Harness the power of everyday furniture to reclaim your waistline; all you need is a sturdy chair for your next workout.
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If your fitness goal is to fortify your core and achieve a slimmer waistline, a simple chair could be your ticket to success. Aging introduces several shifts in the body, such as reduced lean muscle, hormonal adjustments, and less physical activity, often leading to a wider waistband. The silver lining lies in maintaining a consistent workout regimen, which can help retain muscle mass and keep your body fit.
We had an enlightening conversation with Portia Page, a Balanced Body Educator and certified trainer (CPT, NCPT, PMA, ACE, and AFAA), who revealed the implementation of a chair in workouts. Get comfortable because Page shares five effective seated exercises designed to tone and firm your midsection.
But before jumping in, it’s crucial to dispel a common misconception: spot reduction. Unfortunately, you cannot single out fat loss in the belly or waist areas.
“No exercise, be it seated, standing, or floor, can specifically target fat burning in the waist or midsection,” Page explained. “Chair exercises, however, enhance strength, improve posture, boost daily movement, and offer an accessible starting point for those over 60, building confidence and promoting consistency. These benefits significantly increase the likelihood of adopting broader, impactful lifestyle habits that truly alter body composition.”
Rather than looking for one “magic” exercise, Page recommends selecting movements that build strength in the entire core, back, hips, abs, and pelvic stabilizers while boosting posture and daily function.
Seated Marches
“This exercise activates the deep core while improving balance and hip strength. It teaches the body to stabilize the pelvis as one leg moves, which is a fundamental movement skill we use every day. A bonus is that you can ‘push/drive’ through the other foot to build isometric strength and endurance in the stable/non-moving leg,” Page tells us.
- Begin seated on a chair with your feet placed hip-width apart on the floor.
- Gently draw your lower belly inward.
- Slowly lift one knee up to hip height.
- Lower.
- Alternate sides in a “marching” fashion.
Seated Knee Extension
“Straightening one leg at a time while maintaining an upright posture encourages core stability without excessive strain on the spine. It also strengthens the quadriceps, which are essential for getting up from a chair and climbing stairs, while stretching the ‘backline’ of the body from the lower back, across the glutes, to the hamstrings,” Page points out.
- Begin seated with your knees bent to 90 degrees.
- Brace your core.
- Gradually straighten one knee until that leg is completely extended.
- Hold at the top for 2 to 3 seconds.
- Lower with control
- Repeat on the other side.
Seated Spinal Rotation
“Gentle rotational movement improves spinal mobility while engaging the obliques. Many older adults lose rotational mobility, which affects everything from walking to reaching into the back seat of the car, or overhead into closets, overhead bins on a plane, etc.,” Page explains.
- Begin sitting tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor. Activate your core.
- Place your hands behind your head or cross them in front of your chest.
- Slowly twist your torso to the left, keeping your hips facing forward.
- Return to the center, then twist to the right.
Seated Side Bends
“The lateral core/torso muscles are often overlooked. Strengthening them improves trunk stability and control, balance, and posture, and not just the appearance of the waist,” Page tells us.
- Begin sitting tall with your core engaged and your feet flat on the ground.
- Place your right hand on the side of the chair for support. Alternatively, hold a dumbbell with that arm extended toward the floor.
- Extend your right arm overhead and slowly bend to the right, feeling a solid stretch along the left side of your body.
- Hold for a moment at the bottom before returning to the start position.
Teen Lifeguard’s Heroic Rescue of 10-Year-Old Sparks Emotional Tribute from Grateful Father
In an inspiring act of bravery, a teenage lifeguard took center stage after rescuing a young boy from the fierce waves of Santa Cruz’s Seabright Beach. The hero, 16-year-old Ryder Williams, has become an overnight sensation, drawing admirers nationwide, including a nod from President Trump. The father of the saved child expressed his gratitude and admiration as Ryder’s biggest fan.
Captured on dramatic footage, Ryder leapt into action on a recent Saturday, diving into the turbulent surf to pull a distressed 10-year-old to safety. This remarkable act has earned Ryder widespread acclaim and recognition from across the country.
After wrapping up his day at the beach, Ryder returned home with a modest reflection on his heroic deed, describing the rescue as just part of the job.
