Last Minute Valentine's Gift Guide

Friday Favorites

It's almost Valentine's Day. Here are a few of my favorites!

























1.GU Chomps in Strawberry w/ Caffeine by GU Energy Labs ($
2.S'well Bottle in Cabana ($35)
3.Women's UA Shimmer Tote by Under Armour ($39.99)
4.Hidden Dry 2 in Pink by Balega ($11.00)
5.Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch in Pink ($95)
6.Grid Foam Roller in Pink by TriggerPoint Therapy ($40)
7.Headband in Undersea Crystals  by Victoria's Secret ($12.50)

8.Be Mine by Sticky Be Socks ($15.00)

9.Plus Bar in Energy Chocolate by Greens Plus ($31.95/12 bars)

31.75/ box of 16)

Favorite Posts of the Week

Fitness
When Intuitive Exercise Doesn't Feel Good by Nutrition Nut On The Run
12 minute workout to tone you up by Purely Twins
Write a Manifesto by Jill Conyers
Valentine's Day Total Body Partner Workout by Fitness and Feta

Health
The Benefits of Coffee by Fitness On Toast
How Much Coffee Is Too Much by FitSugar
The Best Plant Based Proteins by FitSugar

Running
What Do You Need To Run For Your First Marathon by NYCRunningMama

Gaiam TV Review

Gaiam TV Review

Gaiam is well known for their association with yoga as well as the myraid of workout products they sell. They are a trusted brand and one that I am familiar with. Gaiam was one of the first yoga videos I watched and fell in love with the flow. So I decided to try their 10 day free trial. The website is set up similar to Netflix. There are different categories: Most Popular, Recently Added, and such. It was easy to navigate around the website. I used the search bar to help me find what I was looking for. After searching for 'yoga,' it allowed you to also advance your search by choosing a length of time, style of yoga, and instructor. I found this to be helpful after I began to find instructors that I enjoyed. There were 1141 videos on yoga, so this feature was very helpful. Gaiam TV also has inspirational videos, spiritual videos, dance and ballet, as well as meditation guides. It provides a great selection for all stages of yoga, whether you are brand new or a spiritual guru. After your 10 day free trial, it costs just $9.95 a month.

You also have the ability to save videos on your playlist. This was a wonderful feature because then I didn't have to keep looking and searching for something I might like. I would spend a few minutes before each video and find a few more I liked, it also helped me stay accountable to finishing their videos. These were the videos that I tried and LOVED:

Kathryn Budig's Aim True Yoga: Authentic Flow

Rachel Wainwright: Ballet Pilates, Pilates Booty, Yoga Pilates Morning Mix

Faith Hunter: Shiva Flow

Kate Kendall Flow Barre: Spicy Buns, Total Body Bliss

Ashley Turner: Strength and Stamina

Pros:

Lots to search from

Great instructors and Sequences

A whole zen experience

My Playlist feature

App accessible from iPhone or Android Tablets

Reasonable price (9.95/mo.)

Cons:

Search Bar was helpful, but could be simplified

Book Review: Hell Bent

Book Review: Hell-Bent

The title alone is intriguing enough to make you want to know more. Reading the cover further you will see: Obsession, pain, and the search for something like transcendence in competitive yoga. Competitive Yoga sounds like an oxymoron; yoga is synonymous with peace and zen. So to find transcendence in a world of competition seemed interesting, like a secret cult known to only a few...that is exactly what this book is about.






















The author Benjamin Lorr writes this memoir of both his journey to fitness and the underworld of yoga.  He shares his story of being overweight and one day being convinced by a friend to try Bikram Yoga. One day, turns into thirty, and then 365 days. Lorr was able to make his way into the secret society of competitive yoga one pose at a time. Lorr opens the closed door of the secret society of Backbenders, known by few. The Backbenders is composed of devoted yogis that manipulate their body in intense poses.

Loor  recounts his experience at a Bikram teacher training that will have you sweating along with him. You'll meet the unforgettable character of Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga.