After all, we’re based here! But we also love our city because it’s got a ton of things going for it—one of which is Samir Becic. It’s been almost 4 years since HFR founder Samir Becic was named “Fitness Czar” for the City of Houston! What better way to celebrate the anniversary than with a series of healthy living recommendations for Houstonians?

Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed Samir with the official title on November 1st, 2018 following 16 years of Samir’s dedicated service (starting with Mayor Lee Brown in 2002) to make the city a healthier and fitter place to live. In honor of our founder and his tireless work to make the city a healthier place to live for the past 20 years (as a volunteer and 4 years as “Fitness Czar”), we’ve decided to share some of our favorite healthy Houston recommendations- to see all of our top picks, click here.

Best Houston Dog Parks

Just like us humans, dogs need exercise too. One great way to get our pets moving is by going to dog parks where they can smell, run, and play with other dogs. Here in Houston, there are many great places to take your pet to give them the joy they deserve. This allows you to not only spend quality time with them but help you get moving as well. Which is what HFR is all about!

This is why we enjoy dog parks; not only does it promote better health for both pets and humans. It also encourages more social interaction with one another. A win-win situation!

Houston, the 4th largest city in the US, has many attractions and places to enjoy. HFR has curated a list of the top 10 dog parks in the Houston area for you to enjoy with your favorite pet. We picked the dog parks with the highest ratings and good places for pets to run around and play. 

Danny Jackson Family Bark Park

One of the most highly rated dog parks in Houston has a green space section to unleash your pets. It is divided into two sections; one for large dogs and the other for small dogs. In addition, it has a pool of water so your pet can cool down on hot summer days. In addition, it has many shaded seating areas so you can sit and relax while your dog has fun. 

• 4828 1/2 Loop Central Dr, Houston, TX 77081
• Opens 5am-10pm Mon-Sun
• It is around 15 minutes from downtown

Johnny Steele Dog Park

Features include a pond, shade structures, dog washing areas, benches, and drinking fountains complete with spigots for dogs. 

• 2929 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019
• Opens 7am-8pm Mnn-Sun
• About 10 from downtown

Millie Bush Dog Park

This is a big 10+ acre dog park for your pet to run around. In addition, it has two ponds and even a washing area to get the mud of our furry friend. Some even rated the cleanliness of the public restroom as being well-maintained. 

• 16101 Westheimer Pkwy, Houston, TX 77082
• Opens 7am-7:30pm Mon-Sun 
• About 30 minutes from downtown

Congress Bill Archer Park

This dog park is about 17 acres and has 2 sections for small and big dogs. The big dog section is approximately 14 acres, while the small dog section is 3. There are shade trees and showers to clean your pet. This park has 238 parking spaces.

• 3201 Hwy 6 North, Houston, TX 77084
• Opens 7am-8:30pm Mon-Sun
• Around 25 minutes from downtown

Alexander Deussen Dog Park

It is a fully fenced dog area with sections for big and small dogs. It includes benches, water fountains, and agility courses for dogs to run around and enjoy. 

• 12303 Sonnier St, Houston, TX 77044
• Opens 8:30am-8:30pm Mon, 11:30am-8:30pm Wed, and 7am-8:30pm Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat, and Sun
• About 30 minutes from downtown

Tom Bass Regional Park & Dog Park

The dog park includes a walking trail, separate areas for large and small dogs, waste stations, and a water fountain. People enjoy spending time there with their pets and enjoying the scenery. 

• 3452 Fellows Rd Houston, TX
• Opens from 7am-9pm Mon-Sun
• About 20 minutes from downtown

Discovery Green Dog Run

After 13 years of being open, this park is a perfect spot for those who live downtown. Although not a big park, it has all the amenities, including on and off-leash sections, big and small sections, and restrooms. 

• 1500 McKinney St Houston, TX 77010
• Opens 6am-11pm Mon-Sun
• Already in downtown

Nassau Bay Dog Park

A smaller park compared to others, this is a medium-sized park known to have a quiet atmosphere so you can enjoy a peaceful time with your pet and still have fun. To ensure the safety of others, bring your pet’s rabies vaccination certificate.

