Celebody: Kelly Monaco

Kelly: “I have my own garden”

Dancing with the Stars all-star and champ Kelly Monaco brings us behind the scenes of her dance rehearsals and shares her diet and fitness tips.

General Hospital star Kelly Monaco was the very first winner of Dancing with the Stars and now she’s back to try to claim that title again as Season 15’s all-star.

Sweet treats and staying positive

“I have a sweet tooth,” says Monaco. “Twix is probably my favorite [candy] or Reese's. I actually got a bag of [Halloween candy] the other day and I lined up my favorites.”

With her current dancing schedule though, she can afford the candy calories!

“Dancing is such a good form of exercise, and you don’t feel like you’re exercising,” she says.

More than anything, though, staying positive is the key to good health, Monaco says.

“You just have to be happy,” she tells us. “Put a smile on your face — you’ll burn more calories if you smile. I’m having the best time right now.”

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One of the funnier pictures of Alec Baldwin emerged over the weekend: the star doing pushups in front of a Los Angeles office building . Paparazzi caught Baldwin and wife Hilaria Thomas in workout gear in the sunny Los Angeles weather on Saturday afternoon. Thomas looked on, more concerned with her cell phone, as Alec did pushups on the cold, hard concrete.

Alec Baldwin says he offered to take a pay cut to save 30 Rock>>

What's the need for such a public fitness display? Well, Hilaria Thomas is a whole quarter-century younger than Baldwin. Okay, maybe that was a bit too dramatic — she's 26 years younger than Baldwin: Hilaria is 28 and Alec is 54. Baldwin showed off his much lighter frame in January 2011 when he lost 30 pounds over four months.

Us Weekly says Baldwin's fitness routine centers on low-impact cardio and diet changes. "I gave up sugar… I do Pilates and spin, but I don't do as much yoga as I'd like" said Baldwin to the magazine. "When we're shooting [30 Rock] and I can't work out, I just have to eat less. So I'm very conscious of that. But sugar was the real killer for me — that was the problem." .

Alec Baldwin's daughter says he's not really a jerk>> 

But seriously, Alec Baldwin's wife, Hilaria Thomas, is a NYC yoga instructor at Yoga Vida and has a background in ballet and ballroom dancing. So maybe she's a motivating factor behind Baldwin's fitness commitment. Maybe Alec Baldwin should do Dancing with the Stars? That would be awesome.

Photo courtesy of Apega / WENN.com

Celebody: Mark Wahlberg

5 moves for sexy muscles

As seen in his multiple shirtless roles, Mark Wahlberg has an extremely buff bod. But his workout doesn’t just work for men. Check out what moves you can steal from Mark’s trainers to sculpt lean, sexy muscles.

The men behind Mark Wahlberg's famous bod are now making their method available to everyone at Brik Fitness, their new studio in Redondo Beach, California.

Co-owner Brian Nguyen has been with Mark for the past seven years, sculpting his body for roles in movies like Invincible, The Fighter, and next year’s Pain and Gain.

But Nguyen and his partner Nik Herold aren’t just pros at beefing up actors. They help female celebs slim down too. On the set of The Fighter, Nguyen also worked with Amy Adams to tighten up her physique and he trained Mark’s co-star Natalie Martinez on the set of their upcoming film, Broken City.

The key to the Brik Fitness model is quality over quantity.

“There is a lot of fat loss involved any time you are on camera,” Nguyen told SheKnows. “Getting that lean physique isn’t so much about low weight and high reps." You really have to get that metabolic system going, he says.

“It’s about the quality of the movements that are involved in the workout,” says Herold.

In addition to efficiently training your muscles, Nguyen and Herold put a huge emphasis on preparing for the workout and recovery. The whole process takes six steps.

Learn the Brik Fitness method

Step #1: RAMP

RAMP stands for range of motion, activation of weak muscles and movement preparation. We accomplished this step by foam-rolling our calves before beginning the training session.

Step #2: Core Training

“Most people have some sort of weakness in their core area and we are really going to focus on it in the beginning of the program,” said Herold.

