Tag Archives: travel

3 Premium Yoga Retreat Destinations to Realign Your Fitness Goals This Fall

Fall is a great time to cleanse, detoxify, and reorganize your health priorities in preparation for a long, cold winter. Sometimes breaking out of a routine is the best way to realign our intentions and deepen our commitment to wellness.

If you think a little change in scenery is what you need to give yourself that gentle kick in the butt to reboot your booty, check out the following yoga retreats. Everyone I know who comes back from a yoga retreat is more than refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges life brings. Maybe it is time you take a much-needed break, reinvent your mind-body fitness strategy, and come home with a fresh perspective on life.

Not sure where to go? We’ve found a few locations that will satisfy your fun-filled yoga needs or more luxurious yoga dreams.

Via Yoga

With locations in Mexico and Costa Rica, Via Yoga offers yoga and Pilates retreats combined with surfing, snorkeling, whale watching, and margarita drinking. Love yoga, your workouts, and the pleasure of eating good food with great folks? Visit ViaYoga.com and check out the great offerings and specials for a fun-filled and adventurous retreat. (more…)

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Jill

Best Dessert Ever: Chobani SoHo Really is Nothing But Good

I’m in New York City on business for a few days this week. Somehow all of my meetings worked out to be staggered perfectly around each meal time on a single day. It was positively gorgeous outside, so I walked about 60 blocks throughout lower Manhattan to get to each meeting. My second-to-last meeting was with the nice folks from Chobani and it timed out perfectly for a post-lunch dessert / mid-day snack.


“A first-of-its-kind Mediterranean yogurt bar in NYC’s SoHo neighborhood- this is @chobani like you’ve never had it before,” is how the @ChobaniSoHo Twitter page describes itself. It’s dead on. I was invited to meet the Chobani team at their six-week-old yogurt bar. I’m a total Chobani fanboy; a significant part of my grocery budget goes to their Greek yogurt. So of course I’ll meet you there!

The shop is nestled on the corner of a likable street in SoHo, just a few blocks from the brand’s NYC office. It’s got all the allure of most fro-yo shops, except this isn’t frozen. Barely. They say they keep the yogurt chilled to about 34 degrees, where grocery stores only manage about 41 degrees.

Since we eat with our eyes, the bright LED board displaying their ten menu options pulled me and my appetite in. Even with a simple menu, it was not simple to make a choice. Finally, I committed to the Pistachio + Chocolate. The brand’s tagline is not a lie… this was nothing but good. Frankly, nothing but amazing and truly indulgent. (more…)

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Natalie K

Homemade Blackberry Muffins are a Sweet Vacation Souvenir

Last week I ran far, far away from home, where it’s been six-digit temperatures for the better part of the summer, in to the cool, loving arms of Portland, Oregon. I’ve never been to that part of the country and I can say it was just about love at first sight. To you Portlanders – well done! It’s one of the most beautiful, friendly, genuinely unique places I’ve ever visited.

I took in the scenic hikes at Mt. Hood, enjoyed tastings at local wineries, had lunch at the downtown food carts, and even picked up a bottle of honey (my go-to souvenir for any vacation). One of the things I loved the very most were the blackberries. They were very much in season while I was there, with many restaurants advertising all sorts of blackberry treats. The ones I enjoyed most were right out of a basket at the Portland Farmers Market on the PSU campus. Plump, juicy, and perfectly sweet… they were a far cry from any blackberry I’m used to having in Kansas.

When I returned home, I couldn’t get that sweet taste out of my mind. So this weekend, I made due with the blackberries I had access to and made what my husband called the best muffins I’ve ever baked. It seemed only right to share them with you.

I wanted a muffin that would let the blueberries shine, not be too heavy, and complement a breakfast rather than be the main course. I found a recipe that I could easily modify over at DozenFlours.com. Her recipe was great as-is, but I had to add a few of my own tricks to truly make it mine, make it a touch healthier, and help me savor that Portland blackberry flavor I was after. (more…)

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Natalie K

Road Trips Revived: Tips for Fun and Healthy Labor Day Travels

This weekend is Labor Day. For many families this is the final weekend of summer. Even if school has started, this weekend tends to be the last chance to get out of town and get one last memory in. If you’re also like my family this means time spent in the car; the necessary evil of travel. Thankfully, my crew has found simple some ways to enjoy our road trips and hopefully you can, too.