• 18900 Upper Bay Rd, Houston, TX 77058
• Opens 7am-11pm
• About 35 minutes from downtown

TC Jester Dog Park

Since 2009 this dog park has been a great spot to take your pet and enjoy some time in nature. With a large and small dog section, it can be a great spot to enjoy a beautiful day. There are dog wash areas, drinking fountains, and shaded seats so you can rest. 

• 4201 T C Jester Blvd, Houston, TX 77018
• Opens 6am-8pm Mon-Sun
• About 15 minutes from downtown

Maxey Park and Run Dog Park

This dog park is excellent for bringing your kids and pets to have fun. They have a large area, even for the small dog section. There are shaded benches for you to enjoy. In addition, you will find drinking fountains for dogs and humans. 

• 601 Maxey Road, Houston, Texas 77013
• Open 6:30am-8:30pm Mon-Sat and 7am-9pm Sun
• About 16 minutes from downtown

Samir Becic and the Health Fitness Revolution team present our list of the Top 10 Fittest Rockstars. These household names were chosen to inspire everyone to lead healthier, fitter, and more balanced lives. We selected them based on their fitness levels and body types, acknowledging the diversity in heritage and cultural backgrounds. Importantly, all of them achieve their fitness naturally.

Our process involved extensive research, starting with a pool of 100 popular singers. We then narrowed it down to 50, 25, and finally 10 through a combination of interviews, internet research, library resources, industry literature, and Samir Becic’s 33 years of experience in athletics and his recognition as a four-time Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the World.

The rockers on this list may not have always led healthy lifestyles, but they do now! They serve as excellent examples of promoting a healthy lifestyle to their fans.

We considered various factors, including fitness level, nutritional habits, age, personal medical issues and how they managed them, and their involvement in promoting a healthy lifestyle. Our picks are listed in alphabetical order:

Here are the Top 10 Fittest Rockstars 2024 in alphabetical order:

Pink (Alecia Beth Moore), 44 years old

Fitness Routine: 

• A 30-minute weightlifting session targeting the shoulders and chest.

• Pink runs for 60 minutes a day and practices an hour of yoga.

• Her workouts include a mix of activities like rowing, boxing, dancing, yoga, pilates, power walking, running, and cycling. 
• Here are some staples of her routine:
• Consistency: She works out regularly, often six days a week.
• Variety: Her routine includes a mix of cardio, strength training, martial arts, and yoga.
• Intensity: She incorporates high-intensity workouts and weightlifting.
• Cardio Focus: Regular running and treadmill sessions are key components.
• Strength Training: She targets different muscle groups on different days.
• Martial Arts: She includes martial arts training for both fitness and self-defense.
• Flexibility: Yoga and stretching are integral parts of her routine.
• Rest: She ensures to have at least one rest day per week.

Nutrition:

• Focuses on whole foods and balance rather than strict diets.

• Pink enjoys a vibrant diet of vegetables, salads, grilled chicken, and salmon, complemented by superfood smoothies featuring coconut water, avocados, flaxseed oil, and blueberries.

• Grow her own fresh veggies. Cucumbers, arugula, and other green products- all of them are quite unpretentious to care for, but they bring great benefits to your digestion.

• Occasionally includes chicken and fish; practiced veganism intermittently.

• Halloumi cheese, cooked and grown foods from her home garden (figs, sunflowers, pickles)

• Starts each day with nearly 20 ounces of water; emphasizes hydration for energy and metabolism.

Mental Health Practices:

• Advocates for body positivity without obsessing over body composition.

• During the pandemic, Pink turned to meditation, healthy eating, and surrounding herself with the right people. 

• Overcame weight gain during the COVID-19 pandemic and post-surgery recovery of hip and neck with discipline and determination.

• Pink and her husband, Carey Hart, have been in couples counseling for almost their entire relationship. 

Jon Bon Jovi- Bon Jovi, 62 years old

Fitness Routine: 

• Runs 6 days a week for about an hour, even while on tour, finding it calming and refreshing.

• Incorporates weight lifting to maintain muscle tone and strength.

• Started practicing yoga a few years ago and continues to include it in his routine for physical and mental benefits.
• Values having a professional on tour who can address fitness, chiropractic needs, and nutritional guidance, highlighting a holistic approach to health maintenance.