To engage the entire body, the guys had us do a reverse lunge with band pull. Some other popular core exercises Nguyen employed with Natalie Martinez were static holds, like the side plank.

Step #5: Conditioning

This is where your cardio comes in! Nguyen likes to finish his workouts by “emptying the tank,” squeezing the last bit of energy out of your fatigued physique. With Amy Adams and Mark Wahlberg on The Fighter, this meant intervals of jumping rope. Nguyen recommends doing a total of 10 minutes of jump rope, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds resting.

Step #6: Regeneration

Nguyen and Herold encourage their clients to complete this three-step process following a training session.

1. Foam-roll.
2. Stretch.
3. Refuel with lean protein and carbohydrates. At Brik they have a smoothie bar where they make delicious shakes with whey protein and fruit.

“This trio helps reduce muscle soreness and recovery time which allows us to work out intensely and more frequently — two necessary elements when designing a workout plan to get a great physique,” says Herold.

Shirt

T For 2 Sports Top

Shoes

Minimus 1010 Trail

Pants

Essential 3/4 Skinny Pants

More celebrity fitness

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Photo credits: Brian To/WENN.com, WENN.com, WENN.com

Richard Simmons is making 63 years old look fabulous. The man infamously known for high energy and short shorts recently spoke to Men's Health magazine about his trademark attire, his impressive doll collection and what his new nickname is all about.

These days the public can find Richard Simmons sweating it out at his own gym, Slimmons. For a full hour and 25 minutes the once obese fitness guru shakes in his infamous shorts and encourages others to do the same.

Sadly, Simmons, who is seen here at a Dance to Conquer Cancer event in February, is in danger of running out of shorts! "They don't make Dolfin shorts anymore," he said, breaking the shocking news to the magazine. "It's true! I'm not lying. They're from 1979, and they don't make them anymore because the material is flammable. Literally flammable! They're not allowed in the United States anymore."

Never fear, though. The curly-haired motivator is prepared. "I've got 400 pairs," Richard Simmons said reassuringly.

"People write to me all the time and say, 'Dear Richard, I was cleaning out my garage and you're just never going to guess what I found. I've got two pair of Dolfin shorts!' And they send them to me… I'm going to donate all of my clothing to the Smithsonian after I die, because I want my own wing. I don't want just, like, a Fonzie jacket. I want the Richard Simmons wing."

Richard Simmons is not ill, he's in the best shape of his life!>>

What's not quite as clear, however, is what will happen to Richard Simmons' staggering doll collection down the road. "I have a one-of-a-kind collection of dolls," he confessed. "My house is like a museum… But I have at least 400 dolls in my house at all times, and then I switch them out. We all collect something. Your mother could’ve collected salt and pepper shakers. It’s fun when you’re younger, but then we get to our 60s and think, 'What am I doing with all this stuff?'"

As for retiring? Richard Simmons told Men's Health don't bet on it. "Oh no, I couldn't do that," he insisted at the suggestion. "I wouldn't be able to sit still. If I have to die, I want to combust in the middle of one of my classes."

Here's hoping there are many more years of short-shorts — without any combustion — ahead for Richard Simmons!

Image via WENN

Get
the Bod: Rihanna, Gaga & more

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak is showing SheKnows how to get his most popular clients’ most coveted body parts. From Rihanna’s abs to Lady Gaga’s legs, Harley shows us the secrets of his Hollywood Workout.

So you can’t afford Hollywood’s most sought-after trainer? No problem! Harley Pasternak is making his secrets accessible to the average woman with the release of his new video game, Harley Pasternak’s Hollywood Workout.

Watch: Harley Pasternak's Hollywood workout

With this workout you’ll be ready for the red carpet in no time!

“I think fitness has to be accessible to everyone,” says Pasternak. “There should never be an excuse why you can’t get in great shape. Not everyone lives in L.A. and not everyone can afford a trainer, and not everyone needs a trainer.”

Get Harley Pasternak’s Hollywood Workout today, available on Xbox and Nintendo Wii.

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Photo credit: Sean Thorton/WENN.COM

A short list of celebs who have written recent diet books: Valerie Bertinelli, Jennifer Hudson, Mario Lopez, Alicia Silverstone and um, 50 Cent?