Our major road trip life savers have not been the portable DVD player, the satellite radio, or even classic road games. We’ve learned to let the trip be part of the vacation.

Traveling by car allows for some truly unique pit stops. There’s hilarious “world’s largest _____” sites all over. Just this summer we detoured to see the “World’s Largest Ball of Twine.” My son was able to officially add twine to his list of roadside oddities, we got to hear the history of the landmark, and we got to get out of the car for a nice change of pace. Plus, we took a million pictures and laughed the entire time.

We’ve had so much fun turning to the resource of Roadside America while we’re traveling. We loaded the app and just search for fun places to stop from our current location. Thanks to the app we’ve been alerted to sights like “Jurassic Art,” a small town resident’s personal welded art display in his yard. We stopped to see the “World’s Largest Mennonite,” a limestone sculpture in a public park. And one of our all time favorites was a place called “Prairie Dog Town,” a farm of sorts with prairie dogs running wild and a collection of five-legged cows. (more…)

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Lacy

Want a Healthy Kids Menu? Hyatt Figured it Out with For Kids By Kids

I’m kind of a soap box mom when it comes to kid nutrition. I just can’t imagine few things being more important than my daughter’s health and development of her eating habits. Like good manners, potty training, and a wild imagination, they are skills that will last her a lifetime.

Her very favorite foods include avocado, blackberries, shrimp, black beans, and peaches. She thinks dried apricots and pistachios are candy. And on the rare occasion we get a “real” treat, a bite or two of a shared ice cream cone is suffice. Given all of this, imagine how hard it is to take her out to eat with us. Between my refusal to give her fried junk, and her disinterest in eating it, the standard fare of a kids menu leaves a heck of a lot to be desired.

That is, until you visit the Hyatt. I often rave about the breakfast at The Hyatt’s Harvest Kitchen here in Wichita, calling it the best breakfast in the city. It’s the only Harvest in the country, but Executive Chef Paul Freimuth says another is in development in California with plans to expand further. I should think they’d want to – with locally sourced ingredients and attention to quality, the entire menu is like a work of art. While my daughter loves the yogurt bar, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs on Sunday mornings, the Hyatt is now offering her and other kids many more options at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This past July, Hyatt introduced its For Kids By Kids menu. It’s a kid-friendly menu that is super healthy, to satisfy parents, and full of foods kids like best, to keep the little ones happy. Hyatt didn’t just dream it up on a whim, they partnered with 11-year-old Haile Thomas, a young chef who is committed to the health of herself and her peers. (more…)

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Natalie K

Worst Vacation Destinations for Your Waistline


A lot of people fall victim to diet traps while on vacation. Sure, you’re taking a break from work, but that doesn’t mean you can take a break from your diet, too. Doing that will mean you’re falling victim to a different kind of tourist trap! The biggest tourist trap of them all is in the Mediterranean, and it’s probably not the country you’re thinking.

Based on a study done by Fly Thomas Cook, which looked at 350 people from the U.K vacationing for an average of a week and a half, close to half of them came back with a few extra pounds as souvenirs. According to the study, men gained about five pounds while they were overseas and women came back with a little more than one pound. (more…)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Kristina

How to Stretch Your Glutes and Hamstrings for Fitter Summer Traveling

Are you traveling during summer vacation? Probably so.

Do you stretch on these trips? You can guess the answer to this is usually NO!!

Personally, I travel at least twice a month and I use these two following stretches all of the time to open my tight hips and lengthen my hamstrings after hours of sitting.

It’s important to remember excessive amounts of sitting may cause lower back pain from shortened hip flexors that can pull the pelvis forward resulting in discomfort. Also, sitting will place increased amount of pressure on the spine compared to standing or lying down.

Here’s a simple solution that will keep you feeling good as you take on all of the adventures and activity in your vacation itinerary.

