The Best iPhone Apps for Fitness Travelers

Filed under: Fitness , Fit Travel Twenty-five percent of travelers exercise less on summer vacations than they do at home, according to a TripAdvisor survey. If you have trouble sticking with your fitness program when you travel, put your iPhone to work. Granted, you still have to do the dirty work, but these apps can make staying in shape on the road more doable and fun. Here are five to try: Virgin Atlantic’s Jet Lag Fighter ($1.99) Tired of being whipped by jet lag whenever you travel? Download this app and you’ll get customized advice about when you should exercise to beat that fatigue. Just plug in personal info (e.g., gender, age, and regular wake-up and bedtimes) and trip details, and the app will calculate when you should exercise before and during your trip. It even tells you what activities are best for fighting jet lag. Another fun feature? The app tells you when you should and shouldn’t get light, which sets your biological clock. Mylil’Coach ($1.99) Travel with Mylil’Coach and you’ll have a personal trainer , dietitian and life coach wrapped into one. That’s because this app sends you gentle reminders throughout the day to drink water, eat mindfully, breathe deeply and, yes, exercise. It also serves as a pedometer , tracking your daily step count and tallying how many more steps you need to reach 10,000 steps, a number most experts use as the minimum amount for managing weight. You can even set up a schedule and customize when and how often you receive reminders to walk more. Shape Travelista ($1.99) No fitness center in your hotel? You can’t use that as an excuse not to exercise anymore. With this app, you need only a hotel room, as it teaches you how to do strength workouts that use travel-friendly items, including luggage, a bed or water bottles. Choose from eight full-body routines and use it to log your sets, reps and the equipment you’ve used. Trailhead by The North Face (free) Whether you want to hike, bike, ski, walk or run, this handy app locates trails wherever you are in the world. The database includes more than 300,000 trails that can be searched by activity, trail length, location and user rating. You can even track your route via GPS as you go and view distance, speed and elevation. All of this information can be saved on your phone, depending on how much space you have. ExerciseTV (free) If you’re the type of exerciser who does best with classes and DVDs , you’ll love this app. Every day, you’ll get a 10- to 40-minute workout video ranging from aerobics to yoga from ExerciseTV. You’ll also receive five categories of circuit workout moves , each one featuring 10 short videos that feature one to three minutes for abs , yoga/stretch , upper body , lower body and total body training . A light hand weight is the only piece of equipment you might need, but you can always use a filled water bottle. Looking for more apps to load on to your iPhone? Check out these fitness apps . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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The Best iPhone Apps for Fitness Travelers

Wax On and Wax Off to a Better Bod

The dog days of Summer are quickly coming to a close. Before the lingering warm days are gone, I dare you to take advantage of them by washing your car and giving your body a good workout. Last weekend, I busted out a bucket, sponges, a hose, and my waterproof shoes. An hour later, I had a sparkling set of wheels and my guns were ablazin’. If you’re up for it, engage in these steps and add any other tips to the comments! Put some elbow grease into your washing movements with circular motions. Think like Mr. Miyagi . . . wax on, wax off. If you are covering a large side of the car, you can lunge from side to side as you clean and dry the car. When you’re washing the back of the car, add some leg lifts while you swipe with the sponges. When it’s time to clean the wheels, practice your squats - remember they’re not just for the gym anymore. Time for the grill! After drying off the car, prop yourself up on the bumper for a few push-ups.

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Wax On and Wax Off to a Better Bod

How to Sneak Fitness Into the Most Relaxing of Vacations

“Vacations are not meant for fitness.” This quote is from a dear friend of mine; the two of us are driving down the coast for Labor Day. While it’s true that I usually don’t plan my vacations around fitness , I like being active - even when away from home ! But I get it, it’s Labor Day, the last hurrah before Summer ends, and my friend wants nothing but fun in the sun. Since she’s doing all the driving, I’m definitely not going to suggest a yoga session on the beach . But that’s because I have something even better in mind. Instead of framing activities in terms of fitness and exercise, I’ve got a few fun suggestions that will keep her smiling, and me active. Let’s go ride a bike . Riding bikes in the Summer sun can’t be beat, especially when it’s along a beach boardwalk. Once we hit Los Angeles, I’m looking forward to renting a couple of bikes and cruising along the Santa Monica beach boardwalk . Book a spa date . A visit to the spa is not only an indulgent way to hang with a girlfriend, it’s also a great way to relax. Schedule a massage to de-stress, relieve sore muscles, and boost immunity levels. See how we’ll be spending our nights when you read more. Dance the night away . A night out at the club can be super fun, and dancing is a great way to burn calories . Just make sure to keep everything in moderation so you don’t spend the next day nursing a hangover . Make a healthy meal feel indulgent . Before we go, I am researching great spots to dine out that also have a reputation for being healthy or offering local, organic food. My friend will feel like we’re having a decadent meal out, and I’ll still be able to find something on the menu that suits my healthy diet.