Nutrition:

• Prefers grilled fish and low-fat Greek yogurt as staple healthy foods.

• Includes almonds, fruit, and protein bars in his diet for nutritious snacking.

• Ensures the band travels with a multi-talented professional who serves as a trainer, chiropractor, and nutritionist, providing comprehensive health support.

Mental Health Practices:

• Finds outdoor running and yoga calming and beneficial for mental clarity.

• Embraced yoga as part of his modern fitness routine, enjoying the mental and physical aspects.
• Jon Bon Jovi has been candid about his mental health struggles over the years. He has faced periods of depression and anxiety, particularly during challenging times in his career. For instance, around 2013, he felt immense pressure after guitarist Richie Sambora left the band and issues arose with their record label. This period was especially tough for him, and he credits his wife, Dorothea Hurley, for being a significant source of support.
• In the early 1990s, Jon Bon Jovi experienced a severe breakdown, feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of fame and success. He has shared that during this time, he even contemplated drastic actions due to the pain he was in. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic also impacted his mental health, adding to the challenges he faced.
• Despite these struggles, Jon Bon Jovi has worked hard to maintain his mental well-being, finding solace in his music and the support of his loved ones. His openness about these issues has been inspiring for many fans.

Chris Daughtry- Daughtry, 44 years old

Fitness Routine:

• Chris Daughtry stays active by jumping around on-stage during performances, which contributes to his overall fitness.

• He incorporates circuit training into his exercise routine, which typically involves high-intensity workouts targeting different muscle groups.

• Daughtry includes cardio exercises to improve his cardiovascular health and endurance.

Nutrition:

• Chris Daughtry lost 23 lbs by altering his lifestyle and improving his nutrition habits.

• He avoids eating late at night to manage his calorie intake effectively.

• Daughtry keeps his favorite foods like pizza out of sight to avoid temptation but allows himself to indulge occasionally in moderation.

• After indulging in cheat meals, he compensates by exercising harder to burn off the extra calories and maintain his weight.

Mental Health Practices:

• He maintains a positive mindset and disciplined approach to both fitness and nutrition.

• Chris Daughtry practices self-awareness by recognizing the consequences of his dietary choices and taking immediate action to mitigate them.
• Chris Daughtry has faced significant mental health challenges, particularly following the tragic death of his stepdaughter, Hannah Price, in 2021. Hannah struggled with mental illness, addiction, and abusive relationships, and her death was ruled a suicide. This loss, coupled with the death of his mother just a week prior, deeply affected Daughtry.
• In dealing with his grief, Daughtry has emphasized the importance of seeking help and support for mental health issues. He has found solace in music and performing, which have been therapeutic outlets for him. Daughtry has also been open about the need for mental health awareness and encourages others to seek help if they are struggling.
• His openness about these personal tragedies and his mental health journey has resonated with many fans, highlighting the importance of addressing mental health issues and seeking support.

Brandon Flowers- The Killers, 43 years old

Fitness Routine:

• Works out five times a week, focusing on cardio and weights.

• Exercises include elliptical, StairMaster, and biking to distribute impact and protect his knees.

• Prefers outdoor cardio activities like trail running and hiking in the Mojave Desert around Las Vegas.

• Credits fitness routine with boosting energy levels and enhancing his performances on stage.

Nutrition:

• Maintains a clean-living lifestyle, abstaining from alcohol, smoking, and coffee for the past seven or eight years.

• Adheres to a diet that aligns with his Mormon faith, which discourages alcohol and caffeine consumption.

• He indicates that he tries to balance indulgence with healthy choices, recognizing that moderation is key to sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

Mental Health Practices:

• Finds comfort and confidence in maintaining physical fitness as he ages, which translates into feeling more comfortable in front of the camera.

• Prioritizes family life and maintaining personal values, which he believes has enhanced his longevity as a performer.

• Values the mental clarity and sense of well-being that comes from regular exercise, particularly outdoor activities like hiking.

• Brandon Flowers’ wife’s struggles with mental health significantly impacted him and inspired the themes of The Killers’ new album.

Joan Jett- The Runaways, 65 years old

Fitness Routine:

• Joan Jett stays active by constantly being on the go, especially during demanding tour schedules.

