Become a yoga nomad!
What: Not wanting to sacrifice forty minutes of my day to and from the gym, and intrigued by the meditative qualities yoga is rooted in, I opted for a nifty little site called Yoga Today. It promises a new video every day, cycling between different variations of yoga and teachers.
Why: The beautiful thing about the practice of yoga, however, is that the emphasis isn’t on losing weight or getting ripped. Throughout the whole practice, you’re constantly reminded on how each pose is influencing your body and mind at that very moment. In fact, the body and mind become very much linked (in the least cheesy way possible) as your workout shifts to a motive of reducing stress, battling anxiety and cultivating inner health.
Where: YogaToday.com
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Pull up a Pilates vid!
What: Pilates is similar in nature to yoga, but it emphasizes the core.
Why: Type in “Pilates” on YouTube and you will be flooded with a series of teachers with varying excitement levels. Some might be hard to stomach, but for some reason the more excited they are, the more you may feel the need to take on the challenge. After all, if someone is talking a mile a minute throughout the whole routine, you should be able to get through it yourself if you’re just giving the occasional wheeze. One particularly excitable Pilates teacher is Callie from Pop Pilates. Yes, she divulges the most unnecessary information to your workout possible, but that could be the secret to the success of her followers. This chit-chat nature is a surprisingly effective distraction when your abs are on fire and your heart is considering filing a complaint for any future decision to watch a Pop Pilates video.
Where: Blogilates.com
Run, Forrest, run!
What: A fast-paced version of walking, often seen in action movies, such as in the critically acclaimed, Forrest Gump.
Why: Running doesn’t stand for nonsense. You just start. If you’re craving a buddy to help you keep going, a running app called RunKeeper is a swell replacement to not only a friend but a track coach too. Keep your music playing while getting your progress continuously tracked at ten-minute intervals from, as far as computer voices go, a relatively non-creepy female voice. And this woman is not going to be down for an “insta break” to alert the world you and your friend are #runningbuddies. (Actually I wholeheartedly advocate #runningbuddies, but make you sure pick someone with similar fitness goals if you want to make the most of your workout!)
Where: Look out your window! Unless you prefer running around your room like a mouse, which is also somewhat effective.
Hiking with Mama Nature
Where: Again, look outside. But maybe not right outside your door, as hiking doesn’t really work with sidewalks.
What: Hiking involves getting out to the great outdoors and doing some inadvertent soul-searching. You climb up hills and mountains of all sorts, dipping in and out of mysterious (but safe) trails.
Why: Hiking will work all aspects of your body, while cranking up that cardio intensity to as high as you want it to be. Whether you’re running up the trail, or stopping to smell the flowers, being outside can both elevate spirits and provide ample distraction from the often monotonous nature of exercising.