Yep. The "In Da Club" rapper, who's not necessarily known for his great body, came out with Formula 50 this month, a diet and exercise book that purports to help readers get as fit as Fiddy.

Is he fit? If the many images of 50 Cent working out prove he's lean and hard at 37, and dedicated to weight lifting and boxing.

In his new book, he advocates the metabolic resistance training strategy popular with weight lifters. The method encourages exercisers to lift weights to the point of "failure" , and to adhere to circuit training, exercising each part of the body in turn with only short rests in between reps.

50 Cent gets richer, doesn't die trying>>

Does it work? Fiddy told Bodybuilding.com that the method turned him into a rock-hard ab-god, with the confidence to work with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sly Stallone .

Even though both icons are decades older than 50 Cent, Fiddy considered them the competition: "I can't be with those guys and look like I've been off to see the wizard," he said. "You don't want those older guys looking like, 'You need some help?'"

A diet and exercise book is only the latest 50 Cent venture: The rap star also hawks his own brands of vitamin water, energy shots and headphones. He worked with Right Guard to introduce Pure 50 RGX Body Spray, and a condom line called, um, Magic Stick Condoms. 50 Cent's vitamin water drink is also called Formula 50.

Image courtesy Dan Jackman/WENN.com

Red carpet fitness

Look like
an A-lister

America's favorite fitness expert Denise Austin, author of Side Effect: Skinny, knows how easy it is to envy those gorgeous celebs walking the red carpet in their silhouette-skimming designer gowns. But you don't have to be rich and famous to look red-carpet ready. She tells SheKnows how to look like a celebrity without spending a fortune on personal trainers, personal chefs and tummy tucks.

Celebrity fitness secrets: 3 moves to a red-carpet body

Even the sveltest of stars does a little extra work to look picture-perfect for the awards shows. Austin, who is a Screen Actors Guild member and award-show voter, says you, too, can incorporate a few celeb-caliber workout moves into your fitness routine to look your best. "Sure, the stars have trainers — and sometimes even surgery, but the following moves will tighten and tone you quickly, whether you're famous or not."

If you're looking for a tight waist, stop wasting your time doing all those crunches. If they haven't helped yet, they aren't going to just because you add more reps. Instead, try this surgery-free tummy tuck, Austin suggests. Not only is it effective, you can do it anywhere.

Move: Stand or sit tall with your shoulders back. Tuck in your abs, pulling your belly button back to your spine; contract and hold for 5 seconds. Then let your muscles relax and then tuck them in again for 5 seconds. Each 5-second isometric contraction is equal to one sit-up. Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions

This full-body exercise is Austin's favorite move for getting toned thighs and banishing back fat .

Move: Stand nice and tall with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms straight down in front of your body. Keeping your abs strong and back straight the whole time, slowly bend forward at your hips to lower the weights toward the floor, with your hands directly under your shoulders. For the row, bend your elbows as you pull your arms up along the sides of your body and bring your shoulder blades together. Lower the weights back toward the floor. Return to standing, squeezing your buttocks and thighs . Repeat for 1 minute.

"One of the keys to looking great in a dress is toned arms," Austin says. "To go from arm flab to arm fab, try this exercise."

Move: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your heels about 6 inches from your butt. Hold a dumbbell in each hand close to your ears, with your elbows bent and pointing to the ceiling. Lift your hips to the ceiling, contracting your back, abs, butt and legs, while straightening your arms and raising the dumbbells to the ceiling. As you lift your butt off the floor , your arms will be straight . Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold, then lower your hips and dumbbells, and repeat for 1 minute.

Celebrity diet tips

Austin doesn't recommend going on a deprivation diet to lose weight. She suggests eating healthy foods that fill you up and banish bloat.

"Foods that contain fiber are important to eat on the days leading up to a big event because they blast fat and naturally suppress the appetite," says the fitness expert. "Fiber-rich foods also help to 'flush you out,' therefore helping to keep you slim." She suggests adding beans to your dishes, munching on raw veggies and whole fruit, and choosing high fiber cereals and 100 percent whole-wheat bread.