• When home in Long Island, she enjoys biking and incorporates exercises like 50 push-ups during commercial breaks.

• Jett attributes much of her toned physique to the energetic performances she delivers on stage.

Nutrition:

• Joan Jett has been a vegetarian for over 20 years, advocating for a diet that excludes animal products.
• Joan Jett promotes vegetarianism as a sustainable and healthy dietary choice, emphasizing the benefits of plant-based eating for both personal health and environmental impact.

• She avoids smoking and drinking, and takes precautions to protect her skin from the sun’s harmful rays.

Mental Health Practices:

• Jett maintains a youthful mindset, often feeling as energetic as someone much younger.

• Despite the challenges of touring, she prioritizes staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

• Joan Jett, the iconic rock musician, has faced various health challenges throughout her career. Recently, it was revealed that she has been battling Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that can cause symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and neurological issues. 
• Despite these struggles, Joan Jett has shown incredible resilience and continues to inspire her fans with her music and determination.

Anthony Keidis- Red Hot Chili Peppers, 61

Fitness Routine:

• Surfing regularly, which he credits for keeping him active and engaged.

• Swimming in chlorine-free pools for cardiovascular fitness.

• Long jogs in the Hollywood Hills with his dog, combining physical activity with outdoor enjoyment.

• Practices acupuncture, possibly for relaxation and overall well-being.

Nutrition:

• Follows a mostly vegan diet, emphasizing plant-based foods.

• Occasionally includes sustainable fish in his diet for additional protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

• Drinks a lot of water in the morning, likely to stay hydrated and aid metabolism.
• Focuses on vitamin-infused water and wild-caught salmon, a shift towards healthier choices and sustainability.

• Eats dinner before 6 PM, possibly to promote digestion and better sleep quality.

Mental Health Practices:

• Embraces a positive attitude towards aging and defies societal norms about getting older.

• Reflects on his past hard-partying lifestyle and contrasts it with his current healthy habits.

• Anthony Kiedis, the frontman of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health. 
• He has battled with substance abuse, particularly heroin and cocaine, which he initially turned to as a way to cope with underlying mental health issues.
• Kiedis has shared that his addiction was partly driven by a desire to feel whole, but it ultimately led to significant emotional and physical tolls. Despite these challenges, he has managed to maintain sobriety since 2000. 
• His journey to recovery has been a long and difficult one, involving multiple relapses and a deep emotional impact from the loss of his bandmate, Hillel Slovak, to a heroin overdose.
• If you’re interested in learning more about his experiences, his memoir “Scar Tissue” provides a detailed account of his life and struggles. 

Lenny Kravitz, 60

Fitness Routine:

• Carries a jump rope and runs regularly to stay fit.

• Prefers outdoor activities like pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and squats over gym workouts.

• Finds running outside in nature inspiring and motivating.

Nutrition:

• Carries a Champion juicer for fresh juices, emphasizing spinach, kale, carrots, beets, and garlic for health benefits.

• Shops at organic markets or farmer’s markets for quality produce.

• Indulges in champagne, pastries, and culinary delights while in Paris, practicing moderation in indulgences.

Mental Health Practices:

• Maintains a balanced approach to alcohol consumption, never having been drunk, and knowing when to stop.

• Values self-awareness and moderation in all aspects of life, including diet and lifestyle choices.
• Lenny Kravitz has been quite open about his mental health journey. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between body, mind, and spirit. 
• Kravitz has shared that he takes breaks for recreation and self-care to support his mental well-being. 
• He also practices gratitude daily, which he believes is crucial for his mental health.
• Additionally, Kravitz has adopted a disciplined lifestyle, including a strict health regimen and celibacy, which he views as part of his spiritual commitment. This holistic approach helps him stay grounded and focused.

Adam Levine – Maroon 5, 45 years old

Fitness Routine:

• Adam Levine practices yoga regularly and has a dedicated yoga room backstage at every Maroon 5 gig.

• Formerly into traditional weight lifting, Levine switched to yoga due to dissatisfaction with neck broadening and injuries.

• Since adopting yoga seven years ago, Levine has not returned to weights or gyms, citing improvements in lower-back pain, and flexibility in hips and hamstrings.

• Levine believes yoga naturally sculpts and molds his physique, offering a more organic approach to appearance and well-being.