“When he got home, he said, ‘Dad, I wasn’t going to let go of that kid because I knew if I let go, he would drown, and I wasn’t going to let that happen,'” recounted Shane Williams, Ryder’s father and a retired firefighter, in an interview with The California Post. The proud father admitted those words moved him deeply.
“It was pretty amazing,” he added, clearly awestruck by his son’s courage and resolve.
The rescued boy’s father, Sumit Rai, called his son’s survival “a miracle.”
He told told the New York Times his son and 8-year-old daughter were vacationing with their mother in California when the terrifying ordeal unfolded. Rai only found out about the rescue during a phone call with his kids later that night and didn’t sleep for days after.
“To watch her brother go through a near-death experience is not a small thing,” he told the Times, calling himself Ryder’s “biggest fan.”
Ryder’s grandfather said the teen has sought to downplay the attention surrounding his bravery.
“It was all in a day’s work,” George said Ryder told the family after the rescue. “He said, ‘This is what I do.’”
His grandfather added that Ryder participated in five rescues during his Saturday lifeguard shift, including two “that were more gnarly” than saving the 10-year-old.
“He’s a great kid,” George added. “We love him to pieces.”
Ryder’s dad said his son’s actions reflected the kind and caring person he has always been.
“He just wants to give back to his community because he grew up here,” he said.
Despite gaining the national spotlight, Ryder was back at his lifeguard station on Tuesday and is father eager to return to normal life, his dad said.
The soon-to-be high school junior has talked about following in his father’s footsteps.
“He’s still young but he’s thinking he wants to get into the fire service eventually,” he said. “We’re taking it step by step. We’re just trying to regroup and make sure he’s okay.”
On Tuesday, Trump announced that Ryder would receive a “high civilian honor” for his bravery.
“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump wrote on social media.
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Qantas’ Non-Stop Flights Revolutionize Long-Haul Travel
An unprecedented test flight, spanning over an entire day, has successfully landed in France, having departed from Melbourne. Experts suggest that Australia’s innovations in aviation could position the country as a leader in adopting new technology.
A uniquely outfitted Airbus A350-1000ULR operated by Qantas arrived in France on Tuesday after enduring a remarkable 24 hours and 24 minutes of non-stop flight. The aircraft covered an impressive distance of 23,057 kilometers, setting a new record for the longest direct flight undertaken by a commercial plane.
This groundbreaking journey is part of a two-month experimental initiative under Qantas’ Project Sunrise. The ambitious project aims to launch the longest non-stop commercial passenger flights available, connecting Australia’s eastern cities directly to London and New York, thereby revolutionizing long-haul air travel.
The previous accolade for the longest direct flight was held by a Boeing 777-200LR, which flew 21,601.7 kilometers from Hong Kong to London in just under 23 hours, achieved in 2005.
Qantas has committed to acquiring 12 of the modified A350 aircraft, each equipped with an additional fuel tank capable of holding 20,000 liters, and designed to accommodate 238 passengers comfortably.
The first is due for delivery in April 2027, with daily non-stop flights between Sydney and London planned from October that year — turning what was once a five-day journey in 1947 on the old ‘Kangaroo Route’ into a single hop of 19 to 21 hours, depending on winds and routing.
The airline has said a Sydney-New York route will follow shortly after the launch of the London route.
Could stopovers become a thing of the past?
The test flight’s success has cast eyes towards the future of air travel, with some wondering whether stopovers in Singapore, Dubai or Los Angeles may be a thing of the past.
But that’s not quite where we’re headed, experts say.
Justin Brownjohn from RMIT University’s Aviation Academy says non-stop routes will keep becoming more viable as aircraft range improves and fuel use falls — but that doesn’t make them a replacement for one-stop flying.
“Airlines have historically competed on network and frequency, but Project Sunrise competes on time,” he said.
“Cutting up to four hours off the journey from Sydney to London and removing the connection entirely is a different product, not an improved version of the existing one.
“These services won’t replace one-stop flying, they’ll sit alongside it.”
Brownjohn expects the strongest demand for the ultra-long-haul services to come from business and premium leisure travellers willing to pay more for the time saved — and says the wider effect may be felt most by the Middle Eastern and Asian hub airports that have built their business models around the layover.
‘A different physiological event’
Spending over 20 hours in the air also raises real questions about passenger wellbeing.