You can suffer from water retention and puffiness regardless of your size. However, you can look thinner by eating foods that are high in potassium and low in sodium. "These help prevent the dreaded bloat, making it that much easier to slip into a form-fitting dress," says Austin. "Try a veggie, like bok choy, or a fruit, like plums, to reap the benefits."

Waffles and pancakes may sound like a tasty way to start the day, but all those carbs will leave you lethargic by mid-morning and craving yet more carbs. If you want to look and feel your best all day, start your morning — especially on days you have a big event planned — with protein-packed eats. Austin says, "Fit protein into your meal to keep your energy up! Eggs or egg whites would be a good choice."

Known as "America's favorite fitness expert,” Denise Austin has sold more than 24 million exercise videos and authored more than 12 books on physical fitness. As a worldwide fitness phenomenon, she has created a loyal audience with her two major television shows: Getting Fit, which ran for 10 years on ESPN and continued under the new name Denise Austin's Daily Workout on Lifetime Television, and Fit & Lite, also on Lifetime. Denise served two terms on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She has testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, helped launch the new food guide system of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was recently honored by Woman's Day magazine and the American Heart Association with the Red Dress Award for her contributions to heart health. For more information, visit DeniseAustin.com.

More celeb fitness tips

Harley Pasternak's Hollywood workout
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Get Anne Hathaway's Catwoman curves

Gina McDonald Blogs

Gina races
to win visit from husband

Gina may have had a rough few days on the show, but it all pays off in this week's episode "Tough Love," where everyone raced to not only lose weight, but also win a special surprise.

The challenge this week was to race to a moving spotlight. The last man — lady in this case — standing wins not only a 24-hour visit from a loved one, but also a 24-hour visit to give away. Danni certainly spread the love by giving both prizes away!

Getting to spend time on the ranch with my amazing husband was just the medicine I needed to get me to the finish line. Plus, I can actually wear my wedding ring now; that feels amazing! Little did I know my inner self had some more things to sort out in order for me to really reach the finish line.

You see, throughout this journey and throughout my life I have struggled with fear and worry. As our last-chance workout begins, I am overcome with fear and doubt. I want to believe I can do this; I'm doing this! I am the biggest loser on the ranch — and the oldest. But those old feelings resurface again. Dolvett tells me, "You have nothing to worry about except the stuff you create in your head!" His words encourage and inspire me, and I go on to lose another nine pounds, proving that hard work, sweat and, yes, even tears can get the job done. I am still the biggest loser on the ranch, with my weight now at 184 pounds.

I encourage you to stay tuned and see how this story, my story, and the stories of my fellow contestants play out. You never know, our stories might just be similar to yours.

Until next week, I remain... #teamgina #bl14 #team purple #hotmess #livelifeoutloud

Check back next week for more blogs from Gina!

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Biggest Loser's Gina McDonald blogs: My experience so far
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Photo credit: NBC

Gina McDonald Blogs

Gina struggles to impress
the trainers

For those of you watching NBC's The Biggest Loser, you already know that Week 8 is my toughest week yet.

Things started off harmoniously enough when kid contestants Biingo, Sunny and Lindsay came back to help. Alison told us we have to lose 71 pounds as a group to keep everyone safe from elimination.

After a quiz about healthy foods and another fitness test, the kids were able to give us 9 pounds off the goal.

Things went downhill from there for me, and it all started with a pair of slippery gym shoes.

I complained to Dolvett that I'm having a hard time on the treadmill because of my new shoes. This prompted him to joke about how much he hates lawyers. Contestant Joe Ostaszewski chimed in not-so-jokingly, that "he hates lawyers, too!"

“He insulted my dignity and intelligence, and I refuse to work out in the same gym with him." The tension between Joe and me had been building for some time, and that was the proverbial straw that broke this chick's back.

And, yes, I leave the gym!

Dolvett eventually gets me to come back with the promise of personal training, and I'm having a great workout until Jillian decides to use me as an example to contestant Alex Reid. I am asked to run 5 minutes on the treadmill. I can do that right? I have run hundreds of miles on a treadmill by Week 8. I will never know why I stopped running, but I did, and chaos ensues.

