It’s baaaack. Just when you thought your abs were safe, Linda LaRue has released her latest and greatest workout DVD, 3D Fat Burn Fusion, which promises to help you target and tone stubborn core muscles and smoke off your belly fat—fast.

This DVD consists of two workouts. The first workout is the 30-minute Fat Burn Fusion, which consists of both standing total-body ab work and core mat work that borrows moves from yoga and Pilates. The moves, combined with the CORE TRANSFORMER tubing method that Jenn reviewed, kicks the bad ass-ness way up. The standing work was hard…challenging enough, in fact, that I was looking forward to the mat work.

I shouldn’t have been so naive. The mat work about killed me! Especially the planks. YES! There are planks. My boyfriend trainer came into the room as I was doing this part and started drooling over the workouts. (Note: He ALWAYS hates DVD workouts. He never sees anything new…yada yada. Ms. LaRue impressed the stuffins out of him…let this be your warning.)

The second section is a bonus for your body. It’s a 15-minute high-intensity interval workout that about killed my butt (literally). It’s deja vu. I felt like I was back at the Nike compound in Vancouver working out with the ski team. Teri Ann Krefting leads you through a quick, grueling workout that will make you feel like a super athlete with super-sore muscles once you’re done. (No pain, no gain!)

And then there’s the Athletic Core Set-Up segment. I swear a day doesn’t go by that someone doesn’t stop me and ask me how they can tone up their midsection. I want to hand this DVD to them lovingly and tell them to make sure to watch the Athletic Core Set-Up. Linda breaks down how one targets the area and what that area is called (hallelujah for those who want to actually learn what they really need to work!). It’s one of those one-stone-ALL-THE-BIRDS! kind of workouts, too. Your bawd will scream out to you that you’ve gotten in a healthy dose of cardio, core, strength training and gooooood stretching by the time you’re done.

What I loved: I was so thankful the main workout was only 30 minutes because every time she said “Only 16 [reps]” I about died. You’re gonna feel the burn fast. The music got a thumbs up this time around, too. There was a bunch of world beats up in that piece that had me cracking me up! Most importantly, I loved that you’d actually get to witness Linda out of breath. Finally! We get a normal human being that actually sweats and breathes.

What I could have done without: The scary smiling of the two background gals. I know they’re supposed to be happy and all, but it was kind of creepy how big the smiles were…almost like they enjoyed the pain. Who enjoys the pain?! (Okay, Jenn might…) So if you’re down for grabbing your burn with a side of happy, then you can just ignore the grump and get on your pump!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★1/2

Fit Bottom line: If you’re looking to shed some inches from your belly from the comfort of your own home, then the heavens have just parted for you. You and the sweet sixteens will be very happy.

Do you want to see if 16 is your lucky number? Leave a comment below for a chance to win one of three copies of the 3D Fat Burn Fusion DVD and your own CORE TRANSFORMER Resistance Band. U.S. residents only please! —Tish

You know how they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, we’d like to add, “Don’t judge a book by its size,” too. Because this little-bitty book—The Little Book of Diet Help by Kimberly Willis—is seriously a girl’s best healthy eating/losing-weight friend. Especially if said girl is hippity-dippity in the slightest.

About 175 pages of little nuggets of information that are helpful for losing weight and finding the motivation to eat right and work out, The Little Book of Diet Help is truly a book of facts, tips and tricks. While there’s no actual diet or workout plan, this book is written by a life coach and hypnotherapist who gets that, most of the time, we have trouble living a healthy lifestyle because of what’s going on between our ears. With chapters on overcoming emotional eating, looking after your liver (take good care of it—it detoxifies your body!), using the power of your mind, the wonders of exercise and achieving your goal, Willis covers everything from fighting cravings to improving your mood.

While you’ve probably heard many of the facts in the book, I can almost guarantee that the tips and tricks Willis shares will be new to you. A decent amount of the book centers around “tapping,” which is a form of accupressure that you can do to yourself by literally tapping different points on your body. In addition, the book suggests doing different affirmations to boost confidence and willpower, and there’s even some self-massage techniques that are recommended. Overall, it’s not the diet book you’re used to, and it can work with any type of workout and healthy eating plan that you’re following. Although it won’t exactly tell you how to lose weight, it does give you some additional tools that can certainly help. There may not be a lot of text in this book, but what’s there is encouraging, motivating and totally handy!