Nutrition:

• Before shows, Levine consumes a light meal 2-3 hours prior, emphasizing hydration with water and tea, and a small amount of protein like turkey slices and apple for energy.

• After performances, he typically enjoys a larger dinner, often choosing local cuisine from the show’s location.

• While touring, Levine maintains a disciplined diet to support his on-stage energy and physique.

• He insists on having apples with every show and enjoys occasional indulgences like In-N-Out burgers, particularly “Animal Style,” and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Mental Health Practices:

• He praises yoga for its positive impact on his mental health, highlighting its role in enhancing his overall well-being.
• Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5, has been open about his struggles with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). He was diagnosed as a child and has shared that it affected his ability to focus and complete tasks, both in school and later in his music career. 
• Levine has emphasized that ADHD isn’t a bad thing and that those who have it are not alone.
• In addition to ADHD, Levine has also spoken about the importance of mental health awareness and seeking help when needed. He has used his platform to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health challenges.

Dave Navarro- Jane’s Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers, 57

Fitness Routine:

• Dave Navarro traded his drug addiction for a gym addiction, spending significant time working out.

• Dave Navarro has shared that he traded his addiction to drugs for a dedication to fitness. He often works out intensely for up to two hours at a time. Here are some key elements of his fitness routine:
• Consistency: Navarro is known for his consistent gym visits, often being spotted by paparazzi leaving the gym.
• Intensity: He approaches his workouts with the same intensity he once applied to his destructive habits, making his fitness routine a crucial part of his daily life.
• Variety: His workouts include a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises to ensure a well-rounded fitness regimen.

Nutrition:

• Dave Navarro is obsessive about health, focusing on maintaining a nutritious diet.

• Takes a balanced approach to nutrition to support his fitness goals and overall well-being.

Mental Health Practices:

• Recognizes his addictive personality and channels it into positive outlets like fitness.Views his fitness addiction as a healthy alternative to destructive behaviors.

• Prioritizes mental health by focusing on positive habits and activities that contribute to his overall well-being.
• Dave Navarro has been very open about his struggles with mental health, including depression, PTSD, and addiction. He has shared that his mental health challenges began after the traumatic murder of his mother when he was just 15 years old. This event led to a lifelong battle with depression and substance abuse.
• Navarro has used his platform to raise awareness about mental health issues. He co-founded an art project called Duel Diagnosis with artist PADHiA, which focuses on mental health awareness through art. This collaboration has been part of his healing process and a way to help others understand and address their own mental health struggles.
• He has also been involved in various initiatives and benefits to support mental health, including MusiCares, which provides resources for music industry professionals. 
• Navarro emphasizes the importance of reaching out for help and breaking the stigma associated with mental health issues.

Gwen Stefani, 54

Fitness Routine:

• Gwen Stefani emphasizes staying consistent with her fitness routine, which includes activities like playing tennis with her partner, Blake Shelton, and going to the gym.

• Engages in exercises like squats, lunges, and light weights to maintain her fitness and make her body feel good.

• Doesn’t overexert herself and focuses on doing enough exercise to feel healthy and energized.

Nutrition: 

• Maintains a healthy diet by eating clean foods, which supports her active lifestyle and overall well-being.

• She starts her day with a decaf English Breakfast tea with vanilla soy milk.

• Sleep, water, and nutrients can not be overlooked as we age, they are vital for healthy and youthful-looking skin.

Mental Health Practices: 

• Learns organizational skills from parenting, managing a busy life, and balancing work with personal responsibilities.

• Gwen Stefani has been open about her mental health struggles and how she copes with them. She has shared that making music is a significant therapeutic outlet for her, helping her process emotions and maintain her mental well-being. 
• Stefani has also emphasized the importance of being kind to herself, acknowledging that she has had to learn to forgive herself and treat herself with more compassion over the years.
• Exercise is another key component of her mental health routine. While she doesn’t work out every day, she finds that physical activity greatly improves her mood and overall mental state. 
• Additionally, Stefani highlights the importance of balance in life, including prayer, exercise, and spending quality time with loved ones.
• Her journey with mental health also involves finding purpose and staying focused on what truly matters to her, such as her family and creative pursuits.