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How to Sneak Fitness Into the Most Relaxing of Vacations

Reader Input: September Is the Most Important Month

The OnSugar blog Outside Eye shares reasons why September is an incredibly healthy month. Just in case you were curious, apparently September is: Food Allergy Awareness Month National Yoga Awareness Month (In case there’s anyone out there who isn’t already acutely aware of it) Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (So as not to be sexist) National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month Cholesterol Education Month (Let’s all pledge to learn a little more about cholesterol this month, shall we?) Childhood Cancer Month Reye’s Syndrome Awareness Month (No clue) Ahhh . . . but there’s more. To raise your awareness on all the health issues of September please visit Outside Eye for the rest of the list. And while you’re at it, why not start your own OnSugar blog ?

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Reader Input: September Is the Most Important Month

It’s National Yoga Month, and That Means Free Yoga!

If you’ve always wanted to achieve Standing Bow pose with grace, now is the time. September is National Yoga Month , and to celebrate, over 1,000 yoga studios nationwide are offering one week of free yoga through October. The hope is to inspire more people to try yoga so they can reap all the physical and emotional benefits of regular practice. All you have to do is sign up on the Yoga Month website for a free week of yoga at any of the participating studios. After choosing a studio, you’ll receive a card in your email, entitling you to a free week of classes; just print it out and bring it to your chosen studio. The one restriction is that you can’t use the pass to get free classes at a studio you’ve already gone to; it’s only for new students. Besides a free week of yoga, many studios will be offering free days of yoga that require no prior registration. There are also multi-day events and music/yoga festivals planned like the Evolve and Evanston music fests.

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It’s National Yoga Month, and That Means Free Yoga!

Does Religion Help You Stay Physically Fit?

To many people, working out is a religious experience. Instead of heading to a steeple or temple, the gym is their sacred place. And sometimes, the two become intertwined. Yoga, for instance, can be part of a spiritual ritual as well as a physical workout. I recently had a discussion with a religious leader who said that she finds some of her most clear and powerful religious moments come to her when she is also on a physical high. She says her daily routine and relationship with God powers her through her workouts when she feels ready to give up. Does religion have a part in your gym routine? Does Religion Help You Stay Physically Fit? Yes - My religion helps me stay fit. No - My religion, or lack of, has no part in my fitness.

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Does Religion Help You Stay Physically Fit?

Seven-Year-Old Rides 600 Miles for Charity

Filed under: Fitness , Motivation Skye Leech In a generation of increasing childhood obesity , juvenile diabetes and inactivity among our youth, Skye Leech is not your average 7-year-old. The young British girl just returned from the U.S., where she and her family biked more than 600 miles from Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh, Penn., and back. What’s more, they did it all for charity . “We were looking for a fun family holiday that would allow us all to spend time together,” said Skye’s dad, Ben Parnell, who admitted vacationing poolside would not suit his active family. Instead they wanted long-distance bike trails for their first trip to the U.S. and found ideal ones on the East Coast. Traveling an average of 25 miles a day with her mother and father, Skye rode a total of 610 miles over the course of three weeks. “I wanted to do this because it was a real adventure, and I hadn’t done anything like it before,” she said. “Skye is only 7, and we had to keep reminding ourselves of that,” Parnell said about his daughter, who is also a swimmer and in good shape. “She got tired like the rest of us on some of the longer legs, but her muscles are developing nicely and by the end of the trip she biked 46 miles one day.” The family pulled all of their own gear in a trailer and camped out each night during their journey. “Trips like this allow you to really get to know each other,” said Parnell. “We got to find out how we can work together as a team.” “I felt impressed with myself once I had reached the end,” said Skye. In addition to being an active getaway and a chance to explore a new country, Skye raised more than $750 to date for the Ellen MacArthur Trust , which uses sailing to inspire children to regain their self-confidence while recovering from cancer , leukemia or other serious illnesses. “Not everyone is as lucky as we are in terms of their health, so it’s important to help where you can,” said Parnell. “Ellen MacArthur is an absolute legend, so we knew we wanted to support her charity.” In addition to helping other children who are ill, Skye is also a role model to her peers, reminding them to get outside and be active. “This was much more fun than watching TV all day,” she said. “If you watch too much TV, you end up with square eyes” (a British saying that refers to the look kids have when they have been watching TV too long). What’s next for this young cyclist and philanthropist? “Cycling around Lake Ontario next year!” she said. To contribute to Skye’s fundraising, click here . Speaking of vacations, how about training and traveling for a cause ? Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Seven-Year-Old Rides 600 Miles for Charity