Want to read this book for yourself? Leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win it, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win a copy of the book in about a week! —Jenn

Doing a Biggest Loser DVD is pretty much an easy choice. Who wouldn’t want to exercise like they were at The Biggest Loser ranch? Or spend some quality time with Bob Harper? Or look at Dolvett Quince in red? (Because good God he looks drool-worthy in that color.) Or work out with former at-home winners of the show? We knew we would.

The latest in The Biggest Loser DVD line is The Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge, which is pretty much like the rest of The Biggest Loser DVDs on the market. You get a customizable mix-and-match menu with a variety of segments with pretty good instruction, fun music and a “real-person” quality to it since there are no fitness models used. In this one, the trainers are Bob, Dolvett and Anna Kournikova, and the contestants are Heba Salama, Jim Germanakos, Rebecca Meyer and Bernie Salazar. (Poor Jim didn’t make the cover.)

Now, let’s break it down piece by piece. First, you have the Warm-Up. Anna leads this 5-minute section, and it’s pretty basic. There are your basic stretches, pliés and other moves to warm the body up, plus modifications for the more challenging stretches like the runner’s lunge. Next, Anna leads Phase 1 Cardio, which is 10 minutes of sports drills with options to make the movements more (read: hard). From skaters to running man (a really low lunge with a tap back, then a knee and then a hop) to curtesy lunges with kicks, it may be “phase 1,” but it’s no beginner’s picnic. Phase 1 Strength is another 10 minutes of fun, with strength moves that use just your body weight. There are squats to side lunges, planks where you bring your knees to each elbow, balance work and more planks that make you row, twist and side plank. Again, no picnic. But at least Dolvett leads it and has a tight shirt on.

Then you move on to Phase 2 Cardio. This 15-minute workout is more challenging—and Bob is leading it (nothing is easy when Bob is in charge). It’s pretty much a Bob-rific segment that uses dumbbells for kettlebell-inspired moves. There are swings, static squats holding weights, moves where you’re swinging the dumbbell like a bat, squat jumps, jacks with weight—plenty of semi-complicated stuff to get your heart rate up fast and keep it up. Phase 2 Strength with Bob is a touch easier than Phase 2 Cardio because your heart rate doesn’t get as high, but oh-my-goodness do you feel the burn. Using up to 8-pound dumbbells, you do side lunges with a static front raise, knee-ups with a hold and upper-body work, and then there’s the fun combo move of a squat while reaching the dumbbells back behind you and then up and overhead for a tricep press and then back down to a squat again. Oh, and there’s plenty of pulsing and holding, too. There’s not much to write home about in the Cool Down, which is four minutes of your basic stretching and yoga with Anna again.

Although the moves aren’t timed to the music (and, for me, that always makes for a more jazzed workout), the music in this workout DVD is fun. Be warned though that although the sections are labeled as “cardio” and “strength,” all of them have moves that are both cardio and strength. Particularly, your legs and core never get a break in this DVD.

Which leads me to my next point. If you were to do any of the sections on their own, I’d say that each of these are pretty darn good. They’re full-body, burn calories and aren’t the same moves you’re used to seeing time and time again. However, if you were to do all or even some of the segments back to back—week after week—you’d be doing A LOT of squats, lunges and planks. So much so that I think you could mentally get pretty sick of them and that you could put your body at an increased risk of repetitive injury. Use a segment here or there during your week though, and I think you’re golden.