“Twenty hours is not a longer flight, it is a different physiological event,” Brownjohn said. “On this flight comfort has stopped being a luxury feature and become the thing being sold.”
Peter Cistulli, professor of sleep medicine at the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre, worked with Qantas on the physiological side of the aircraft’s design.
“Project Sunrise takes ultra-long-haul flights to a whole new level,” Cistulli told SBS News.
“It’s arguably the final frontier of travel on Earth, so it brings a whole lot of additional challenges, including the biological challenge of crossing so many time zones over a short period and how that can influence your health and wellbeing.”
Cistulli, who also worked with the airline on its long-haul Dreamliner aircraft, said compressing so many time zones into one flight leaves the body’s circadian system less time to adjust.
He says researchers’ input on elements including lighting, meal timing, and in-flight exercise is intended to help passengers adapt to their destination time zone faster.
The aircraft has what Qantas describes as the lowest seat density of any comparable jet, with more than 40 per cent of the 238 seats allocated to premium cabins.
A wellness zone will also offer stretch handles, refreshments, and a guided, video-led movement program.
But Cistulli is also candid about the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), with long periods of immobility already proven to raise DVT risk.
While he says the baseline risk on any flight is already low at under 1 per cent, those with “heightened risk” of DVT may not be suitable for the ultra-long-haul flight.
For the average person, however, concerns about the lengthy flight can be mitigated by adequate physical activity on board.
He says that opting for stopovers has both its pros and cons when it comes to health. Being able to get off a flight and move around in an airport is a benefit, he says, but that also adds to the journey and can increase fatigue.
“Of course, not everybody would choose to be cooped up in a plane for 20-plus hours — the stopover options will always remain there. Passengers will have their choice.”
Australia’s shrinking distance problem
Cistulli sees Project Sunrise as part of Australia’s long fight against the “tyranny of distance” it’s grappled with as a geographically isolated nation.
“This is the ultimate frontier, in that we’re bringing the world closer to Australia and Australia closer to the world,” he says. “It’s a really fantastic story for Australia, and it’s no surprise that an Australian airline would go to the trouble of solving this problem.”
Whether Qantas holds onto the bragging rights is another question.
Singapore Airlines already operates the world’s longest scheduled commercial route — a roughly 19-hour service between Singapore and New York.
“I think it will be interesting to see what the competition do,” he says. “This will definitely give Qantas a competitive advantage, but whether that’s long-lived, time will tell.”
The extended range also opens up more than just one route. With planes capable of covering these distances, almost any city pairing becomes commercially viable if there’s demand for it.
It also gives Qantas more flexibility to route around trouble spots, including current airspace restrictions due to the war in the Middle East, opening up options such as flying to London over the North Pole instead.
Cistulli is careful to frame Project Sunrise as an addition to the market, not a replacement for it.
“I think it’s all about choice, and tailoring the opportunity for particular customer needs,” he said. “This just adds a new option for people who do need to get somewhere in a hurry, so to speak — and I think that’s a great addition.”
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
FTC Lawsuit Accuses Hims & Hers of Illegally Sharing Sensitive Health Data with Meta and Snap
On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched a lawsuit against Hims & Hers, accusing the telehealth company of improperly sharing customers’ sensitive health information with third-party entities, including Meta and Snap, without obtaining their consent.
The lawsuit, filed in the federal court of California’s Northern District, claims that Hims & Hers violated consumer trust by mishandling personal data despite assuring users of safeguarding their privacy.
The FTC stated that “Hims was able to target specific audiences due to its disregard for the privacy promises it made to users, around both treating medical conditions confidentially and maintaining the privacy of their health information.”
Established in 2017 and publicly traded, Hims & Hers provides a platform for users to virtually engage with healthcare professionals and access prescriptions for issues like sexual health and weight management. Following the announcement of the lawsuit, the company’s stock took a nosedive, dropping close to 15% on Wednesday.
In response, Hims & Hers rejected the accusations as “baseless” and expressed its determination to contest the claims vigorously in court.
“Our customers have the information they need to make informed decisions about their care and the use of our services,” the San Francisco-based company said in a statement on social media. “And our Privacy Policy makes clear that they may choose how their data is used, and that information patients share with their healthcare providers is used only in providing care.”
