Morning vs. Evening Workouts: Which Is Best for You?

The factors you should consider before clocking in for cardio.

The Evolution of Fitness: 10 Killer Trends We’re Trying in 2022

It’s hard to talk about anything these days without mentioning the impact COVID-19 has had on all aspects of our lives, including the way we approach fitness. With traditional gyms faced with challenging restrictions, many facilities have had to pivot to meet safety guidelines while continuing to deliver the workout experience members expect. It hasn’t been easy for any of us, but in the name of health, wellness, and getting our fitness on, we (lovers of a nutritious and healthy lifestyle) continue to find hacks for incorporating exercise into our “new normal.” Here are some of the hottest new and evolving trends in the fitness world, including: The equipment and tech that helps us get it done, the gear we wear to sweat it out, and the places we choose to roll out our mats, and more. Check out what we believe fitness will look like in 2022 and beyond. Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2022 If anything is certain for 2022, it’s that we’re intent on figuring out how to fit exercise into our ever-changing lifestyles. Sure, we’re busier than ever, but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to sacrifice our health; it only means we’re getting more creative, and more mindful about how we’re moving our bodies. All-in-one approach to fitness Now, more than ever, the fitness industry is approaching exercise in a holistic way—one that results in more than just a fit body. Today, we want to be fit physically, but also mentally. As a result, gyms and other fitness brands have evolved their offerings to include more than just fitness equipment, tech and a space (or app) to help members sweat it out. They’re also integrating nutrition, mindfulness, and accountability into their services, and gym-goers (or app users) are eating it up. Gyms and fitness brands are offering wellness communities and coaching for added inspiration to help members with every aspect of their health and wellness goals. Whether we’re at home or in a gym, we’re working out together and connecting to like-minded individuals who prioritize their health and fitness, and we expect more of the same in 2022. Shorter workouts without sacrificing results While nothing quite trumps the feeling you get after going for a long run, the benefits of shorter, more intense workouts, such as HIIT (high-intensity interval training) are many. Aside from the time savings, you can also burn 25%-30% more calories doing this type of exercise, compared to more moderate-intensity workouts . The ability to get more out of your workouts in less time makes it easier to fit some fitness into even the busiest of schedules, or while traveling. Many HIIT workouts can even be done without any fitness equipment whatsoever, using only bodyweight resistance, which makes them even more accessible. In a world where our schedules are jam-packed and time is of the essence, shorter workouts that can be done from anywhere are here for the foreseeable future. Nature is the best gym What’s better than an intense sweat session? One that can be done with nature as your stunning backdrop! Getting outside for a walk, jog, hike, or bike ride, alone or with a friend–human or canine–combines the best of two worlds. We’re burning calories while breathing in fresh air. And, if you bring your pooch along, then he or she is getting their exercise on, too. More strength training While cardio certainly has its place in our fitness routines, strength training is often misunderstood and underestimated as far as its benefits are concerned. There are so many reasons why strength training and weight lifting are good for your health, and not just if you’re trying to bulk up or win a bodybuilding competition. In fact, if you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off for good, strength training is where it’s at. Adding strength training to your fitness routine helps keep your metabolism functioning at optimal levels, and it can be done with or without weights, making it another popular fitness trend. No boys allowed! No offense, guys, but sometimes women want to work out with only other women. This isn’t a new concept, by any means, but women-only gyms appear to be on the rise again. Perhaps it’s because our bodies are so different from men’s, or that many women feel more comfortable working out with other women. As a result, females are uniting (again!) to lift, sweat and improve their health in the comfort of a girl-gang environment. Stretch it out This one’s sort of surprising, given our focus on shorter workouts, but in the name of efficiency, it makes complete sense. Stretching after a workout helps your body’s muscles to recover, so you can come back again tomorrow and do it all again with minimal soreness. We’re finding that more and more people are prioritizing stretching these days. Even when time is tight, we’re finding ways to fit this crucial aspect of fitness into our routines. Mixing it up (Virtual & Hybrid Workouts) With advances in technology and the ability to work out pretty much anywhere at any time, we’re seeing more and more people opting for virtual and hybrid approaches to fitness. Sometimes you just want to be around other people; we feed off of each other’s energy and get inspiration from seeing others work hard. Other times, we either can’t physically go to the gym, or we just would rather work out alone. And, with all the latest wearable tech and at-home equipment available, it has become a lot easier to choose on any given day, when, where, and how we work out. While Peloton and Mirror exploded during the height of the pandemic, there’s still a place for these smart home gyms, but we’re seeing a return to physical gyms as well. RELATED: The Best Fitness Trackers for Women In fact, 75% of virtual fitness users also go to in-person classes, according to Runrepeat.com. Gyms offering a mix of in-person and virtual workouts are seeing great results, and this trend should