I leave the gym again as Jillian lashes out at me.

Everything in life happens for a reason; sometimes we don't know why, but there is a reason!

Bob comes to my room and tells me he feels like I am giving up. A light goes off for me when he tells me.

“If you wanna self-sabotage yourself, then you’re on the right path." I think to myself, and I'm finally figuring this out. I am once again letting stuff get into my head and this has to stop.

In this week's challenge, we are given the chance to knock off 10 more pounds as we work together digging through sand to uncover pole pieces. The ironic part of the challenge is when I fall and Joe picks me up! We win and now have to collectively lose 51 pounds.

Our last-chance workout was to complete a ropes course. And guess who I was paired with? Yep, Joe!

This challenge proved that even when you have disagreements, you can set them aside and work together.

Things are starting to come together for me — or so I thought. I come to the final weigh-in with optimism and "focusing on the good," but little did I know that the trainers were not yet ready for me to move on.

I lose 4 pounds and end the night still holding the title of Biggest Loser, but the trainers still are not having it!

The trainers all agree that it wasn’t a “Gina number,” and I leave the scale in tears.

In the end, it was Francelina Morillo who was sent home.

Tune in Monday on NBC to see what a difference a week makes! I promise the best is yet to come.

This is a journey. One I took willingly. I expose raw human emotion each and every week. I am proud of my time on the ranch and forever blessed for the opportunity — a life-altering journey!

Images courtesy of NBC

More of Gina's Biggest Loser blogs

Gina steps out of her comfort zone
McDonald "in the middle of drama"
Gina McDonald blog: My experience so far

Gina McDonald Blogs

Gina faces her fears

Gina overcomes a tough obstacle and learns to leave negative thoughts behind during "Face Your Fears Week" on NBC's The Biggest Loser.

Week 9 of NBC's Biggest Loser was "Face Your Fears Week". Little did we know that as soon as the lights dimmed from Week 8's weigh-in would we all be faced with our worst fear: leaving the ranch!

Our pop challenge is to help each other by stacking 25-pound cinder blocks over pictures of the remaining contestants. The last face still showing leaves the ranch. Lucky for me, Jackson leads the others to save me and basically volunteers to leave himself. Trust me, I knew all of the contestants wanted it to be me, and I couldn't blame them. I had come off a very emotional week and they were all ready to see me leave.

In the end, Jackson, and Jeff, who volunteers to leave also, face the worst fear of all: life off the ranch.

I promise Jackson that I will not let him down and that I will work on things in the coming week. And I prove I am a woman of my word: The past week was the past and I'd learned so much about myself. It's time to put it into practice.

Biggest Loser's Gina McDonald blogs: My experience so far>>

After a workout with Jillian, I finally come to terms with some of the actions, reactions and choices I've made in my life — choices that have led me down a very negative and toxic road. I learn so much about myself this week.

My fear is being in small spaces. Well, time to face that fear and a few other issues I'm just discovering.

Being put in a coffin — yes, a coffin — for twenty minutes was life-changing. The act of climbing into the coffin symbolized so much more than a fear of small spaces. It symbolized the death of past relationships because of my actions, my choices. I finally begin to realize the mistakes I've made and I emerge with new hope and energy. I understand that I have not been willing to push through obstacles and disappointments in life. I've been choosing what I believe is the easy way: running away. I am so lucky to learn that it is the road less traveled, the obstacles in life that make our lives enriched and blessed. I'm forever grateful to Jillian for seeing this in me and helping me to not only see it, but begin to make a change.

As a group our next challenge is to face a fear of heights. Lucky for me I'm not afraid of heights! As soon as I see the challenge I know it's mine to win. I finally know and believe that I can make a choice to stick this out. Through the pain, I know I can do it! I see the power of positive thinking and belief in myself really working. I win after hanging on for over 20 minutes, all while chanting like a crazy woman, "Pain is temporary, quitting is forever!" Never a truer statement for my time on the ranch. I am not a quitter and I'm determined more than ever to prove this to the most important person: Me!