The FTC alleged that Hims & Hers disclosed user information through tracking technologies “offered by Meta” that monitor people’s actions on its website and by sharing lists of some customers with third parties. The health service also shared information with other advertising platforms, according to the consumer protection agency.
The FTC also accused Hims & Hers of failing to clearly disclose when consumers are charged for prescriptions purchased through the service and making it difficult for users to cancel subscriptions.
“The FTC’s complaint lays out a troubling scenario — consumers unknowingly locked into recurring subscriptions and the disclosure to third parties of consumers’ most private health information without their consent,” Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.
Alain Sherter
Justice Sought for Ex-Marine Decapitated by Drunk Boater
A US Marine, lauded for her selflessness by her sister, tragically lost her life in a gruesome boat accident caused by a man with multiple DUI offenses.
Richard Stevenson, 45, found himself in custody on Saturday following a collision involving his 31-foot Southbay pontoon boat and a 20-foot Crownline vessel on the Fox River near McHenry, approximately 59 miles from Chicago, as reported by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The McHenry County Coroner’s office conveyed to the Daily Mail that 48-year-old Magdalena Jablonska died instantly from the impact.
Jablonska is cherished by her three siblings as a devoted public servant with an immense love for animals. In her honor, her brother initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support a local animal shelter.
In an interview with NBC Chicago, Michelle Macias shared that her sister joined the Marines immediately after high school and remained steadfast in her commitment to helping others throughout her life.
‘She would go above and beyond for anyone, there was no one like her, the most selfless and kind person you would ever meet,’ Macias said. ‘She’s never done anything for herself, always for everybody else.’
Macias added that her sister – who emigrated to Chicago from Poland as a child – ‘loved dogs and loved the shelters for the puppies.’
‘Magdalena was the sunshine in every place she went, and one of her favorite things to do was help dogs in need,’ brother Marcin wrote on her Gofundme page.
US Marine Magdalena Jablonska (pictured) has been remembered as ‘selfless’ by her sister after she was decapitated when a man with a history of DUIs smashed his speeding 80mph boat into hers
Richard Stevenson, 45, was arrested on Saturday after his 31ft Southbay pontoon boat overtook a 20ft Crownline vessel on the Fox River in McHenry, about 59 miles outside of Chicago , the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office said
Marcin also shared a heartfelt tribute about her to Facebook.
‘I miss and will always love you. I always thought we were going to grow old together like brother and sister should. You always helped everyone no matter the cost. I will pray for you every day,’ he posted.
Her other brother, Michal Macias, posted an image on Facebook of a memorial he made in her honor.
‘I don’t know who sent these flowers but thank you. They are beautiful. Also want to thank you who have checked in on me and my family,’ he wrote as flowers, images of Jablonska, a prayer statue, and a candle filled the screen.
He continued: ‘Please keep my family in your prayers light a candle for Magdalena Maria Jabłońska, I’ll share funeral arrangements when we figure that out. I LOVE YOU my beautiful sister.’
Macias added that the family is hoping that Stevenson, described by police as a ‘ticking time bomb,’ is punished to the extent of the law.
‘We’re giving our hopes and faith that they will do right by her,’ she said.
Jablonska was a US Marine Corps veteran, according to her Facebook profile. She lived in Des Plaines, about 40 minutes away from the Fox River.
Jablonska has been remembered by her three siblings as an unselfish public servant who loved animals, with her brother launching a Gofundme in her name to donate to a local animal shelter
Both of Jablonska’s brothers have also remembered her in social media posts
The fatal crash took place around 2.30pm on Saturday, about an hour and 45 minutes after Stevenson’s boat was seen zooming back and forth in the water on a neighbor’s security camera, ABC 7 reported.
The vessel then made its way back north, and nearly a minute later, the locals heard the collision, according to the outlet.
Stevenson had entered a no-wake zone before striking the back of the green boat at 80mph and driving over Jablonska in the passenger’s seat, leaving her decapitated, prosecutors said.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, and as of Monday, her remains were still missing, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.
Her husband, who has not been named, was in the same boat as her. He was taken to the hospital, and his condition remains unclear.
A witness found Stevenson after his boat washed up on a riverbank.
He was then taken to the hospital, where his blood alcohol level measured 0.20, which is 2.5 times the legal limit, according to prosecutors.
Two others were aboard Stevenson’s boat, but they fled the scene before emergency personnel arrived, prosecutors said.
