Stay cool(er) this summer with these handy cooling products. This heat wave in Los Angeles is making us all a little loopy, and making me dream of these products. Cooling pillows and personal desktop air conditioners? Perfect. Going on a camping trip? Definitely pick up some of the cooling headbands or visors so you can hike all day and stay cool. Great for upcoming 4th of July celebrations, too!

See more of the Stay Cool This Summer - Fantastic Cooling Gadgets list by Yournewbestfriend at ThisNext.

Hanging leg lifts are one of the most effective abdominal exercises that you can do.  Unfortunately, they are also one of the most difficult to perform correctly.  For one thing, the hip flexors typically end up doing the bulk of the work.  It’s also very easy to “cheat” by swinging back and forth, using momentum.  And some people just lack the upper body strength to support themselves while doing the exercise.

This is where the Ab Coaster shines.  The Ab Coaster puts you in a kneeling position, eliminating the issues of upper body strength and hip flexor involvement.  This helps you emphasize the lower portion of your abdominal muscles, the ones we all want to look better.

The curved track mimics natural spinal flexion and you are off of the floor, so you don’t have to worry about neck and back strain that may occur when doing traditional crunches.  You can also angle the seat in three different positions, allowing you to work your obliques.

There are three different models.  Two commercial models for gyms and health clubs,  and one for home exercisers.  The home version is less expensive, but the design is the same.  The Ab Coaster offers a great workout for people of all fitness levels.

No chains, no pedals, the Trikke (pronounced “trike”) is completely human powered by the rider.  And unlike a skateboard, you don’t use your feet to push off the ground.  You move the Trikke in a slalom-like path by shifting your center of gravity from side-to-side.  As you lean into a turn, you decrease the radius of the imaginary circle that forms around the center of the turn.  This causes you to increase velocity.  Picture how a figure skater spins faster when they pull their arms in close to their body.  I consider it magic, it’s easier to understand.  As you lean into each turn, you transfer your momentum into the next turn.  Propelling you forward and increasing your speed.  The design provides a stable three point platform that leans into the turn with you as you shift your weight.  And all three wheels remain in contact with the ground.  So, it sounds like it’s pretty tough to tip over.

Because you are shifting your weight, you are engaging your entire body during your ride, making the Trikke an excellent way to burn large quantities of calories.  It’s low impact, so it’s easy on the joints, and gives you a total body workout.

There are several different models of Trikkes.  You will need to decide whether you want a family, freestyle, fitness or pro model.  The biggest factor is the size of the rider.  The Trikke comes in several sizes, make sure you get the one that fits best.  Skill level, intended usage, and you budget are some other things to consider.

The BOSU 45 is a great addition to any home gym.  It is the smallest and most affordable member of the BOSU family.  Don’t be fooled by it’s size.  Extremely versatile, the BOSU is essentially four pieces of exercise equipment in one.  You can use it as a stability ball, balance disc, wobble board and a plyometrics box.

While most frequently used for core strengthening and balance training, any exercises you do on the floor can be enhanced by doing them on the BOSU.  With the bubble side up you can sit, stand, lie, kneel and jump on it.  Flip it over, so the platform side is up, and you can do push-ups and stand on it for an advanced form a balance training.

The BOSU Sport 45 Balance Trainer is made from latex free, burst resistant material and will hold up to 300 pounds.  It comes with a pump, plug and an instructional manual.

The Woodway Path path is an excellent treadmill.  The running/walking surface really sets the Path apart from other treadmills.  The track is 22” x 52”, so it’s a little shorter than most treadmillls and it may take you some time to get used to that.  But, the shorter track also makes it perfect for home use.  The 47 individual vulcanized rubber slats that make up the track are outstanding shock absorbers, easing the impact on your joints.  And with a life expectancy of 130,000 to 150,000 miles, this surface is built to last.

Some of the other features include:

• top speed of 11 MPH
• maximum incline of 15%
• integrated heart rate monitoring
• emergency stop magnet (magnet end attaches to the console, the other end clips to your shirt)
• mulitiple LED readouts show your speed, incline, distance, time and heart rate

If you’d like, you can also customize the treadmill by adding a polar heart rate strap, increasing max speed to 15 MPH, or enabling the running/walking surface to move in reverse.

The Path is a great way for you to burn calories and get into shape with a club quality treadmill in your own home.