Samir Becic and his Health Fitness Revolution team is bringing you the list of Top U.S. Hiking destinations to visit. Hiking is a great way to be active while on vacation; if you’re privileged  enough to live nearby, take advantage of these beautiful trails.  The beauty of hiking is that it is much more varied than many other types of exercise, especially those done in a gym. Not only can your workout be different each time, depending on the trail you take, but the landscape will also change, if only from the seasons.

Hiking outdoors can help you to maintain your motivation for exercise by making it more interesting. Hiking can also be as social as you like, take your partner, your friends, your children, your dog- everyone can benefit from a trek outdoors.  Here are our favorite U.S. Hiking destinations:

Grand Canyon- Arizona

 Elevation: Lowest 6,820ft (2,078m), Highest 7,020ft (2,139m)

Variation: 200ft (61m)

Distance: 13 miles (21km)

Climate:

Spring: 42F / 82F   5C / 27C

Sumer: 63F / 106F   17C / 41C

Fall: 58F / 103F   14C / 39C

Winter: 36F / 68F   2C / 20C

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Rocky Mountains- Colorado

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Elevation: Lowest 7,500ft (2286m), Highest 12,000ft (3657m)

Variation: 4,500ft (1371m)

Distance: 300 miles (482km)

Climate:

Spring: 17F / 62F   -8C / 16C

Sumer: 41F / 77F   5C / 25C

Fall: 23F / 70F   -5 / 21C

Winter: 16F / 41F   -8 / 5C

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Great Smoky Mountains- Tennessee and North Carolina

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Elevation: Lowest 5,046ft (1,538m), Highest 8,046ft (2,452m)

Variation: 3,000ft (914m)

Distance: 5 miles (8km)

Climate:

Spring: 24F / 57F   -4C / 13C

Summer: 49F / 64F   9C / 17C

Fall: 28F / 60F   -2C / 15C

Winter: 18F / 37F   -7C / 2C

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Arches National Park- Utah

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Elevation: Lowest 4,085ft (1,245m), Highest 5,653ft (1,723m)

Variation: 1,568ft (477m)

Distance: 4 miles (6km)

Climate:

Spring: 35F / 82F   1C / 27C

Summer: 60F / 100F   15C / 37C

Fall: 30F / 88F   -1C / 31C

Winter: 22F / 52F   -5C / 5C

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Yosemite National Park- California

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Elevation: Lowest 2,000ft (609m), Highest 13,000ft (3,962m)

Variation: 11,000ft (3,352m)

Distance: 8 miles (12km)

Climate:

Spring: 34F / 72F   0C / 22C

Summer: 51F / 89F   10C / 31C

Fall: 33F / 82F   0C / 27C

Winter: 28F / 52F   -2C / 11C

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Appalachian Trail- East Coast

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Elevation: Lowest 124ft (37m), Highest 6,643ft (2,024m)

Variation: 6,519ft (1,986m)

Distance: 2,184 mile (3,514km)

Climate:

Spring: 29F / 68F   -1C / 20C

Summer: 54F / 77F   12C / 25C

Fall: 30F / 71F   -1C / 21C

Winter: 19F / 44F   -7C / 6C

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park- Hawaii

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Elevation: Lowest 9,680ft (2,950m), Highest 13,680 feet (4,169m)

Variation: 4000ft (1,219m)

Distance: 150 miles (241km)

Climate:

Spring: 50F / 68F   10C / 20C

Summer: 53F / 72F   11C / 22C

Fall: 53F / 68F   11C / 20C

Winter: 49F / 67F   9C / 19C

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Glacier National Park- Montana

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Elevation: Lowest 3,150ft (960m), Highest 10,466ft (3,190m)

Variation: 7,316ft (2,229m)

Distance: 700 miles (1,126m)

Climate:

Spring: 22F / 64F   -5C / 17C

Summer: 43F / 79F   6C / 26C

Fall: 24F / 66F   -4C / 18C

Winter: 14F / 34F   -10C / 1C

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Denali National Park- Alaska

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Elevation: Lowest 1,750ft (533m), Highest 3,980ft (1,213m)

Variation: 2,230ft (679m)

Distance: 600 miles (965km)

Climate:

