We spend a lot of time waiting in line, at the doctor’s office, or for a dinner reservation, to name a few. But that doesn’t mean time waiting should be time wasted. Strengthen your muscles with only the slightest disturbance to your neighbors. Here are four relatively discreet exercises you can do when standing around in public (with little or no embarrassment!). Lower-body barre moves: Barre exercises rely on small isometric movements to build muscle, so they don’t require a lot of attention-getting moves. If you’re near a wall, chair, or countertop, you can do the two standing Pure Barre exercises from this video : the standing pretzel and the semi-push-up. Both work your backside and while they look deceptively simple, you’ll feel the burn in no time. Calf raises: Strong calf muscles are important for flexibility as well as strong ankles, so you should make calf stretches part of your regular routine. The good news is you can do calf stretches anywhere, so remember this three-variation calf stretch routine the next time you’re stuck in line. Two more exercises you can do while waiting in public after the break.

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar! We often hear that probiotics are important to maintain healthy digestion, but what exactly do they do? Fitness recently learned all about the friendly bacteria from Dr. Melina B. Jampolis, MD, who we met with at an Activia event. We asked her about the digestive system, the role of probiotics in overall health, and how to incorporate the live microorganisms in our diets. Here’s what she had to say: How do probiotics help regulate our digestive system? Probiotics are friendly bacteria that live in our intestines. The gut contains 70 percent of our body’s immune tissue, so a healthy gut is important for healthy immune function. Probiotics help keep the cells of the colon healthy, promoting good digestion. Things like stress, lack of sleep, medication, and infection can throw off the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the intestines, which can lead to overall health and digestive problems. This bacteria keeps the cells that line the gut healthy. They produce vitamins and produce lactase, an enzyme that helps break down milk. Can you get probiotics from frozen yogurt? Learn this and more after the break!

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar! by Diana Kelly, Prevention Need another reason to hate Mondays? Tight postweekend waistbands. Unless you spent the past two days living like a monk, the cocktails, movie snacks, and dinners out can all add up to one thing: belly bloat . “If you wake up bloated on Monday morning, your weekend food choices are likely to blame,” explains Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. “In fact, overindulging for two days straight can easily cause a gain of three pounds. Fortunately, this weight gain is usually temporary and easy to get rid of in less than a week.” Try These 5 Tasty Low-Sodium Dinner Ideas Feel flat again by Friday with these five easy tips. 1. Season Food Differently You may be attracted to your saltshaker, but water is too. When you take in higher-than-usual amounts of the salty stuff, you’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, a puffy appearance, and extra water weight. Avoid salt, overprocessed foods, and salt-based seasonings. Gans suggests you also ditch the frozen microwaveable meals while you’re de-bloating – they’re packed with sodium. Instead, she recommends a simple turkey sandwich or a salad with chicken for lunch this week. And eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that are packed with water. Add zest to your dinner recipes with fresh herbs and salt-free seasoning blends such as the Original and Italian Medley Mrs. Dash. Four more tips after the break.

Whenever you resolve to eat healthier or fewer calories, it can be easy to fall into the diet trap – thinking that you just have to power through for a few weeks eating only lettuce in order to meet your weight goals. But instead of dreading the idea of healthy eating, think of your new goals as a lifestyle change, not a diet, with these tips. Get creative in the kitchen: When you’ve resigned yourself to eating the same healthy thing over and over again, you can get bored with your meals pretty easily. If you’re apprehensive about trying a new healthy food or you just don’t know where to start when it comes to making a healthy meal plan, check out our delicious healthy recipes index for endless ideas. Don’t use ultimatums: Crash dieting sets you up for failure; a better solution is to think of your new eating initiatives as something sustainable. That means that while you may have to cut back on your daily doughnut habit, you shouldn’t deprive yourself of your favorite unhealthy foods forever. Have a cheat day or have treat or two, mindfully, so you’ll be more apt to stick to your new eating plan. More tips for staying away from the “diet” mentality after the break.