As a personal trainer, my muscles get tight and sore a lot, especially if I’ve been testing out a new exercise or workout before using it with a client.  And there are days when I could use a massage to ease relax and relieve my stress.  The problem is, a random stranger oiling me up and rubbing my body really creeps me out.  Luckily, the Knobble II, a pressure point massage tool, is there to bail me out.

About the size of a doorknob, the Knobble is used for massaging acupoints, knots and areas of tension in your body.  The device also improves your circulation and helps with the release of soft muscle tension.  The design of the product further helps reduces stress in the hand similar to the way the stress ball works.

So, how is that resolution going? We are only a week into January and I am betting that most of you have succumb to a piece of chocolate cake — forgetting all about your diet.  What you need is a dose of tough love with the “skinny bitches” Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman who wrote the tough love, no-nonsense diet book called Skinny Bitch.

ThisNext user’s love Skinny Bitch, check out what they had to say about the book …

First discovered this when I read a funny story about Mrs. Skinny herself…Posh Spice…she was apparently caught by a photog struttin’ her skinny stuff while carrying this very book…there were giggles all over the world! Oh! the irony, but alas this book is really awesome! It’s really informative and I’ve changed a lot of my eating habits after reading this book! 

Ok, OK, so i am a bit over weight, and looking to make a life change in eating habits. This book is sure to whip you right into shape. The language is real and it is sure to get you off that Fast Food Horse that so many of of young folks tend to ride.

 Read more Skinny Bitch recommendations here>

(via StyleScoop)  

Being a d-cup has its pluses and minuses (more minus than plus in many cases)…. one plus is you look HOT in a v-neck or any neckline (except turtleneck), although the minus is going to the gym or trying to run and having it turn into a horrifying experience. While on my quest for the perfect sports bra, I stumbled across the  Champion Full Support Underwire Sports Bra, I tried it on expecting it to be like the rest, I bounced, I jumped, I even leaped and for once I was happy as can be in a fitting room.

  With HMC (High Motion Control) you can finally bounce without drawing attention to yourself. It thankfully features molded underwire cups that don’t flatten like other sports bras. And it also features Double Dry fabric which means it wicks moisture away while helping you cool down. Because only at certain times is sweaty a good look.

There’s a triple hook and eye close back, so it gives a tad more support that a slip-on bra.

All in all, if you are part of the bigger bust society this is the best sports bra for you to get your sport on. 

An in-demand health expert, Oz Garcia specializes in living well and living longer. From consulting CEOs  in Forbes top 500 to “Mother of All Moguls” Kimora Lee Simmons, who credits Oz with “saving her life,” Oz’s expertise has earned him recognition as one of the world’s leading authorities in progressive nutrition and anti-aging. Oz is also the best selling author of The Balance and Look and Feel Fabulous Forever (ReganBooks/HarperCollins).  ThisNext had the opportunity to get the dish on what Oz cannot live without and his tips and tricks on a healthier lifestyle.

TN: What’s the easiest change someone can make to improve their health?
OG: One of the easiest things to do is start exercising, start walking.  If you’re stressed out, get a massage every week, or two times a month.  Get eight hours of sleep every night—that makes a huge difference for most people. Take a holiday from coffee for 90 days.  Let your body breath better coming off the caffeine.  Get sunlight—don’t sun burn, but sunbathe.  Add some super foods to your diet: eat more fish, eat a cup a blueberries three to five times a week.  Use a lot of olive oil on regular basis.

TN: What’s the biggest change someone can make to help their health?
OG: If there’s one thing that would cross all categories, it’s getting eight to nine hours of sleep every night.  You’ll live longer, you’ll manage your weight better. A good eight hours of sleep helps your memory and immune system. There are so many correlations between getting six hours of sleep and bad health, I cannot even begin to tell you.

TN: What’s the most common myth people have about their health?
OG: That they’re going to dodge the bullet: cancer, heart disease… This idea that “It’s not going to happen to me.” That you think something will go away though you keep doing what you’re doing and adding additional harm to your body.  They never make changes that they should, and as a result they add up older and more tired and overweight.

...continued: Who Is Oz Garcia?

For those of us serious about dance - not capital-D Dance in a studio with a bar and a requisite body dysmorphic disorder, but dance! in a space packed with friends, no restraints, no regrets, and no cover - 2 things are essential: amazing music and room to move. Music meaning sick beats that not only make you want to dance, but make you have to dance, and room to move as in hot, free-wheeling joy-clothes and dancing shoes that never hold you back.

See more of my D.A.N.C.E. list at ThisNext.