions: To make the sauce, combine all four ingredients in a saucepan and stir to a smooth sauce. Place saucepan on the stove over medium heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens. Set aside and let cool.

Brush both sides of salmon fillets with miso sauce. Lightly oil and heat a grill pan over medium heat. Place salmon on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Brush with sauce, turn fillets over and brush with sauce again. Cook 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Yakisoba (Stir-Fried Soba Noodles)

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and have a unique brown color. Yakisoba is a popular dish of stir-fried soba noodles and a variety of meats and vegetables. You can use any type of meat or seafood and any types of vegetables – including bean sprouts, green peppers, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, celery and broccoli.

8-ounce Soba noodles

1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed

8-10 Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

8 cooked shrimp, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil

Yakisoba Sauce:

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 tsp. sake

Prepare Yakisoba sauce. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add soba noodles, stirring to separate them. Boil soba noodles for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add shitake mushrooms and stir fry 2 minutes. Add soba noodles and stir fry 3 minutes. Add the Yakisoba Sauce, shrimp and bean sprouts and stir fry for 2 more minutes. Serve warm.

Fun with Japanese Table Manners:

Certain table manners are observed during meal times in Japan. Include these practices as a fun way to help teach your kids about etiquette in other countries.

• Add a warm, wet towel at each person’s plate to wipe hands before eating.
• Eat with chop sticks. Kid-size chopsticks and chopstick helpers can be found in specialty stores or online.
• Before you start eating, put your palms together and say “Itadakimasu.” This translates to “I gratefully receive.”
• Soup can be sipped straight from the bowl – no spoons necessary!
• It is okay to make slurping sounds when eating soup and noodles from a bowl, as long as it’s not excessive. Slurping tells the chef that you are enjoying the meal.
• When you are done using chopsticks, lay them in front of you with the tips pointing to the left. It is considered bad manners to leave them pointing upright in a bowl.
• When you are finished your meal, say “Gochisosama,” which means “Thank you for the meal.”

About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food and the new book So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.

Learn more about Cheryl’s work:

So Easy Baby Food Kit: Make It Natural, Make It Fresh.
Price: $23.85
An award-winning, all-inclusive solution for making baby food in less than 30 minutes per week. The month-by-month Cookbooks uses fresh ingredients with no additives. Kit includes a cookbook, freezer trays, how-to video, and nutrition card, and pays for itself in just three weeks compared to jarred baby food.

So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week
Price: $8.95
Baby Food Cookbook including recipes and instruction for making stage 1, 2, and 3 baby foods. This book also includes the basics of introducing solid foods and developing healthy eating habits. Available in English and Spanish.

So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips & Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
Price: $8.95
When it comes to eating, toddlers can be tough to please. So Easy Toddler Food is the perfect resource for parents looking for survival tips and 35 simple recipes that will win over even the pickiest toddler. Available in English and Spanish.

If you’ve got a child who’s graduating this year – whether  finishing high school of college – you can announce the big event in style with Tiny Prints’ Graduation Announcements and Graduation Invitations.

We love Tiny Prints because:

* Every card is reviewed by Tiny Prints’ professional team of designers and etiquette experts.

* You can customize your cards front to back with photos and text for free!

* They have a huge selection with more than 1,000 graduation designs.  Find the perfect design from their selection featuring the class year and school colors, then add your  own text and pictures. New for this year they even have designs including their Greek Collection for sororities.

These announcements and invitations are classy, stylish, and eye-catching.

There’s even an affordable Super Rush Delivery option that can get your graduation announcements to you in 2 days.

So share the excitement with custom college graduation announcements from Tiny Prints!

Shop Tiny Prints Graduation Announcements and Invitations

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

If you love fitness gadgets and you’re a fan of NBC’s hit show The Biggest Loser, you’ll love having a SLIMCOACH to call your own…

THE BIGGEST LOSER SLIMCOACH powered by MYTRAK
Price: $129.99 (with free ground shipping, for a limited time only)

The Biggest Loser SLIMCOACH is the same system used by the trainers and contestants on NBC’s hit show The Biggest Loser. Like the contestants, your daily goal is to turn the Health Circle red to green. With a simple touch, it shows where you are and where you need to be. The SLIMCOACH helps to put you on the right track and keep you there to reach your goals.

