April 29, 2022

Something Seedy

 

Missing those Crunchy Carbs? Look no further than these seedy snacks! Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax, and chia seeds are loaded with protein, fiber, and those healthy Omega-3 fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are low in carbs, gluten-free, and keto-friendly.

Certain seeds like sesame and flax, have unique health benefits. They are high in lignans, which act as powerful antioxidants. In fact, sesame seeds are the best known dietary source of lignans, which along with the fiber and Omega-3 fats, can help reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, and other risk factors for heart disease. Other seeds like pumpkin and sunflower are high in magnesium which can help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Then you have chia seeds which are one of the best fuel sources for endurance athletes. They expand up to ten times their original size when soaked in water, and form a gel-like substance that slows the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar to fuel the body longer. With their extreme absorbency, they also help prevent dehydration. Read More

 

April 10, 2022

The Skinny on Strong

 

 

It’s Saturday morning at Barry’s Bootcamp and class is packed for a newer workout called LIFT. There are no treadmills or running in this class. The entire 50 minutes is floorwork only, in the same circuit format Barry’s regulars know so well, but slower paced with heavier weights designed to work muscles to exhaustion. For people who don’t like to run, this class has become super popular, while those who don’t like to lift have found a fun and motivating environment to get that essential strength training done.

The benefits of strength training cannot be overstated, yet many of us, this editor included, choose cardio and HIIT classes, opting for what we assume is a better calorie or fat burning workout. The irony is muscle mass is more metabolically efficient, and research has shown our metabolic rate is boosted up to 72 hours after a strength-training workout. It can help decrease abdominal fat as well. (Healthline)

In addition, weight training supports all those cardio activities by building strength, improving mobility, and increasing range of motion to help prevent sidelining injuries. For women especially, as we age and become more susceptible to osteoporosis, strength training is essential to keep bones strong. Despite all this supporting information however, many women have stayed away from weight training for fear they would get too big and muscular — a myth the steroid filled heyday of bodybuilding helped propagate. Read More

 

March 14, 2022

The Smart Ones

 

CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: TONAL, MIRROR, OXEFIT, TEMPO STUDIO, TEMPO MOVE, NORDIC TRACK VAULT

With more people working out at home, the all-in-one home gym has become increasingly popular. Many will remember the multi-station Universal and Bowflex that packed an entire gym into one apparatus, but with the boom in smart technology and connected fitness, brands like Mirror, Tonal, and Tempo have redefined the genre.

High-tech and interactive, these machines offer personalized weight training and fitness classes in a sleek and modern package that has made the all-in-one a featured showpiece in the home. With the world’s best athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Lindsay Vonn recently endorsing different brands, these machines offer performance to match. Read More

 

February 23, 2022

Get Well Soon!

 

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YOUR AT-HOME WELLNESS ESSENTIALS KIT!

Surround yourself in calm, cozy, comfort from head to toe, with simple pleasures to soothe body and soul. Aromatherapy, infrared heat, muscle massage, deep meditation, a relaxing soak… restorative wellness treatments that can be experienced in the comfort of home.

CLICK ABOVE FOR SHOPPING LINKS

LEFT COMUMN: AESOP PTOLEMY AROMATIQUE CANDLE $110. Bring the soothing scents of nature indoors with this aromatic candle, reminiscent of an ancient forest of Cedar and Cypress, with notes of Vetiver. Beautiful ceramic vessel is engraved with meditative quote.

FEAT BLANKETBLEND JOGGERS $98. The absolute softest joggers are these BlanketBlend from Feat! Ridiculously cozy and warm, Feat also makes matching sweatshirts and shorts, all of which are available in a wide range of colors.

BRAINTAP $647. With the combination of light, sound, and guided audio, the BrainTap headset uses extraordinary technology to create an effortless state of restfulness, rejuvenation, and tranquility via brainwave training. There are five types of brainwaves, each uniquely affected by different types of meditation to alter our state of mind. The BrainTap headset delivers gentle pulses of light from its visor, with synchronized high frequency sounds — binaural beats and isochronic tones — to affect those brainwave frequencies and guide the mind from awake and reactionary, to intuitive and creative, to a heightened consciousness and focus. With a library of more than 400 audio programs, BrainTap allows users to relax, reboot, and revitalize while achieving peak brain performance — accessible without the headset as well on the BrainTap app. Read More

 

January 8, 2022

Guilt-Free Chocolate…

 

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…THAT’S GOOD FOR YOU TOO!

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, chocolate is the best way to indulge. Dark chocolate has particular health benefits, as a rich source of antioxidants and minerals, beneficial for the cardiovascular system as well. Maybe you’re trying to go cold turkey after a sugar filled holiday season, but here are a few of our favorite chocolates we give you permission to try… but please consume responsibly!