While I really liked that you could always look to Heba for lower-impact and beginner modifications, some of the instruction was hit or miss. The trainers are, on the whole, good with giving form cues and are motivating without being overly up in your grill, but it’s clear that Bob has the most experience with instructing a workout for a DVD (and rightly so!). Dolvett isn’t bad by any means, but it feels like with more practice you’d get to see more of his personality and spunk. ‘Cause I know it’s in there. And then there’s Anna. Honest to goodness, she couldn’t be much cuter in her Lululemon top—she’s almost like a little Russian bunny hopping about. But it’s obvious that it’s her first workout DVD, and she just comes off flat in her sections, almost like she’s reading a teleprompter.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: You’ll need more than just this workout DVD in your collection for overall fitness, but for Biggest Loser fans who want more of the show, more of the trainers and more of a challenge than the past Biggest Loser DVDs, it’s a fun addition to the workout rotation.

Want to try this Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge DVD yourself? Leave a comment telling us who your favorite Biggest Loser trainer is, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win in about a week! —Jenn

When I first heard about The Beauty Blueprint: 8 Steps to Building the Life and Look of Your Dreams, I honestly thought it would be a stretch to write about for FBG. Sure, we’re all about building your life so that you feel your best, but beauty? Well, we’re not much into that in the traditional mascara, eyeliner, blush sense. In fact, the closest we really come to “beauty” is a post-gym beauty routine where you do your best to not look like a hot, sweaty mess.

But yet, I went ahead and got a review copy because something about the cover image resonated with me. Just look at that chick. Sure, she’s pretty and has impeccable eye make-up, but she just looks glowy. And oh-so peaceful. I want twinkly stars like that around me, too! So off I went, readyto get my beauty blueprint—and soft glow.

Written by Michelle Phillips, a celebrity make-up artist and life coach, this is a beauty book, but it’s like no other beauty book that you’ve ever read. In fact, there’s not one diagram or drawing on how to pencil your eyebrows. Instead, it’s filled with inspiration, examples and exercises to help you get in touch with the beauty you have within. With chapters that build on each other, it’s a full self-help personal discovery plan that involves everything from positive affirmations to dream boards to setting intentions and to discovering what you really value and want out of life. And then, once you’ve figured all that out (and that takes the majority of the book), you can get your shop and make-up on because you know what style you’re going for because you’ve figured out, in a sense, who you are and who you want to continue being. The “beauty” part of what to wear and how to wear it is almost like the cherry on top of a dessert that was already freakin’ delicious to begin with.

I know you’ve heard the cliches that beauty is really on the inside and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but, dude, Michelle lays out a comprehensive plan that shows that how we feel about ourselves really is the key to developing and appreciating our outer beauty. She then shows you how to honor that, hone it and make it even more beautiful and awesome. It’s very much like how we at FBG value exercise and eating right as a way to take care of yourself and love yourself, which leads to a happier, more fulfilled and authentic life. The Beauty Blueprint? Well, I’d call it a Life Blueprint.

Do you want to read The Beauty Blueprint? (You should!) Leave a comment below telling us what beauty you see in yourself when you look in the mirror, and we’ll select one random U.S. reader to win a copy. Mirror, mirror, on the wall… —Jenn

Ever get sick of gnawing on protein bars as a snack? Yeah, us, too. Sometimes you just need to mix things up, especially when you’re on the go. So when we first were offered the opportunity to try SmartyBars—a snack that actually isn’t a bar at all—our interest was piqued and we, well, bit at the chance. And kept biting…and biting…

SmartyBars are a fruit-based, whole-food snack that comes in a cup. With no added sweeteners, added flavors or chemical concoctions, it has an ingredient list that is refreshingly simple: fruit, quinoa, gluten-free oats and walnuts.

With 100 calories a serving (there are four snack-sized servings in a cup), 2.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein, they’re a vegan and gluten-free snack that has some good nutrition to it. Each serving does have 10 grams of sugar, but at least you know it’s not added sugars or unnatural ones. You can buy a six-pack of SmartyBars online for $24, which isn’t cheap. But, hey, you have to pay to get quality ingredients sometimes.

While I do wish these had more protein, for a snack I really enjoyed them. Each bite-sized square is slightly chewy and dense, so it doesn’t take many to tame a hungry belly not does it weigh you down during a workout. I tried the Apricot SmartyBars and the Banana SmartyBars, and slightly preferred the flavor of the Banana, although to be honest they tasted pretty similar. Both have a pretty healthy, whole-grain taste and they’re not overly sweet, which I prefer. They do have a bit of an aftertaste though—not a bad one by any means, but one that will make you want to take a sip or two of water. (Which, again, isn’t a bad thing since most of us could all drink more water.)