Two example of how 20 minutes can change your life: I win immunity, but more than anything, I won my life back in those 20 minutes. I am finally becoming the person I've always dreamed of: strong, confident, positive and filled with joy for living.

Thank you, Biggest Loser, for letting me have these beautiful life-changing moments. My life will never be the same!

I am so excited to share the remaining weeks with you!

More about The Biggest Loser

Biggest Loser's Gina McDonald steps out of her comfort zone
Biggest Loser's Gina McDonald faces her toughest week
Biggest Loser's Gina McDonald "in the middle of the drama"

Photo credit: NBC

Jennifer Carpenter talks running

Celebrity cover girl

Dexter’s brunette beauty Jennifer Carpenter recently graced the cover of the Women’s Running March issue, and we have the scoop on her love of running, her favorite “bad” workout song and even the actor she’d most like to run with.

It’s no surprise to us why Carpenter is this month’s Women’s Running cover girl. It’s pretty evident by the gorgeous photo that she’s been running a lot .

On New York, rejuvenation and running

The bicoastal, three-time marathon runner lives in New York City during the Dexter off-season and thrives on the fast-paced energy. “I like to come here [New York] in between filming to reset,” she says. “Even though you can go a hundred miles per hour here, it rejuvenates me somehow.”

You just don’t want to mess with her if she needs to get to her running shoes. She once broke into her building in Soho to get them — during Hurricane Sandy. “I forgot the keys to my building, so I scaled six stories up the fire escape to get inside,” she says. “The Italian restaurant next door let me climb onto their first-floor fire escape. My hands started shaking somewhere near the third floor. At the top, this guy recognized me through his window and let me in.” Before she could explain what she was doing, he asked if he could get a picture. “I had just done Kelly and Michael that morning, so I was in full hair and makeup.”

Hurricane relief

Originally set to run in the New York Marathon for Every Mother Counts , a nonprofit founded by supermodel-turned-activist Christy Turlington Burns, Carpenter put her efforts into something even more pressing when Hurricane Sandy cancelled the event. “I woke at 8 a.m. [on the day the marathon would have taken place] and went to Queens to volunteer in Rockaway with my Marine friend, Zach, and some other guys who are involved with this great disaster-relief organization called Team Rubicon,” she says. “The first house we visited, we did a week’s worth of work — picking up debris, digging out sand, tearing down walls in just a couple of hours. It was disgusting, gross and hard, but no one stopped. I don’t think we even took a water break.”

More fun tidbits about Jennifer Carpenter

She’s gorgeous, strong, caring and talented, but did you also know Carpenter has a favorite workout song? “I love old-school Britney Spears, especially ‘Toxic.’ I’m listening to it right now in my head. I like running to music when I know all the words.”

The ravishing runner would also like to run alongside fellow actor Peter Sarsgaard one day. “He is writing and directing the film adaption of Christopher McDougall’s best-selling book Born to Run. I’d love to hit the trails with him some time.”

More celebrity fitness

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Gina McDonald Blogs

It's makeover week on
Biggest Loser!

Week 10 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser was makeover week! Each of the remaining contestants and the three child ambassadors got a makeover courtesy of Tim Gunn and celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves.

I was so excited to get to this milestone in the show. What girl doesn't want a makeover? First up was the opportunity to have Tim Gunn help me with a new wardrobe for my big hometown reveal. He suggested I go for a mature but somewhat sexy look. He starts with a leather skirt. I tell him:

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a leather skirt on, but I’ll certainly give it a try!" And try I did. I was amazed that I could fit into a size 10. I was a size 20 before starting Biggest Loser! I didn’t even recognize myself when I looked in the mirror.

Next up was a much-needed new hairstyle with the incredible Ken Paves. I was truly captivated by Ken and his entire staff. They certainly know how to make a girl feel pretty.

And finally we were off to Birmingham to make my big debut in front of my family and friends. Coming through the doorway and seeing my parents and my children, all of whom I hadn't seen in almost three months, was so surreal and a feeling I will never forget!

