I fought joining Pinterest for a while because I didn’t want to have to keep up with one more social media platform. I barely use Google+, I can go days without reading my Facebook stream, and I’ve abandoned any themed boards years ago. My cousin kept raving about it, so I eventually took a look, truly wanting to not like it. I joined Pinterest because there were so many pretty things and simply browsing the pins was soothing. I truly believe that adding more art and beauty to our lives improves mental health.
Pinterest has been mocked as the place where women go to plan imaginary weddings, dress children that don’t exist, save recipes we’ll never prepare, and decorate homes we can’t afford. It may be true for some, but there are ways that you can use Pinterest to help you meet your goals of changing your diet and exercise habits. Pinterest can be a great source for recipes, new ideas, and motivation.
Named the “Yoga Rebel” by the New York Times, Tara Stiles is an internationally recognized and influential yoga teacher based in New York City. She is the author of the book Slim Calm Sexy as well as the owner of Strala Yoga, a non-pretentious yet highly successful yoga studio in the big city. As a former model, Stiles uses her celebrity, yoga teaching talents and humble girl-next-door persona as a platform from which to launch yoga cross-training programs for athletes, as well as designating yoga as an accepted and necessary part of preventative health care. Her second book, Yoga Cures, which covers the health benefits of yoga for a wide array of modern-day ailments, will be out on the shelves in April of this year. Ms. Stiles also inspires many by her choice in yoga products and accessories. For example, she supports the environment by selecting green and sustainable items to use in her practice. Manduka mats top her list as the best yoga mats, as they are non-toxic and eco friendly. Her favorite mat, made with high standards and low environmental impact, is the Manduka eKO Lite. For her hot yoga sessions, Stiles prefers to use Manduka’s eQua HOT yoga towel above other similar products. Read Full Post >
Those visiting Indianapolis for the Super Bowl this week may be most concerned about celebrity sightings, fancy parties, the zip line in the Super Bowl Village, or the NFL experience, but that doesn’t mean that they will want to forsake their fitness habits entirely. With hotels packed to the gills and many renting out local homes for the week, the miniature hotel gym may not be the best option for everyone. Luckily, Indianapolis offers a variety of fitness options unique to the Circle City.
I am a big fan of running, even in the snow. Although it might require additional gear to run outdoors, we have had a sunny and unseasonably warm January which is predicted to continue past the big game. Indianapolis offers severaltrails that are great for runners, walkers or bikers; check out the Canal Walk, the growing Cultural Trail downtown, and the Monon Trail, which extends from the northeast side of downtown through Carmel and Westfield. Take your outdoor exercise a step further by jogging the steps at the Indiana War Memorial located just north of the Circle on Meridian Street.
Pamela Hernandez owns Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield, MO where she focuses on weight training for weight loss. She writes a blog for her web site, www.thrivepersonalfitness.com, sharing vegetarian recipes from her kitchen, exercise strategies, lifestyle tips and stories from her own journey. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter @ThriveFit or pick up more tips on Facebook, www.facebook.com/thrivepersonalfitness.
Want to know my favorite piece of exercise equipment? I’ll give you a few hints.
Sometimes called a fitness ball or a Swiss ball, a stability ball is an extremely versatile and inexpensive piece of exercise equipment. It can allow you to do a variety of exercises by subbing for a weight bench, by keeping you off the ground and your back if that causes you discomfort or by adding a new challenge to an old exercise by engaging more core and stabilizer muscles.
Most people are actually intimidated by the stability ball. That comes from not knowing what to do with it or seeing people doing really dumb things with it on YouTube. But most stability ball exercises are easy to learn. If you workout at home and your budget is limited, the stability ball should be the first piece of equipment you purchase. You will be able to get a great workout with just your own body and the ball. Add a pair of dumbbells and the possibilities are endless.
Stay-at-home dads want to stay fit, just as their female counterparts do. One dad, in particular, Gavin McInnes, solves this problem by creating a video that gives you ideas aboutworkouts that you can do right in your own home, with “equipment” found around the house.
McInnes keeps the workout interesting and funny by getting creative with his choice of “equipment.” This video was originally shot in 2009. McInnes used his children, now 5-year-old daughter Sophie Whiterabbit and now 3-year-old son Duncan Whitethunder, as the “equipment” or weights.