Curious about SmartyBars? Want to try some bite-sized energy for yourself? Leave a comment below with what ingredient you like most in SmartyBars and two random U.S. commenters will win a six-pack, which includes three of each flavor. Yum, yum! —Jenn

We're just like Jane Krakowski—we love Trop50!

The following is a post sponsored by Trop50. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

New Year, New Rear Week may have come and gone, but we’re not done with our New Year’s resolutions. Heck to the no, we’re still getting real in the New Year! And we’re doing it with the help of Trop50′s True Resolutions campaign.

Basically, Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind your New Year’s resolutions. You share your goal for the year, post it on their Facebook page, and earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and 50 cents off for up to 50 (yes, 50) of your friends. You’re also entered to win a $1,000 gift card. If you’re not down with sharing your resolution publicly, you can even submit yours totally incognito with a fierce disguise.

And the super fun part? If you’re not sure of a resolution to make in 2012, they have some suggestions built in that you can select—and they have some pretty humorous “translations” when you do. Just trust me, and try it. I just uploaded my resolution to do 10 unassisted pull-ups in a row to feel like a bad arse. So fun.

Besides having a great time committing to a fun new goal for the New Year, we love this campaign because it encourages you all to try a juice beverage we love. Trop50 has the goodness of fruit juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories, and no artificial sweeteners. While you can never go wrong with OJ, lately I’ve been digging on Trop50 Pomegranate Blueberry. Good at breakfast or with a cocktail (oops? Did I just say that?), it’s an FBG fave.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Trop50′s True Resolutions page and enter your resolution. But before you do, leave a comment below with what Trop50 flavor is your favorite. We’ll select three random U.S. readers to win a $25 Visa gift card. Now that’s juicy! —Jenn

While working out with Jillian and Bob is awesome, sometimes you really just want to work out with your girlfriend. Your normal, non-brutal friend, who can’t do laundry on her abs. You know, your friendly, upbeat, encouraging—and real—pal. Well, for times when you’re in that mood, Coach Nicole is your girl. Because she’s all of those things, plus she can give you a creative and fun workout that will challenge both beginners and intermediate exercisers in SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp.

This isn’t the first workout DVD we’ve loved with Coach Nicole, but it’s certainly our favorite thus far. A total of 85 minutes broken up into mix-and-match segments (we’re always a sucker for that!), it’s a customizable cardio and strength workout (yep, a sucker for that, too). With excellent cuing, a time-ticker countdown on each section and pacing that isn’t too fast or too slow, the new SparkPeople workout DVD marries traditional aerobics moves with new creative twists. All you need is a pair of dumbbells (3 to 8 pounds, I’d recommend), a place to move around and somewhere soft to put your knees for matwork.

There’s a 6-minute warm-up that is pretty basic with step touches, arm circles and squats with rotation. In the 12-minute Cardio Burst section, you mamba, push-turn, lunge and punch your way to fit. Cardio Sculpt (my personal favorite!) is a fun 12 minutes of sliding moves, bicep curls, bridges, skipping (whee!) and combo moves like a squat with an overhead press followed by a lateral lowering down of the dumbbells. Then there’s Tone and Burn, a 21-minute full-body extravaganza with unique moves like squats to an upper-body side raise to an overhead V, lunge with row plus pivoting, balance challenges where you do a bicep curl with a leg lift, jumping lunges (oh, the challenge!) and crunches with a chest fly. The final full segment is Total Body Challenge, which is half an hour of kettlebell-inspired moves that you do with a dumbbell—plus other goodies like wood chops, single leg squats with a lateral raise, side planks with side crunches and fun ol’ glute toning on the floor—sandwiched between cardio bursts like v-steps. The whole thing ends with a basic 4-minute cool down that includes low-intensity moves to lower the heart rate and stretching.