Fit Links: Pumped-Up Playlists, Warding Off Weight Gain and More

Filed under: Fitness There are hundreds of wonderful sites on healthy living to be seen all over the blogosphere. Here at Fit Links, we’ll introduce you to some that have caught our eye. Envious of the fabulous figures you see on the red carpet? According to Fit Celeb, most celebrities follow these five key dieting secrets . Work out while you work? Daily Spark reveals how a desk job can become a healthy habit with one key ingredient . Having trouble finding the motivation to work out? That’s Fit Canada explains why you should focus on your accomplishments . When it comes to working out, it shouldn’t surprise you that music makes a big difference. Oh She Glows explains how a good playlist can amp up any run . Weight gain isn’t a phenomenon restricted to middle age — Health.com explains why it’s easy to gain in your 20s and what you can do to halt it before the metabolism slowdown of your 30s . Read any good Tweets? Give us a shout on Twitter and let us know all about it! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit Links: Pumped-Up Playlists, Warding Off Weight Gain and More

Banish That Belly in Three Easy Steps

Belly bulge. Muffin top. Love handles. There are a lot of names for that extra jiggle in the middle. Instead of nicknaming belly fat, let’s get rid of it! And while having a flat, toned stomach may seem like a quest for the Holy Grail, it’s not. First you need to understand why you have belly fat . After that, follow these three basic tips to banish it for good. Eat the right foods . Having a healthy diet is an easy first step to banishing the bulge. Practice portion control , eat whole foods , and make sure your diet is a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and (good) fat . There are also foods, like whole grains , which help people lose belly fat . Cardio, baby ! If you want to slim down your midsection, it’s time to step up your cardio in a major way. High-intensity activities like spinning , interval training , and running are all good ways to get a handle on your love handles. Tone up . Listen closely: limiting yourself to ab exercises does not make a flat belly. It’s a healthy diet and a solid routine of cardio that is going to help you drop the pounds. But toning your midsection and back area will sculpt your body, which helps you look slimmer. And by the time you drop all your belly fat, you’ll be left with a drool-worthy six-pack. Zing!

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Kim Clijsters: Balancing Family and the US Open

Filed under: Fitness , Celebs & Entertainment Julian Finney, Getty Images Kim Clijsters returned to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center yesterday to defend her title at the US Open . After stepping away from tennis in 2007, Clijsters returned last year with her new daughter, Jada, in tow. Clijsters told That’s Fit that during tournaments like the US Open , she typically practices an hour or two a day and then hits the gym to follow a basic workout schedule. But during the off-season, her workout schedule can vary from four to six hours a day in the gym. She admits that training after pregnancy was frustrating at times. “I started from zero,” she said. “In the past, I would really focus on just the weak parts of my body, but this time I had to train everything again.” Now that the 27-year-old Belgian tennis star is also a mom, she said that her busy training schedule comes with trade-offs. “I have help from our nanny, my husband and other family members,” she said. “But, of course, I have days when I feel guilty about being away from [Jada].” Off the court, sports are a family affair. She met her American husband, Brian Lynch, while he was playing professional basketball in Europe. To relieve stress, they go mountain biking during the off-season and take their dogs for long walks. Clijsters said she also loves yoga and swimming to relax. Sports are in Clijsters’ blood: Her father was a soccer star, and her mother was a professional gymnast. But Clijsters said while sports, in general, were always a priority, tennis was always her first love. “Sports have always been important in my life. I feel better when I work out, and it has become a way to relax, get rid of stress and makes me feel good about myself,” she said. “So even if I’m not practicing tennis, I will always find a sport where I can challenge myself.” As for Jada, there is no pressure to choose professional sports, but rather to embrace an active lifestyle. “She can choose whatever sport she would like,” said Clijsters, “but we will teach her that playing sports and healthy eating is a good way of life.” Although Clijsters has extra support as a professional athlete, her love of activity and healthy living — and making it something the entire family is involved in — is a lesson all of us can learn from. Want to give your own tennis game a boost? Enter to win a Prince EXO3 Black 100 racquet! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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