FitSugar

Retreat in Mexico: Pilates in Paradise

FitSugar — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Looking for an alternative destination for spring break? After surviving winter wouldn't it be nice to take a little vacation - relax and eat well (and by well I mean healthy) and do some Pilates? Well, Ellie Herman Studios has just the retreat for you.

Seven days, taking 2 Pilates mat classes a day along with a guided beach walk could be just the thing to get you pumped and primed for upcoming spring and summer activities. The retreat is fine for both beginners and advanced students.

Pricing starts at $1300 for a shared double room at the Mar de Jade vacation/retreat center in Chacala, a stunning beach on Mexico's Pacific Coast, an hour and a half north of Puerto Vallarta.

The EHS staff is full of knowledgeable and energetic Pilates instructors. They will work you, but you will be in paradise, which should lessen the burn. Sounds wonderful to me since it combines two of my favorite things: Pilates and vacation.

Retreat dates: March 17 - 24th, contact EHS studios directly to reserve your spot.

Bikini Boot Camp in Mexico: Amansala

FitSugar — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0800

Amansala, a super fabulous Mexican eco-resort and spa, offers a six-night Bikini Boot Camp program that is limited to 25 men and women, held on the beautiful, remote beach of Tulum, Mexico. Could there be a better place to get bikini ready? Possibly not.

While doing the Bikini Boot Camp, your days start with a beach or jungle power walk followed by a combination of body sculpting, power ab sessions or Pilates and end with yoga and meditation. When you're not doing that, there are excursions to the nearby jungle for swimming and snorkeling in fresh water swimming holes, visits to Mayan ruins and pampering with beach side massages, Mayan Clay Treatments and plenty of sunshine. Yes please.

It's not all about exercise at Bikini Boot Camp, the low fat diet consists of all local chemical free food such as fresh caught grilled fish, mangos, jicima salads and other delicious low calorie selections. Yum.

To see some beautiful pics of what you'll be seeing while you're there, read more

View 10 Photos ›

The relaxing, beautiful setting, along with the healthy meals, and activity filled days make for a perfect way to get your body bikini ready. It definitely doesn't hurt that you'll be in a beautiful part of Mexico as well as surrounded by people with the same goals in mind.

Six night programs are held year round. Three & four night programs available upon request. 6 nights will run you $1,842 per person but it is all inclusive, so it could be worse. For more information and to make a reservation, please visit Amansala online.

YogAway: Yoga Retreat in Mexico

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Looking to beat the winter blues by heading to a warm, balmy place? Looking to do some intensive yoga far away from your regular routine? Did you make a new year's resolution to: try new things, exercise, travel?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions you should check out Yoga Studio's YOGAWAY, far away yoga retreats in Haramara, Mexico.

Yoga Studio's website explains:

Revel in the twice-daily, joyous and celebratory asana practice with Haramara's rustic elegance and beauty as your backdrop. Days may be spent exploring the surrounding volcanic highlands, pristine untouched beaches or reserved for quiet time. All cabanas are set in the jungle and include spacious rooms with private bath, outdoor shower and breathtaking ocean and mountain vistas. Enjoy superb cuisine and fabulous company on this fun and deeply rejuvenating yoga adventure!

How amazing does that sound? Well you best act quickly if you are interested since the next retreat starts on January 13th and goes through the 20th. If you need a little more time to plan, there is another Haramara retreat happening April 21st through April 27th.

Bon Voyage and Namaste.

Best Buy No Longer Just Selling Couch-Potato Electronics

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:21 -0800

When I hear my husband is headed to Best Buy, I get a bit nervous. My fears my be slightly allayed by the fact that select outlets of this electronics mecca will be selling my favorite fitness accessory that features a computer chip: heart rate monitors. Forty stores in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas will be selling HRMs as well as pedometers and gear for swimming, yoga, and Pilates enthusiasts. Many locations will also have cardio machines like ellipticals, treadmills, and stationary bikes for shoppers to test drive. My guess is that the store is also hoping you will think that you need a flat-screen TV for your new home gym, but I still take this as a positive sign for incorporating fitness into daily life.

Run Barefoot and Avoid Running Injuries?

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:04 -0700

The idea of running barefoot seems like some new age, hippie movement to get people to be free in their bare skin. Or some eco-friendly push to persuade people to forgo sneakers so they don't end up in landfills. Although the freedom and environmental arguments for barefoot running are valid, Christopher McDougall, author of the best-selling book Born to Run, believes running without sneakers could be the answer to preventing shin splints, knee pain, and other running injuries.

After suffering many an injury himself, he set out with the question, "Why does my foot hurt?" In his journey to answer that question, he discovered the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyons. They run hundreds of miles at a time with only thin, homemade sandals on their feet, and don't suffer any of the injuries that the rest of us runners do. After running with them, he realized the secret was ditching his sneaks, and since then, he's been injury-free. McDougall believes today's high-tech sneakers "warp our natural stride, encourage bad form, and lead to injuries."

To hear more about barefoot running, keep reading

The State of Eating Veggies in the US

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:35:55 -0700

When it comes to eating enough veggies and fruits, Americans are failing miserably. The CDC estimates that only 14 percent of adults and fewer than 10 percent of teenagers in the US eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit on a daily basis.

