5 Smart Tips for Group Fitness Newbies
If you’ve never lunged or lifted in a crowded room full of sweaty people, the experience can be intimidating.
The 2017 Nutritious Life Gift Guide: Sweat Often
From the latest gadgets to workout wear, the active people in your life will break out into celebratory burpees when they unwrap one these.
7 Inspiring Facts About How Girls on the Run Empowers Young Women
Imagine ““a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.”
3 Life-Changing Reasons to Start Biking that Have Nothing to Do with Exercise
Twenty years ago, Andy Levine biked from Switzerland to the South of France. In Burgundy, he discovered one of his favorite benefits of biking. “Because you’re working it off on the bike, you get to enjoy more food and wine,” he says. That trip inspired him to create DuVine, a cycling and adventure company that today hosts bike tours in Europe, Latin America, the U.S. and Africa. Think pedaling and tasting and sipping your way through Tuscany accompanied by a master chef, or exploring volcanoes and vineyards in Chile on two wheels. While Levine is a definite fan of performance cycling and can wax poetic on the cardio and weight-management benefits of being on a bike, he’s even more passionate about the deeper ways in which cycling can enrich your life. Not sure if biking is right for you? Consider these benefits before you make up your mind. 3 Benefits of Biking 1. It’s age-defying. “Biking makes me feel much younger than I am,” Levine says. “It makes you feel like a kid. How can you not feel 12 years old doing something so fun and carefree?” 2. It’s great for stress relief and mental health. “When I’m on my bike, I’m just happy. Long rides where the wind is on my face, my blood is pumping, and the smells of the world waft by me make it so easy to be grateful and joyful,” he explains. The activity does combine two research-backed mood boosters: endorphin-stimulating exercise and being out in nature. RELATED: 4 Fun, Easy Ways to Take Your Workout Outside “I’m also pretty high-energy, and a good ride acts like a yoga class or massage. It winds me down and makes me feel calm and balanced,” he says. “It gives me perspective, too, since no ride is ever the same, and I’m able to see how the landscape around me is constantly changing and evolving—just like everything in life. I do my best thinking on the bike.” 3. It will expand your social life and community. “Cycling is a lifestyle, and the sense of community among cyclists is incredibly strong. Personally, my social life revolves around cycling,” Levine says. “I met all of my friends this way, and it’s easy to bond quickly since there’s so much talking and chatter that happens on a long ride.” RELATED: What’s The Difference Between Exercise and Movement? “It’s also a great common ground for networking. At DuVine, our employees regularly step out of the office for an afternoon ride together. It makes me so happy to see the camaraderie evolving through cycling. On our trips, many guests form lifelong friendships, often meeting fellow travelers that they will continue to vacation with year after year. The simplest way to explain it is that biking brings people together.” (Images: DuVine)
4 Fun, Easy Ways to Take Your Workout Outside
As a trainer and fitness model in Miami, I know a little bit about sun, fun and long summer days, and I absolutely love taking advantage of outdoor workouts. When I train outside, my workout always seems to be more fulfilling and I have much more energy. It’s like being outdoors in nature gives me the extra boost I need to get the most out of my workout. It’s not just me, either! Did you know that being in nature has been scientifically proven to boost both your mental and physical well-being? An open-air sweat session will help get your body and spirit in check, with no equipment needed. RELATED: What You Need to Know About Vitamin D Whether you’re gearing up for summer or live somewhere that’s perpetually warm, I want to encourage all of you to take your sweat sessions outside. Find a beach, a lake, or a park nearby and embrace Mother Nature with open (flexed) arms. 4 Ways to Embrace Outdoor Workouts If you’ve never taken your workout session outdoors, then you may be wondering where to start. No problem, I’ve got you covered. Here are my favorite ways to work out outside. 1. Practice Yoga Sun Salutations Bring a yoga mat to the park or beach to flow your way to fit. Feel the sun on your face and the ocean breeze tickling your body as you move from pose to pose. If you don’t have a yoga sequence memorized, simply bring your phone or tablet and find a YouTube video like this or this one to help guide you. You can also opt to practice right on the sand for added, core-strengthening stability training. Why Outdoor Yoga Is Good For You Benefits of outdoor yoga are extensive. When outdoors, your senses are heightened and this can allow for a deeper sense of relaxation and meditation. You might find it difficult to focus at first, but give it a try and you’ll se how quickly you block everything out. Also, it’s an opportunity to explore and be in the moment. You may find a beautiful spot in the park, overlooking a lake or you might find your way to the beach with the wind in your face and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. RELATED: The 10 Best Free 10-Minute YouTube Workouts 2. Use Nearby Items to Intensify Your Workout A bench or picnic table may look innocent enough, but either one can really take your workout to the next level. Use the incline to your advantage by using it either for tricep dips or step-ups during a HIIT session or during a barre workout for balance and stability. RELATED: The 5-Minute Workout You Can Do Anywhere There are a variety of workouts that you can do just on playground equipment at your local park. Consider using body weight or exercise bands on monkey bars or a jungle gym. Try running the bleachers at your local little league field, or even bracing against a fence for your outdoor workout. 