Health & Fitness Guide

1. How To Keep Fit & Fine This 50 Push-Up Challenge Will Transform Your Body in 30 Days It's been almost 20 years since Demi Moore starred in G.I. Jane, but that crazy- inspiring scene in which Moore (as Jordan O'Neill) pumps out push-up after push- up has stuck with me. I've always wanted to be able to do that. Why? The classic push-up comes close to a perfect exercise, challenging multiple muscle groups in the arms, chest, back, and core to build overall functional strength. But let’s just say my upper body has never been my better half. On a good day, I could eke out maybe eight push-ups max—and they weren’t pretty. I have—or had, I should say—a long way to go. RELATED: The Worst Push-Up Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

2. Last summer, I decided to see just how far I could get. I called New York City- based Master Trainer Shaun Zetlin, who is something of a push-up guru. Earlier this year he published a book all about this body-changing move (and its many variations) called the Push-up Progression ($16, amazon.com). Zetlin suggested a goal—50 reps in a month’s time (gulp)—and outlined the 30-day plan below. 9 Balance and Stability Exercises to Improve Your Coordination and Strength Balance training can stabilize us, even out the body, and help prevent falls, which is especially important as we age. But don't assume these moves are just for "old" people—balance is involved in everything we do. This workout is strength training for your core and legs, and it can be very challenging. "Your core is the foundation of all movements, especially in stabilization work," says Duana Soeda Stinson (shown in the workout video), a NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) and Pilates instructor based in New York City. To get your middle involved in this routine, created for Health by Duana (@damnduana), breathedeep through the ups and downs of each move. And to get your backside to light up, make sure you're grounding down through the big toe, pinky toe, and heel of the foot, she says. Here are the moves that'll help you find your footing and stay there—no matter what aims to throw you off balance. 20 Hip-Strengthening Exercises You Can Do at Home

3. Turns out, Shakira's not the only one who believes hips don't lie. Those ball-and- socket joints can reveal a lot about a person, and equally important is how well they're taken care of, through hip strengthening and stretching. When a person has tight hips, it generally means that they've been sitting a lot, like at a desk job, working on a computer all day, says Chelsey Wilkens, NASM- CPT, a trainer at Soho Strength Lab in New York City. “By doing active stretches before or after sitting for extended periods of time, you'll help relax the area, feel less tight, and allow yourself to sit comfortably for longer,” says Wilkens. "This will also help protect from injuries." Hip strength and mobility can also help improve movement patterns and posture. “If one joint isn’t working as it should—say, the hips are tight and immobile—this can cause stress for the joint above or below it," says Wilkens. When the hip tightens, it can stress the low back or the knee joint, which can then alter posture and gait (aka, how you walk) and also lead to injuries.