And you know, five servings of fruit and veggies is the minimum suggestion. Many health advocates believe we should be eating nine servings of produce daily. The percentages above represent the national average; in some states only nine percent of the adults eat enough produce. The CDC published this first state-by-state report to help us all understand how far off the mark we are when it comes to nutrition.

Here's the CDC list, ranking states from lowest to highest percentage of folks meeting the recommended servings of fruit and veggies.

1. Mississippi: 8.8%

2. Oklahoma and South Carolina: 9.3%

3. Alabama: 9.8%

4. South Dakota: 10.1%

5. West Virginia: 10.3%

Didn't see your state in the bottom five? Then keep on reading.

"F as in Fat" 2009 Finds Mississippi Heaviest State

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:45:17 -0700

The Trust For America's Health compiles a report every year, detailing how our nation's obesity policies are failing. The report, titled F as in Fat, doesn't mince words, but it does break down the rates of obesity by state.

For the fifth year in a row, Mississippi has the unfortunate distinction of topping the list with 32.5 percent of its adult population considered obese. The magnolia state also ranks number one for childhood weight woes; just over 44 percent of the population of 10- to 17-year-olds are considered overweight or obese.

This report does much more than finger-point; it examines state and federal policy and how it relates to the obesity epidemic. It looks at the relationship between obesity and the economy - cheap food is often unhealthy. There is even a section on how Summer break affects childhood obesity, titled "The Summer Slide." The report also makes recommendations for policy reform, changes in infrastructure (more sidewalks and bike paths, for one), and personal responsibility. You can find the entire 108-page report online in PDF format.

See how your state ranked.

Will the Swine Flu Affect Your Travel Plans?

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Swine flu is continuing to spread to numerous healthy people, as over 100 cases have been reported now in 11 US states. Sadly, the swine flu has also recently claimed the life of a 23-month-old Mexican boy seeking treatment in Texas. Canada, Austria, New Zealand, Israel, Britain, and Germany have also reported cases of swine flu sickness. In Mexico, 159 people have died and more than 1,300 are being tested for the infection. In Spain, a woman who hasn't traveled to Mexico has come down with the swine flu.

This is extremely serious, as the World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to phase 5 (phase 6 is the highest level). Officials from the US, Japan, Britain, France, Canada, Israel, Australia, and other countries are discouraging nonessential travel to Mexico. Even Cuba and Argentina have suspended flights to and from Mexico, so with these recent travel restrictions . . .

Source

Swine Flu Update

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:20:00 -0700

On Sunday afternoon, Janet Napolitano declared a public health emergency due to the swine flu. While the declaration might seem extreme, it allows preparations to begin so the country will be ready if there is indeed a full-fledged outbreak or pandemic. In a speech on Monday, President Obama tried to allay growing fears by saying, “This is, obviously, a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert. But it’s not a cause for alarm.”

Here are a few more details about the virus, and how it is spreading.

This swine flu virus has killed up to 149 people in Mexico. What makes this new strain of the virus particularly worrisome is that it is killing healthy young adults, which is atypical in influenza outbreaks. Mexican authorities have urged people to wear surgical masks in public.

To see the number of cases in the states and if you should travel to Mexico, read more.

According to the CDC, there 64 lab confirmed cases in the US. Here's the rundown by state: California - 10, Kansas - 2, New York - 45, Ohio - 1, Texas - 6. So far, there are no deaths from swine flu in the US.

On the international front, the World Health Organization has reported cases in Spain, Great Britain, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, and France. The WHO has also raised their state of pandemic alert to level 4.

Have tickets to Mexico? The US State Department has issued a "travel alert" advising people to avoid all "nonessential" travel to Mexico for the next three months.

The WHO also stated that there is also no risk of infection from this virus from consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products. But they do advise people to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis.

Now, check out what Jon Stewart has to say about the media fever around swine flu.

Update: As of Friday, 5/1, there are 141 cases reported in the US with one death. The WHO is reporting 11 countries have confirmed cases of swine flu and they have raised their alert to level 5.

Source

Are You Still Worried About Swine Flu?

FitSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

The last 10 days have been fraught with fear over a possible swine flu pandemic: almost all of Mexico was shut down, US citizens were strongly cautioned against traveling to Mexico, and American schools were shut down in many states.

Today brings both good news, bad news, and a warning for the future. While the US is no longer advising school closures since the virus is milder than originally believed, the first American citizen diagnosed with swine flu passed away. The 33-year-old Texas school teacher was eight months pregnant when admitted to the hospital. According to health officials she had "chronic underlying health conditions" and stopped short of saying directly that swine flu killed her. Her baby was successfully delivered by Cesarean and is healthy.

In the US, there are 642 confirmed cases of swine flu in 41 states. Internationally, over 1,490 cases have been confirmed in 21 countries, and health officials ask us all to remain vigilant informed by the evolution of the devastating flu pandemic of 1918. Pandemics can begin mild, evolve over the course of months, and become stronger.

I am wondering how all this news affects you.

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