Soon after the reveal, I was handed a letter from our show host Alison Sweeney. I found out that I'd have two challenges while at home. The first was to lose five percent of my body weight in order to get immunity. The second was to join in on the Challenge America theme for this season by leading my community in a workout.

I was so excited for both of these challenges. I definitely wanted to show America that it can be done at home — something I never believed I could do before.

I had the opportunity to lead people from my community in a workout, and it felt great! I was joined by Season 11's Marci Croizer. What a great example she sets for all of us.

I feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity to share my experiences with others. Being home with my family and friends and renewing my newfound strength and confidence, I've realize that I'm a winner already and didn't even know it!

At the final weigh-in, I find I've lost 10 pounds, more than enough to be safe for another week. It felt great being the last to weigh in and sealing the deal for all of us. The Fabulous Five move on to week 11 strong and confident.

Be sure to catch the home stretch of this season next Monday on NBC.

More about The Biggest Loser

Week 9: Gina faces her fears
Week 8: Gina faces her toughest week yet
Week 7: Gina steps out of her comfort zone

A-list arm exercises

We’re hitting the gym with celebrity trainer Simone de la Rue to learn five moves for getting toned arms like her A-list clients.

Simone de la Rue and her partner Dee are responsible for some of the most enviable arms in Hollywood. From New York to Los Angeles, the ladies work with A-list actresses like Anne Hathaway, Naomi Watts and Sandra Bullock to get them ready for big nights like the Academy Awards.

And clearly it pays off, as witnessed when Hathaway displayed her beautifully toned arms while holding up her Best Supporting Actress award at this year’s ceremony.

Anne Hathaway's last-minute Oscars dress switch>>

So what’s the secret? A series of low-weight, high-repetition drills aimed at focusing on key problem areas.

• 2- to 3-pound wrist weights and 2- to 3-pound hand weights
• A small stability ball or Pilates ball

Wearing your wrist weights, place your ball on the floor with the left hand. Slide the right arm underneath the left and reach to a lateral side extension.

Keep the Pilates ball on the floor on the left hand. With a 3-pound weight, raise the right arm to a tricep extension.

Wearing both wrist weights, think Black Swan, and lift/lower arms above your head, keeping your back straight.

Stand on the left leg and raise the right knee. Holding your hand weights, imagine you are holding two Oscars, and raise both arms out in front of your body.

Start in plank position, then lift left leg and right arm. Hold for about a minute, then pulse. Follow with a tricep press.

Repeat each exercise for three sets of 20 reps per set, on each side. Simone suggests doing these drills about three times a week in addition to cardio. Her favorite cardio exercises to do with her clients are dancing and jump rope.

Though she is not a nutritionist, Simone suggests a diet heavy on protein and vegetables, with light grains. Mix in some water, green juice and the occasional chocolate, and you should be red carpet ready in about six weeks!

For more great customized workouts from Simone that you can do anywhere, check out her website Body By Simone TV and follow BBS on Twitter @bodybysimone.

More celebrity health and fitness

Red-carpet results: Denise Austin's celebrity diet and fitness tips
Celebody: Harley Pasternak shows us his Hollywood workout
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen's kung fu workout

Photo credit: Zoe Buckman, Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Dennis Rodman and Steven Seagal shouldn't exactly be put in the same category for anything,  but both have been added to the list of minor celebrities who have visited world leaders in the last week .

Dennis Rodman plays diplomat with North Korea >>

"I think it would be quite appropriate to recall the positive experience of past decades when the so-called GTO, Ready for Labour and Defence, was in use in our country," Putin said, according to Alexei Anishchuk with Reuters.

The GTO training program was a health standards program that was introduced by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s.

"The revival of this system — in a new, modern format — could bring major benefits," Putin added.

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Putin believes that a student's grade in the program should help or hurt the student's college application. According to Anishchuk, Putin is making an attempt to increase his citizens' life expectancies.

Steven Seagal factors into the program because his action films are very popular in Russia. According to Anishchuk, the actor appeared at the announcement as if he were Putin's security guard for a seemingly choreographed bit. The president was taking photos with students when Seagal "rescued" him.

"Kids, remain calm, it's a great honor to take pictures with the president of Russia," the announcer said.

