Need a body-confidence boost? Pick up a pair of dumbbells and let your gaze linger on the outline of your biceps as you lift the weights.

Stretching exercises promote flexibility, so you move fluidly.

I know lots of women who have slim legs but refuse to wear skirts because of unsightly varicose or spider veins. Though heredity plays a role, your genes don't have to doom you to a life of long pants.

When my jeans feel too tight, I know I need to cut back on desserts and step up my workouts.

In L.A., I see people who are always in their cars, always driving. I encourage them to walk more - walk to the post office, walk to lunch. Even if it is a 10-minute walk, it's so good for you.

Sometimes I log more than my fair share of hours on my tush - behind my desk, in the car, in front of the TV. And all that sitting can turn even the tightest buns into rice pudding.

To maintain good health, you need to exercise almost every day - 30 minutes is recommended, that's what I personally do - and you need to eat right.

I like intervals. I will turn a walk into a workout. For example, I walk for five minutes at an easy pace, then power-walk for two minutes and repeat. Intervals blast the fat.

Walking is easy for most people to adopt into their lifestyle, regardless of their current level of fitness. Plus is convenient and fun!

People are awake about 16 hours a day, so to devote 30 minutes to keeping your weight down, keeping your body healthy, is not a lot of time.

Most people should not do aerobic exercises for more than 30 minutes, because after that your chances of injury increase.

In other fitness pursuits, you may have learned to go through the motions first and perfect your form second. In Pilates, it's the other way around. You learn to control your abs first and then proceed through a series of more progressive movements. At all times, you should feel in control of your body.

As you do Pilates, use your breath to draw your mind into the present and whisk the tension out of your body.

I don't believe in strict diets or starving yourself; eat three meals a day. I believe in eating a good breakfast, a good lunch and a light dinner. Eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a queen, and eat dinner like a pauper. Your ultimate goal is to eat all the basic food groups in those three different meals.

Many women find long, lean sexy legs hard to get. One reason is that before menopause, most of us store a disproportionate amount of fat in our lower bodies, particularly in our hips and thighs.

Strong shoulders will do more than just make everyday tasks easier. By developing the muscles of the upper body, you'll get sexy-looking shoulders and create a 'V' silhouette that makes your hips and waist appear slimmer.

Besides helping you to form a beautiful flat tummy, strong abdominal muscles will improve your balance and coordination as well as help you perform other types of exercise with greater ease.

Exercise is the best preventative medicine there is.

Fiber and other nondigestible carbs work wonderful weight loss magic.

Most of us tend toward muscular imbalance. Typically our chest and front shoulder muscles are stronger than our upper back and rear shoulder muscles. As a result, our chins jut out, our shoulders round, and our backs sway.

Your personal gym should be a place where you can exercise and just be yourself.

Fortunately, good posture - like poor posture - is habit forming.

Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise.

When someone tells me that I look great, I say thanks and then share a secret: It's not the clothes or the makeup; it's my posture.

When you eat foods high in fiber, you feel full faster, making you less likely to overeat and more likely to have weight loss.

Walking lunges are great for thighs.

It's every woman's dream: looking fabulous in her favorite pair of Levi's.

Prolonged sitting can cause stiffness in your lower back.

When it comes to foods as we age, it is a good rule of thumb to focus on high-quality, whole, fresh foods as the basis of all your meals.

Finding a convenient exercise routine is the key, because you're much more likely to stick with it.

The key is consistency. Do your ab exercises at least three times a week, or even a few minutes each day.

I love walking on a treadmill, it's a great way to challenge yourself!

Helping people keeps me going.

I'm into eating whole foods.

I don't starve myself, and I don't think other people should either.

Getting healthy, getting into shape is a gradual process.

Women love classes and like to be together. They enjoy exercise classes. But that's not what a man usually likes to do.

I'm a big believer in a balance of workouts - a well-balanced workout plan. Part of it is cardio, part strength training and then flexibility. You really need all three.

What was cool about my career, Jack LaLanne gave me my first break on TV. I was his co-host.

I was a gymnast as a little girl.

No gift list would be complete without a mention of fitness.

Diffusers not only leave your home smelling clean and fresh, but the oils that you choose to use in it can leave you feeling refreshed and stress free!

I think it really helps if you focus on losing weight one week at a time.

Aim to eat healthy six days out of the week, and then enjoy what I call a 'super splurge' on the seventh day. It helps you enjoy yourself and not feel so deprived, so you're ready to recommit to healthy eating the following week.

I love to go out with my husband and a few friends on Friday or Saturday. Being from Southern California, Mexican food is my favorite, and I normally splurge on enchiladas and margaritas.

I really believe that green tea is the key for all of us women who are gaining some weight around your middle.

If you think a bare midriff is only for teens, think again.

Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results.

You don't need any heavy, expensive equipment, and you can do Pilates anywhere, anytime.

Some of the routines take less than 10 minutes, making Pilates the perfect form of exercise for anyone who finds there's not enough time in the day for exercise.