Hamstring Stretch

(more…)

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Tracey

Saturday Morning Drills: Hannah Curlee’s Hotel Room Workout

If you find yourself away from home this weekend, it’s not an excuse to skip your workout. Even if your hotel doesn’t have a gym, you can still make these five moves happen before you find your way to the continental breakfast.

Former Biggest Loser contestant Hannah Curlee dropped by the DIR office in Wichita this week, one of her many, many stops every week of the year. We asked her how she stays fit on the road, not ever knowing what the fitness accommodations are going to look like from city to city. Hannah told us she travels with a jump rope.

“I take it everywhere,” she said. “It’s the one thing that will fit in my luggage.” She uses it to do 1000 jumps every night. That’s a serious cardio workout in and of itself.

But if you’re looking to work your glutes, arms, abs, and amp your heart rate, then follow these five moves from Hannah.

View Hannah Curlee's Hotel Workout Slideshow

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Natalie K

Healthy Across America on a Budget: The Nutritious America Road Trip

By Abra Pappa for NutritiousAmerica.com

3000 miles, 8 days, and 500 bucks to get across the country. Could you do it?

Last week my business partner (and best friend), Karen, and I embarked on an adventure across the country to see if it was possible to eat healthy in as many states as we could for as little money as possible.

For nearly a decade Karen and I have been counseling clients on the benefits of a natural, organic, whole food diet. Our company, Nutritious America, works to inspire people around the country to lose weight and clear up various health problems by changing how and what they eat.

In our work we tend to hear a lot of the same “issues” from clients about their struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Topping the list is, “It’s too expensive” and, “Healthy food is not convenient or readily available.” It was time Karen and I put these “issues” to the test.

We have both lived in large urban environments for over 15 years, where healthy food is readily available. I have a farmers market literally 3 blocks from my apartment, not to mention multiple juice bars, organic restaurants, and a Whole Foods Market all within walking distance. Is healthy food expensive? It depends on how you look at it. I spend money on food. I spend money on healthy food. I live by the philosophy, “pay the farmer today or the doctor tomorrow.” I choose to spend my money on food rather than expensive clothes, shoes, or bags. It’s a choice I make. However, I have always firmly believed that healthy food should be affordable for all people in this country. Is it possible to eat healthy and not break the bank? Is healthy food readily available in small towns across the country?

We wanted to find out. This was clearly just a small sampling. In 8 days we stopped in 8 different cities and had less than $30 per day per person for food. (more…)

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Nutritious_America

The Best Weight Loss Camps for Kids

campers rowing a boatA traditional summer camp gives kids many more opportunities to be physically active than they have during the school year, but for some simply being active is only a part of what they hope to get out of camp. Each year, thousands of children are enrolled in summer weight loss camps, where they not only enjoy swimming, hiking and boating, but can also learn about healthy eating and weight management.

Picking the program that’s right for your child is key to a successful summer. Although there are few boot camp style programs that are aimed at children, it’s important to know a camp’s philosophy towards weight loss. “I know we’re bombarded with all kinds of fads and new plans,” says David Ettenberg, who founded Camp Shane along with his wife Ziporah Janowski. “Everyone is looking for something very easy, but the bottom line is eat less and exercise more.”

Camp Shane, the oldest co-ed weight loss camp in the United States, doesn’t eliminate particular foods from the menu, but works to teach kids about making better choices. “We try to deal with reality,” says Ettenberg.

(more…)

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Margaret

New Yoga Room at San Francisco’s Airport Offers Reprieve from Travel Stress

The benefits of yoga are vast, and can help the busiest of people unplug, unwind, and reconnect with themselves. It’s one of those activities you can do just about anywhere, be it home, gym, office, and now the airport.

Yesterday San Francisco International Airport (SFO) opened a dedicated yoga room within the concourse. It’s been deemed the first of its kind at any airport in the world. Located in terminal two near Virgin America, the yoga room has been well designed. The former storage closet offers a quiet, serene escape from the hustle of the terminal. Inside yogis will find chairs, yoga mats, and low dim lighting. The room cost SFO about $20,000, and they say their work isn’t done. There are plans to add felt-covered “rocks” to the room to inspire a Japanese Zen-garden ambiance later in the spring. (more…)

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Natalie K