ROW 1: QUEST FUDGEY BROWNIE BAR. Quest is best known for their protein bars, but have introduced a line of ridiculously delicious candy bars with just 4g net carbs, 1g sugar, 9g fiber, and 12g protein too.

SKINNY DIPPED SUPER DARK & SEA SALT ALMONDS. Take omega-6 rich almonds, dip them in extra dark vegan chocolate, and your day just got a whole lot sweeter – even with less sugar added! 1 serving of 16 almonds has 130 calories, 13g of healthy fats, 4g sugar, and 5g protein. Also try Skinny Dipped Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.

HU SIMPLE DARK CHOCOLATE. USDA Certified Organic, Paleo, vegan and dairy-free, Hu 70% cocoa dark chocolate bars are made with the simplest of ingredients and sweetened with unrefined, fiber rich, coconut sugar. 1/2 bar has 180 calories with 13g healthy fats, 13g carbs, and 3g fiber. Check out delicious Hu Hunks chocolate covered almonds too! Read More

 

January 1, 2022

31 Days of Fitness 2022!

 

 
Happy New Year and welcome to 31 Days of Fitness 2022! We are back with another action packed January of workouts, wellness, recovery, and more! Every day this month your intrepid editor will be checking out a different class, studio, app, modality, and trainer to showcase the amazing variety of workouts to get and stay in shape for the new year. Omicrom may be raging but we’re going to keep it safe with a mix of digital, studio, indoor, outdoor, and socially distant workouts. There’s no guessing where I might turn up!
 

DAY 1: POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

What a way to kick off the new year and 31 Days of Fitness 2022 than at the 119th Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge, which returned this year after the 2021 Covid hiatus. Besides the symbolic cleansing of the past year, greeting the new year with a frigid but invigorating plunge has numerous health benefits as well. A cold water plunge increases blood flow, improves circulation, boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, releases endorphins, and elevates your mood. In fact, I feel great! While most of us revelers are out there just one day year, the Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing club in the United States, founded in 1903, and members take the plunge every Sunday November-April! Photo:Casey Steffens Read More

 

November 1, 2021

Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice

 

 

‘Tis the season… for Pumpkin and Spice! Right now this cozy fall flavor can be found in all your favorite foods — healthy ones too — adding a festive touch to everyday eats and drinks. These seasonal flavors are available for a limited time only, so get ’em before they’re gone!

 
ROW 1: PROTEIN BARS: KINDBAR Caramel Almond Pumpkin Spice, PERFECT BAR Pumpkin Pie, RX BAR Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter; HALOTOP Pumpkin Pie (just 360 calories per carton!); HU Pumpkin Spice Dark Chocolate (certified organic & paleo with no dairy or refined sugars)

ROW 2: TRADER JOE’S PUMPKIN BUTTER; BEER: SAMUEL ADAMS Jack-O Pumpkin Ale, BLUE MOON Harvest Pumpkin Ale, SHIPYARD Pumpkinhead; STARBUCKS Pumpkin Spice

ROW 3: GREEK YOGURT (lower sugar): SIGGI’S Pumpkin & Spice, CHOBANI Pumpkin Spice; THE REPUBLIC OF TEA Pumpkin Spice; COFFEE CREAMERS: ALKAMIND ACID-KICKING COFFEE ALKALIZER Pumpkin Spice, LAIRD SUPERFOOD CREAMER Pumpkin Spice

 

August 8, 2021

Listen Up! Our Top 10 Health & Fitness Podcasts

 

DR. ANDREW HUBERMAN (LEFT) ON THE RICH ROLL PODCAST

For the most pioneering and essential health, fitness, and wellness information, look no further than these ten podcasts. Each show presents a conversation with a curated group of the most respected and influential experts from the worlds of fitness, medicine, sports, nutrition, mindfulness, and more. They often feature leaders from other industries like entertainment, finance, and technology who bring another point of view and takeaways applicable to any mental and physical endeavor. Equally accomplished are the hosts — be they entrepreneurs, doctors, or athletes — who bring their own unique experience, qualifications, and insights to the show.

We’ve spent the last few months researching and listening to the list below. Hope you enjoy and learn as much as we have from these hosts and their guests, who often switch places, appearing as guests each on other’s podcasts!
 

THE RICH ROLL PODCAST

Rich Roll is a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, wellness evangelist, and the author of the bestselling inspirational memoir Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself. Each episode of The Rich Roll Podcast is like a masterclass in physical and spiritual growth, taught by some of the most forward-thinking and paradigm-busting minds in health, fitness, nutrition, and entertainment. Intimate, deep, and often intense, these are not interviews; they are conversations that educate, inspire, and empower you to be your best self. Read More

 
 

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