Gwyneth Paltrow was all arms at the 2012 Grammy Awards. Looking even more defined than we remember her, Gwyneth’s sleeveless Stella McCartney gown showed off her shapely shoulders and strong arms. Gwyneth is no stranger to working hard to look good: she and celeb trainer Tracy Anderson put a lot of time toward her fitness regimen. See some of the arm exercises Tracy and Gwyneth do together to achieve such award-worthy arms! Source: Getty View Slideshow ›

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar! By Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea Sage Steele, SportsCenter anchor, is preparing to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World on Feb. 26 and hoping to fall in love with running in the process. Follow Sage’s journey on espnW.com Women’s races offer a decidedly different vibe than their coed cousins’: more camaraderie, a sole sister atmosphere that welcomes all runners and walkers, and lots more running skirts. Here are five of the top women’s races and series in the country. Sign up then train like Sage. Disney Tinker Bell and Princess half marathons Sage picked a winner. Let your inner child run free through the Magic Kingdom at these festival race weekends. Tinker Bell is in Disneyland, while Princess is in Disney World, but both allow thousands of runners to mix and mingle with Disney characters on courses that wind through each park. Racers put almost as much effort into costumes – Snow White, Belle, or Minnie, anyone? – as training. Bonus: your kids will be especially psyched to cheer you on. Sage Steele gets some training advice from Disney runMom Lori Lovell Nike Women’s Marathon Yeah, it’s tough to snag an entry, but if you can, this race is so worth it. (Psst: Go through Team in Training .) This 26.2-mile race, and its half-marathon companion, traverses San Francisco with sweeping vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean to take your mind off the killer hills in the first 10 miles of the race. Tuxedo-clad firefighters bestow each finisher with a Tiffany & Co. pendant. Run fast by fueling up smart Three more great races after the break.

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site. By Maridel Reyes It’s true that there are certain times in your life when extra poundage seems to appear out of nowhere . . . and settle on you. In fact, experts have honed in on the exact moments when you’re most vulnerable to weight gain. “Life transitions, having a baby, and going through menopause cause many women to pile on pounds,” says Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate!: The 50 Most Common Diet-Derailing Excuses and How to Outwit Them . “But with planning and prep, you can stay thin.” We asked top experts for their strategies to help you ward off weight creep – and even shed pounds – at these tricky stages. Solutions ahead. Getting married Heavier ever after? It can be the flip side of wedded bliss: “Six out of 10 of my clients come back heavier after the honeymoon,” says celebrity fitness and wellness guru David Kirsch. Health.com: 25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat Young newlyweds pack on an extra six to nine pounds in the five years after getting hitched compared to singletons, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And most of that gain happens in the first year of marriage. “Couples start to mirror each other’s eating habits,” explains Albers. “You might be matching him calorie for calorie without realizing it.” Learn how to keep the pounds down postmarriage and in the mommy years, after the break.

This Valentine’s Day I’ll be making Rio Royales: bubbly and pink-hued, this cocktail sets the perfect mood for the heart-filled holiday. What I’m really loving about Rio Royales is that a major component of the drink is antioxidant-rich açaí liquer. The berry-infused liquer gives the drink a subtle taste of chocolate-covered cherries, but its health benefits are even more enticing. Açaí pulp has more antioxidants than you’ll find in blueberries, pomegranates, or red grapes, and also contains lots of fiber, amino acids, and heart-healthy fatty acids. Learn how easy it is to make this recipe after the break!

At 36, Reese Witherspoon always looks amazing. Strong, sculpted, lean, yet feminine. How does Reese do it ? She told Us Weekly : “I work out all the time anyway just to stay healthy. I don’t believe in crash dieting or anything like that.” From yoga sessions to running, this Oscar-winning actress loves to get her sweat on. Regular exercise offers a slew of health benefits , including improved sleep, increased energy and brain function, a happier mood, a stronger immune system, and prevention of health issues like heart disease and diabetes. But not everyone loves exercise, and some just use it as a weight-loss tool. What about you? Do you exercise to stay healthy or just when you need to slim down? Yes, like Reese, I work out mainly for my health. No, I only exercise when I need to lose weight.

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you’re hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group . 1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt) If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body. Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow – and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results. Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.