3. Make a Splash by Swimming for Fitness Swimming is one of the best low-impact forms of exercise you can do. You can increase your cardiovascular endurance by swimming for distance, but you can also increase your strength by using water for resistance training. One of the hardest shoots I have ever done was this pool-workout. Try Canoeing or Kayaking for your Aquatic Workout You may not be interested in swimming, but that shouldn’t stop you from still enjoying water-based activities. Many kayak and paddle board enthusiasts are taking to the water in increasing numbers and it doesn’t take long to figure out why. Make sure you adequately prepare for your paddle trip by having proper hydration, personal life jacket/flotation device and knowledge of the area. (Sunscreen and bug spray also recommended.) 4. Develop Strength in the Sand Like water, sand adds resistance and challenges your stability. Start on wet sand for a firm and more stable base and work your way up to dry sand as your strength and endurance increases. Make sure the sand is as level as possible and wear protective gear if the sand is hot. Sand training has been known to improve speed and agility by providing resistance challenges in unfamiliar ways to your muscles. This constant shifting helps promote stabilizer muscle strengthening. Types of Exercises for Sand Workouts: Squat jumps Burpees Pushups Deadlift (bring a bucket and fill with sand) RELATED: 15-Minute Full-Body Outdoor Workouts for Beginners That’s It! Now Aren’t You Ready to Get Outside? Step outside the gym or studio and let your city be your playground. All you need is yourself, some sunshine, and a place to move that beautiful body of yours. Get out in that fresh air and embrace a new way to exercise!
How Yoga Star Caley Alyssa Follows an “Awareness Diet”
You may be surprised to learn that Caley Alyssa hates the gym or loves face massages. But this is something that probably won’t shock you about the influential yoga teacher, who inspires women all over the world on a daily basis during her classes, on Instagram, and via the monthly speaker series Women Catalysts. When we asked her to describe the habits that make up her Nutritious Life, a major theme emerged: mindfulness. Living consciously, she said, means being constantly mindful of “where the products you’re using come from and where they will go when you’re done, AND not just to know, but to care.” And that ethos seeps into all of her habits—from yoga and meditation to eating with awareness. Find out how, plus other fun facts about the superstar yogi, below. How does Caley Alyssa Live a Nutritious Life? If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? The awareness diet! It’s simple. Be aware of what you’re eating, how it was grown, how it makes you feel when you eat it, when you’re actually full and satisfied, anticipate thirst, prepare for performance, and recovery….I could go on! What’s the one thing you always have in your fridge? Kombucha. The one food you’d never buy? Meat. The snack you always have with you when traveling? Nut butter packets. Your favorite food indulgence? Honey Mama’s raw vegan chocolate. It’s basically healthy fudge. I’m obsessed. RELATED: 5 Healthy Reasons to Eat Chocolate How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? Every day! Other than yoga, rock climbing is getting to be on top of my list. I also really enjoy Pilates and hiking. How do you stay active outside of the gym? I never go to the gym! It’s my least favorite place in the world. What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? Meditation. RELATED: A 2-Minute Calming Meditation to Manage Stress How do you pamper yourself when you need it? I go to the Olympic Spa and get a massage and scrub down! It’s amazing. Do you have a favorite health gadget? I use meditation apps like Getting into the Vortex and One Giant Mind. How do you express and spread love? Touch, clear communication, inspiring confidence! What’s your weirdest healthy habit? Face massage! It’s changed my life. I get the massages from an amazing woman, Natalia Armonik. She’s trained in a very special method. Basically you never need Botox. It relaxes the tense muscles of your face and reduces wrinkles. It also tightens your skin and boosts collagen production. Which healthy habit do you wish you had more time for? Massages. I really need one a week. Lightning Round Meditation or massage? Both. A hot shower or a soothing bath? Bath. Almond butter or peanut butter? Almond butter. Coffee or tea? Tea. A long run outside or a dark spin class? Long run. “How Do You Live a Nutritious Life?” is a recurring column. Featured guests complete a questionnaire and select answers are then chosen and edited to share, here. Are you a wellness pro interested in sharing how you live a Nutritious Life? Email lisa@nutritiouslife.com to be considered.