But other than that, it isn't entirely clear why Seagal was there or what his role in the program will actually be. Seagal and Putin watched the kids practice martial arts but did not join them in the sport.

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Seagal has been staying busy, besides his apparent duties in Russia. He was working on the TV show True Justice, and he is currently the producer on the project Force of Execution. He will also be acting in another film, Gutshot Straight, due out this year.

Photo courtesy Nikki Nelson/WENN.com

Gina McDonald Blogs

"Thank you for giving me my life back"

Week 11 of NBC's The Biggest Loser found the remaining five contestants competing in the most anticipated challenge of all. The challenge we all anxiously awaited.

Proof that we have achieved amazing weight loss goals, this challenge was a bit different than the "putting on the weight challenge" of past seasons. We found ourselves at a northern California ski resort, faced with pulling our weekly weight-loss up a snow-covered hill. The idea of this challenge is to first put on last week's weight and work to the first week's. For me, that meant putting back on a total of 82 pounds and pulling it uphill. We don't have snow like this in Alabama! The challenge was fun and a culmination and acknowledgment of just how far each of us has come. We were all so proud to finish and celebrate our success.

Unfortunately, during the last workout, I was running at a speed of 10.5 at an incline of 12, and I go down. The result was a ruptured plantar fascia. This was not the best news knowing there will be a red and yellow line this week. I managed to do some of the workouts, doing various alterations of exercises.

The weigh in was bittersweet for me. I knew that I had very little left to lose; and with the injury limiting my cardio, I was more nervous than ever. In the end, I fall below the red line with a weight loss of two pounds. Both Danni and Jeff post high numbers and guarantee their place in the finale to be aired live March 18. The remaining two, Joe and Jackson, learn that they will have to earn the third spot on the finale after America votes. They both make their pleas to America as to why they deserve to be the third finalist.

I leave the ranch that night after making it through all 11 episodes, and I am so very proud of the accomplishment I have made. I am a different person inside and out, and for the first time in my life, I really love me! I am a winner already.

See you live March 18, and you will all be inspired by all of season 14's accomplishments! Thank you, Biggest Loser, for giving me my life back and allowing me to learn to find the joy in this beautiful life.

Be sure to watch the live finale tonight at 8/7c on NBC. I may not be in the running for The Biggest Loser title, but I know I am going to be the one to beat for the at-home prize.

More about The Biggest Loser

Week 10: Gina meets Tim Gunn
Week 9: Gina faces her fears
Week 8: Gina faces her toughest week yet

Photos courtesy Trae Patton/NBC

She has a body to die for thanks to diet and exercise, but for Gwyneth Paltrow nutrition isn't just about how she looks — it's about her mental health, too.

The actress, who is currently pushing her new cookbook It's All Good, told Self magazine that neglecting her nutritional needs left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"A couple of years ago, I got really run-down," Paltrow explained. "I had to sing at awards shows, which was fun but stressful. I'd have a Guinness and a beta-blocker every time."

"I also was constantly getting on airplanes, trying to knock myself out with sleeping pills and wine, waking up, trying to sweat it out with exercise and a steam, and then working really hard all day. Eventually, I had a panic attack. My body was like, 'What is happening?'"

On the advice of her medical team she "cut out basically everything: dairy, sugar, gluten, anything processed," and helped her kids do the same.

However, despite the Spartan sound of her diet, Paltrow, who recently revealed she suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage, doesn't deprive herself of all the good stuff.

"Life is about balance," she said. "It's good to work in healthy food, whether it's five days a week or five meals a week… But never cut out the brownies or the wine."

Being mindful of her diet has affected her relationships too, she said.

"You feel lighter and your emotions get smoother… I also was run-down because I had a lot of unexpressed anger. I made everyone else's feelings more important than my own."

"You're not learning anything unless you're having the difficult conversations," Paltrow explained. "Dealing with things directly changed my relationships. Sometimes when you get clear about who you are, others get less comfortable because they liked who you were. It's changed my marriage, too, but he's up for the challenge."

Read the complete interview with Gwyneth Paltrow in the April issue of Self.

Image courtesy Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com