The Biggest Loser SLIMCOACH:

* Senses, tracks, and analyzes your movements in real time to help you reach your fitness goals

* Is like having a Biggest Loser trainer at your side all day long

* Monitors your caloric balance to help you make good decisions

* Tracks your progress with your own personal online dashboard

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

* Clips conveniently to your side or in your pocket

* Provides real-time feedback with a push of the button

* Tracks your body’s heart-healthy activity

* Includes a USB cable

Your SLIMCOACH includes a 1-year membership to the MYTRAK online system and the MYTRAK online Health Community, which features:

* Interactive graphs displaying your daily, weekly and long-term progress towards your goals

* Dynamic Lifestyle Rating System

* Interactive Daily Summary of calories burned vs. daily target

* Interactive Weekly Summary of Energy expenditure, predicted health benefit and heart activity

* Daily status of your steps taken and distance traveled

* Interactive Goal Summary and prediction page

* Your favorite activities are used to calculate time required to go green

* Access to advanced Nutrition Planning and monitoring system

* Syncs with coded Polar WearLink heart rate monitor (not included) to monitor activities such as yoga, swimming, cycling, etc.

* MYTRAK Health Community: create friendships, be a part of social groups, and communicate with others with similar goals.

The Biggest Loser is a registered trademark and copyright of NBC Studios, Inc. & Reveille LLC. Licensed by NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Get your own SLIMCOACH from 24HourFitness here.
For a limited time, the SLIMCOACH is just $129.99 with free ground shipping in the continental United States. No coupon code required. Click through the link above to see today’s pricing.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Read Momscape’s Diet Reviews >
See today’s Weight Watchers Coupons >

Holga iPhone Camera Lens
Price: $29.99

Now you can easily take those iPhone images and make them Holga images.

The Holga iPhone Lens and Filter Case (Black) snaps onto the iPhone 4 or 4S and once fitted, there are 9 different special effect lens and filters the go over the phone camera lens using the spin wheel, including a clear tenth hole to shoot regular photos with the case on – all without any software or app installed.

So cool.

Here’s what the 9 lenses/filters do:

• Dual Image Lens: Produces 2 identical images similar to a Holga 2 way split image filter
• Triple Image Lens: Produces 3 identical images similar to a Holga 3 way split image filter
• Quadruple Image Lens: Produces 4 identical images similar to a Holga 4 way split image filter
• 60mm Macro Lens: For taking photos at approximately 60mm from the lens
• Empty Hole: For taking images with no effect
• Red Filter with Clear Heart Shape Centre: Reduces absorption of blue & green lights with clear heart shape centre to stand out
• Red Filter: Reduces absorption of blue and green light
• Green Filter: Enhances green colors
• Yellow Filter with Clear Center: Clear circular spot in center to stand out with surroundings in pale yellow to mimic sunset
• Blue Filter with Clear Center: Clear circular spot in center to stand out with surroundings in blue to mimic gentle moon atmosphere

Comes in black, white, red, silver and purple. Available online from Adorama.com

Here’s an idea for a pretty Mother’s Day gift – or a little something for yourself…

Inlaid Natural Stone Round Bracelet (India)

This bracelet features natural rocks from India and silver inlaid in resin. Each piece is unique and handcrafted by artisans in India.

Story Behind the Art: The inlay work is done in a particular village in Northern India famous for its inlay artisans. The inlay craft is passed from one generation to the next. Alok the artisan, watched his parents do this work and learned the techniques as he got older. Unfortunately it is one of the shrinking crafts in India. Many artisans leave their craft to find day labor and migrate to cities.

Worldstock (a division of Overstock.com) will help these artisans feed their families and keep the craft alive for future generations.

We also like:

Goldtone Inlaid Natural Stone Cuff Bracelet
(from the same artisans in India).

Available online from Overstock. Get the latest Overstock coupons and deals here.

I love to run, but I don’t like to have things in my pockets, and I don’t like to hold things in my hands. At the very least, I need my iPhone and my car keys, and, lately, I’ve taken to carrying a small canister of bear spray due to very, very large footprints I’ve come across on my daily route.

This SPIbelt (that’s short for Small Personal Items belt) fits the bill nicely. It’s like a fanny pack, without the fanny:

Invented and manufactured in Austin, Texas, the SPIbelt has caught on as a great accessory for runners and non-athletes. It features Spandex and elastic stretch material that will fit your waist and all your small items. The length of the zipper is just 6 inches, but don’t let that fool you. This pack will expand in all directions to hold everything you need:  your iPod, Blackberry, cell phone, keys, GU packs, wallet, and more. The SPIbelt is designed so the goodies in your belt don’t bounce, ride, or shift while running or doing other activities.

Beyond your daily run, you can use your SPIbelt for sporting events, traveling, carrying diabetic supplies, shopping, and more.

Available in: Black, Black w/ Lt. Pink Zipper, Black w/ Dk. Pink Zipper, Blue, Olive, Polka Dots, Red, Turquoise, and Reflective.

Made in the USA and available as seen above for $19.95, as well as in a waterproof version for $28.95 (Prices subject to change.)

The SPIbelt is available online here from buy.com (Get Buy.com coupons here.)