There’s so much variety and so many options to choose from (or splice together) that I feel certain saying that there’s probably something you’ll enjoy on the DVD. Granted, many of the moves would be too complicated for someone who’s never worked out before, been to an aerobics class or done some weight lifting, but if you have a general knowledge of working out, you should be okay (or get the hang of it after a time or two of practice). In order to accommodate different fitness levels, Coach Nicole has two other real girls as models in the DVD who show modifications to make the moves easier or harder. This was a nice touch.

While the music isn’t anything to write home about, it’s not too shabby, and it is good background music to your workout. SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp may not not be crazy, gimmicky or flashy, but it’s a really good full-body strength and cardio workout with moves you don’t see every day.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp is best for beginner and intermediate exercisers who know aerobics and workout basics and are looking for a challenge.

Want to try this SparkPeople workout DVD yourself? Leave a comment telling us how it’ll fit in your workout routine, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win in about a week! —Jenn

A little fuzzy, but Jean and her pup sure do look comfy!

The following is a post sponsored by Tempur-Pedic. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

Remember the super-creative and super-intense TEMPUR-Pedic bed giveaway we did last fall? Well, our winner Jean received her bed and has since been loving her TEMPUR-Contour Signature mattress and TEMPUR Advanced Ergo Base. But we’ll let her tell you all about it in her own words—including how she tried to replicate this photo!

“I tried to emulate your photo with your dog, but mine doesn’t seem to look as happy. (He’s a grumpy old man though.) He sleeps on the bed with us and loves how he sinks into the memory foam! Well, he didn’t say that, but he falls asleep much faster now, so that’s my interpretation! As for how we like it, it’s amazing overall! I’d been trying to train myself to sleep on my back for several months now with little success, but placing the Ergo Base in the ‘sleep position’ with the head and legs slightly raised essentially won’t let me roll around to my side, which has helped my breathing tremendously when I sleep. And I’ve recently started running again after a three-year hiatus, and the massage function is great just before bed to loosen up my tired legs! Overall, I’ve noticed that I’m falling asleep faster, and my massage therapist has noticed a big difference in my back.”

We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Jean! Keep up those runs and those massages! Happy Tempur-Pedic sleeping! —Jenn

This giveaway is a part of our second-annual New Year, New Rear Week to help you to be fitter, healthier and a touch (okay, a lot!) more awesome in 2012. Read all New Year, New Rear posts here!

Wouldn’t it be nice if everything you needed to get fit came in a nice little portable package? Oh, wait, it does—it’s the FitKit! We’ve already talked about how much we adore the FitKit, so it only makes sense that we’d take them up on their offer to give one away to readers for New Year, New Rear Week. The kit includes an exercise band, jump rope, resistance tube, pedometer, reflective arm band, access to tons of exercise moves and more.

Not to sound like an infomercial or anything—but wait, there’s more! The winner of this giveaway will also receive a free one-year membership to the FitKitCLUB, an online fitness resource center that provides nutrition programs, dynamic workouts and cutting-edge fitness info. Yep, it’s pretty much everything you need to be your fittest self ever.

Leave a comment below telling us why you need the FitKit and subscription to FitKitCLUB, and we’ll select one random U.S. commenter to win it! Winner will be announced in the comments and via email. Get to commenting, FBGs! —Jenn

Win some yummy Harry and David pears!

This Harry and David giveaway is a part of our second-annual New Year, New Rear Week to help you to be fitter, healthier and a touch (okay, a lot!) more awesome in 2012. Read all New Year, New Rear posts here!

Here’s one delicious way to eat healthier in the New Year: Harry and David’s Fruit of the Month Club! Harry and David is known for its super delicious and fresh fruit, and they’re giving it away to one lucky U.S. reader for New Year, New Rear Week! One random commenter will receive one box of the Harry and David Royal Riviera Pears. These hand-picked pears are so big and juicy, you seriously eat them with a spoon as dessert. And talk about a dessert you can feel good about!

Want to get to noshing on some Harry and David pears? Tell us what your favorite fruit is (it’s okay if pears aren’t No. 1 on  your fruit list—just yet), and we’ll select a random comment to win in about a week. The winner will be contacted via email and in the comments.

So get your fruit on! —Jenn