3 Insanely Effective Pilates Moves for Core Strength

By Kristin McGee, NLC Whether you’re yearning for visible abs or want to get stronger in your core for deeper reasons, Pilates is the way to go. I’ve been teaching Pilates since the 90s, and I truly love it. The system of exercises—either using equipment or on the mat—is designed to improve your strength, flexibility, posture, and mind-body connection, all while working your core muscles. And not only will developing core strength help you move more gracefully, you’ll feel much more confident in your body. RELATED: 5 Expert Trainer Tips You’ve Never Heard Before To get you started, I’m sharing my favorite moves that are insanely effective for tapping into your powerhouse. Try doing these three moves three to four times a week, anytime, anywhere. I’m using a TheraBand to increase the resistance, but you can also do them without one. RELATED: 10 Free 10-Minute YouTube Workouts for Full-Body Fitness Soon, you’ll feel stronger, more toned, and will carry yourself with better posture. The best thing about Pilates is how much awareness it gives us about our body. You’ll move with more ease and feel great, overall. 3 Effective Pilates Moves for Core Strength The Roll Up This is one of the best core moves according to researchers at Auburn University in Alabama, who say, “The Pilates roll-up is 30 percent more effective than the standard crunch, because it challenges your abs through a fuller range of motion and recruits more muscle fibers.” Start lying on your back (with a band wrapped around your feet if you’re using one). Engage your core and start to lift your torso up off the floor as you roll up one vertebrae at a time. Dive forward over your legs and scoop your belly button to your spine. Slowly roll back down. Repeat 6-8 times. If you’re using the theraband, press your arms back behind you as you dive your head forward. The Swan So often we forget our back is also part of our core, but Pilates works our body 360 degrees, and this move is a great example of that. I love this move for trimming the oblique muscles, upper back, and lower body. Start lying face down with your arms overhead (holding the theraband in each hand). Lift the entire body up as you pull the band apart or just lift up if using no band. Repeat 6-8 times. Use the breath and inhale as you lift, exhale as you lower. Make sure to keep the abdominals engaged, which can be challenging when you’re lying on your belly. The Frog In Pilates, we often work in a turn-out position, or a Pilates V stance, with the heels together and the toes turned out. When we engage our legs this way, we activate the inner thighs, which are directly related to the pelvic floor muscles. Pilates is great for toning the hips, inner thighs, and buttocks—while still challenging that core. I also love this move because it mimics the leg springs on the Cadillac and reformer Pilates machines. Lie down on your back with knees bent. Bring the heels together and turn your toes out. Wrap the theraband around your feet and pull the ends to the floor with your elbows along your sides and shoulders relaxed. Exhale and extend your legs out as you squeeze your inner thighs and glutes. Inhale back to starting position. Repeat 16 times. About Kristin: Kristin McGee is a nationally recognized celebrity yoga and Pilates teacher, speaker, mompreneur, and author of Chair Yoga: Sit, Stretch, and Strengthen Your Way to a Happier, Healthier You. She is also a graduate of The Nutrition School. Her unparalleled knowledge of fitness and health has established Kristin as a sought-after yoga and Pilates trainer with a continuous roster of high profile celebrities including LeAnn Rimes Cibrian, Emilia Clarke, Tina Fey, Bethenny Frankel, Savannah Guthrie, Steve Martin, and Christine Taylor Stiller. Her appeal has always been that she makes fitness fun, cool, and accessible to students of all ages and stages. She has appeared on Access Hollywood, CNN, Fox, Good Morning America, The Early Show, and the Today Show and has been featured in Fitness, Glamour, Health, InStyle, People, Prevention, Shape, Vogue, and Women’s Health. A contributing editor at Health Magazine, a spokesperson for Power Pilates Gym on HSN, and a brand ambassador for multiple companies, Kristin is a proud mom to three boys: a toddler, Timothy and newborn twins, Robert and William. Visit Kristin’s website at kristinmcgee.com and follower her at @kristinmcgee.