Joblonska was a US Marine Corps veteran, according to her Facebook profile. She lived in Des Plaines, about 40 minutes away from the Fox River
The fatal crash took place around 2.30pm, about an hour and 45 minutes after Stevenson’s boat was seen zooming back and forth in the water on a neighbor’s security camera
They were later interviewed by police, telling them that Stevenson allegedly took multiple shots of Fireball whiskey that day.
Stevenson has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence- causing death and one count of reckless homicide.
He has also been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on three prior occasions, reckless driving on three prior occurrences, and he previously committed four misdemeanor speeding offenses, the prosecutor’s office said.
‘This man was a ticking timebomb and that bomb went off this past Saturday on the Fox River,’ Deputy Chief Brian Miller said at Stevenson’s detention hearing.
State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese said he and his office are determined to pursue justice for Jablonska and her family.
‘Our rivers and lakes should be places where families can safely enjoy time together, not places where the reckless and impaired can turn a summer day into a tragedy.
‘No family should have to endure the unimaginable loss suffered in this case. Our prayers go out to the victim’s family, and while nothing can undo the tragedy that occurred on the Fox River, our office is committed to pursuing justice for her, her loved ones, and our community,’ she said.
Stevenson is believed to be connected to Stevenson Crane Service, a local, family-run business that offers crane and aerial material rentals, heavy hauling, and rigging services, public records showed.
MSNBC’s Ruhle: Heartache Over Fauci Hearing—’It’s Unbelievable We’re Revisiting This
On Wednesday’s episode of “Money, Power, Politics” on MS NOW, host Stephanie Ruhle shared her emotional reaction to the Senate hearing involving Dr. Anthony Fauci, the prominent health adviser.
Network journalist Vaughn Hillyard weighed in, saying, “We can’t change the history everyone experienced. For instance, my grandmother, who lived in a nursing home, survived the initial wave but sadly succumbed to COVID later. It’s a harsh truth that over a million lives were lost. Attempting to rewrite history is futile. Some Republicans questioning Dr. Fauci display a level of arrogance, seemingly ignoring the lived experiences of loss within their own families and communities.”
Turning to another guest, Ruhle added, “Dr. Gupta, seeing you this morning brings back memories. It’s heartbreaking to revisit these discussions. I can’t believe we’re re-examining this issue in such a manner. Your presence means a lot, as it did throughout the pandemic. Thank you for being with us through those challenging times.”
Follow Pam Key on X @pamkeyNEN
Gainesville Man Receives 12-Year Sentence for Child Pornography Possession, Sparking Community Outrage
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a recent court ruling, Matt Kevin McMillin, 63, received a 12-year prison sentence, to be followed by a decade of Sex Offender Probation. His sentencing comes after he entered a plea of nolo contendere on charges that include possession of over 10 images of child pornography and the unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Original arrest details
The investigation began when a detective from the Gainesville Police Department followed up on a CyberTip regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM) linked to a Dropbox account. The account, associated with the name “Kevin McMillin,” had reportedly uploaded 15 images. A subpoena directed at Dropbox unearthed further CSAM and child erotica images. Additionally, numerous photos and videos depicted a white male, and there was a Florida driver’s license and an expired Colorado driver’s license, both issued to Matt Kevin McMillin.
On July 19, 2025, at approximately 8 a.m., police executed a search warrant at McMillin’s residence located in Buckingham East on the 8400 block of NW 6th Avenue. Following his Miranda rights being read, McMillin allegedly confessed to owning the Dropbox account. He claimed the images stemmed from a “pure handling of something that wasn’t understood” and denied recollection of the specific images being stored in his account.
Plea and sentence
On July 28, 2026, McMillin entered a plea of nolo contendere to all 11 charges; the plea document states that the maximum sentence for the charges is 155 years in prison.
Judge James Colaw sentenced McMillin to five concurrent sentences of 12 years in prison (with credit for 26 days served) for five of the possession charges and an additional concurrent sentence of five years for unlawful use of a two-way communications device, followed by 10 years of Sex Offender probation for the other five possession charges. McMillin will be designated as a Sexual Offender and must undergo a psychosexual evaluation within 45 days of release and successfully complete all recommended treatment on the first try. He is prohibited from unsupervised contact with minors while he is on probation.