Spring: 1F / 53F   -17C / 11C

Summer: 39F / 64F   4C /17C

Fall: 1F / 50F   -17C / 10C

Winter: -8F / 15F   -22C / -9C

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Columbia River Gorge- Oregon and Washington

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Elevation: Lowest 130ft (39m), Highest 4,960ft (1,511m)

Variation: 4,830ft (1,472m)

Distance: 80 miles (128km)

Climate:

Spring: 34F / 73F   1C / 22C

Summer: 53F / 89F   11C / 31C

Fall: 33F / 81F   0C / 21C

Winter: 29F / 49F   -1C / 9C

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Zion National Park- Utah

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Elevation: Lowest 3,666ft (1,117ft), Highest 8,726ft (2,659ft)

Variation: 5,060ft (1,542m)

Distance: 229 miles (364km)

Climate:

Spring: 36F / 83F   2C / 28C

Summer: 60F / 100F   15C / 37C

Fall: 37F / 91F   2C / 32C

Winter: 29F / 52F   -1C / 11C

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When we’re tired and stressed, a cold or the flu has its best chance of bringing us down. That said, just because this happens during seasonal shifts doesn’t mean we are doomed to get sick. No! There are actually plenty of ways to protect our immune systems from that crummy cold and flu this season. One of our favorite ways to remain extra healthy this Fall and Winter is to maintain a regular movement practice with yoga! 

What is particularly wonderful about a yoga practice is that it can be done pretty much anywhere. You can practice either at a local studio, a neighborhood gym, or in your own home. It doesn’t require much equipment at all; just you, your body, and your breath. Plus, the best part is you can stay in cozy clothes while you practice! What can be better than that when it’s cold and dreary outside, right? Here are our 10 favorite yoga poses that will help to improve your rest, boost your immune system and keep you healthy this cold and flu season:

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Let’s start with the basics. Child’s Pose is a definite “go-to” pose during cooler temps and stressful days. This simple resting pose eases us into a gentle practice that offers soft compression of the front of your hips, helps to lengthen your spine, decompresses your lower back, and enhances a deep connection with your surroundings. The act of resting your brow bone (Third Eye chakra) on the floor or a yoga block helps elicit a natural sense of grounding and allows us to become more present with our surroundings. We can also bring a pillow or bolster between our knees and under our belly for extra support. We love this pose because it offers us the opportunity to slow down and take stock of what we need in our lives.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Cobra (Bhujangasana) is another basic yoga pose. It helps invigorate the back muscles, lengthens the spine, and brings some gentle heat into the body. What could be better in colder weather than a little extra warmth, right? This pose also improves flexibility and posture, alleviates chest congestion, reduces inflammation, and decreases depressive symptoms all while increasing our self-esteem, and toning our arms, back and glutes. How to do it: start by lying on your belly with your palms pressing into the floor. Point your elbows toward your heels and hug them to your ribs. When you inhale, press downward with your feet, thighs, stomach, and hands while lifting your ribs, upper chest, and head upwards. (You can stay lifted and continue breathing to intensify the benefits or come back down to the floor on your exhale if you’re new to the pose.) Practice this for 8-10 rounds of breath before moving on. Can you feel your chest open and breathe with ease? Maybe you feel a little taller? Whatever you may feel, we definitely recommend this pose as a staple pose this season.

Half Frog Pose (Ardha Mandukasana)

Need more time in bed? Perhaps you feel a little sluggish today? If so, we recommend the restorative variation of Half Frog Pose. This deeply relaxing variation is another prone pose (lying on your stomach) and comes quite naturally to belly sleepers. To practice this pose, begin by lying on your stomach with your hands under your forehead. Extend one leg straight while bringing the opposite thigh in line with your hips, bent 90 degrees at your knee. That’s it! For a stronger inner thigh stretch, place a folded blanket under your bent knee for gentle elevation. Restorative yoga classes highlight this pose often because it improves hip mobility, releases tension in the back, invites a sense of well-being, and eases stiff muscles. It also can be therapeutic for symptoms related to poor digestion, high blood pressure, insomnia, some cancer treatments, and stored emotional trauma. Overall, the Half Frog pose is a relaxing way to calm our busy minds and improve our health.

Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Are you looking for an easy pose that isn’t too strenuous? Then look no further than Sphinx Pose. Similar to Cobra Pose, this pose is done while lying on your belly on the floor. Simultaneously, we press both our forearms and hands into the mat while lifting our heads, shoulders, and chest up toward the sky. This passive backbend gently lengthens your spine, invigorates the Heart chakra, and strengthens your entire back. It also stretches the front of your hips by targeting the psoas muscles, gently tones the glutes, elevates our moods, and fires up the digestive system. Plus, it helps improve menstrual cramps and irregularities for ladies. So, as the weather continues to turn colder, this is another “go-to” pose in those moments when we need a gentle reminder to take care of ourselves. 

Easy Pose with Mindful Breathwork (Sukhasana & Sama Vrtti Pranayama)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or run down and need a few extra minutes to yourself, then try practicing Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with some deep, even-paced breathing. Sukha – meaning ‘of ease’ and Asana – meaning ‘posture,’ is a seated pose with one leg crossed in front of the other. (Remember sitting on the floor as a kid? Yeah… just like that.) This basic yoga pose helps us to feel grounded in our environment and encourages us to sit tall and breathe deeply. It also helps decrease stress, improves lung function, reduces blood pressure, enhances cognition and awareness, and improves sleep quality. All of which help to keep our immune systems in balance. Plus, if you can’t sit on the floor for very long, you can do this pose while seated on a cushion or bolster with your back against a wall, in a chair, or supported on pillows right before bed. 

Seated Twist Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Moving on to another seated posture, Seated Twist Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) serves as a rejuvenating and mild strengthening pose. It helps to bring our attention to the trunk of the body (the core) while offering a gentle massage to our vital organs. In yoga theory, practicing twists help to “wring out” stagnant energy, fire up our digestion, and encourage detoxification of the systems that keep us feeling vital. To come into the pose, sit with one leg resting on the floor, bent at the knee with the foot pulled in close to your bum. Cross the opposite leg over the bottom leg and plant the sole of that foot on the floor. Next, twist through your torso in the same direction as the leg on top. Use your hands to anchor yourself into the twist while keeping your spine lifting up. (FYI, this pose can be practiced with your bottom leg extended or instead of bent at the knee.) Maintain steady breathing while settling into the twist. Stay for 8-10 rounds of slow, easy breaths. P.S. you can deepen the pose by looking away from your knees and over the shoulder in the direction you are twisting. 

Supported Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrrta Janu Sirsasana)

We get it… This is a mouthful and sounds crazy, but we promise you can do it! Supported Revolved Head-to-Knee pose is our final seated yoga pose that utilizes several yoga props to support you the whole time. When practiced it lengthens and strengthens the lateral body, which runs down the sides of the body as compared to the front and back. It stimulates our internal organs, especially the kidneys and our liver; both of which tend to ‘feel sluggish’ in colder weather. Plus, this pose also aids in overall digestion and gently stimulates the lymphatic pools in our armpits and inner groin. In this pose, these systems are cleared of stagnant materials, thereby enhancing our whole-body immunity. Want to give it a try? Come to a seated position on the folded ‘edge’ of a blanket. Pull one heel in towards your groin while extending the opposite leg out to the side. Place a yoga block next to your straight leg. On an inhale, raise both arms overhead. On the exhale, lean over toward your extended leg and rest your closest elbow on the block. Here you can support your head in your hand. The other arm continues to reach overhead toward your extended foot. You can either flow with your breath or stay in the pose for a minute or two. Come back to the center slowly and repeat on the other side.

Legs up the Wall Pose (Viparita Kirani)

Truthfully, this is one of our all-time favorite poses! All you need is a wall and a firm pillow or thick blanket. Start by sitting on the floor facing the wall, then lie all the way back. Next, ‘scooch’ your hips close to the wall and place them on the pillow or blanket. Once situated, place your arms out to either side in a natural position and straighten your legs up the wall. When we have our hips elevated above our hearts, it brings the body into a gently inverted position,  which regulates blood flow and moves metabolic waste materials out of the areas of the body that are typically forgotten. Legs Up the Wall pose is incredibly restorative to our metabolism and immune system because it essentially flushes our system and stretches overworked muscles. We think this pose is a “must” to practice throughout Fall and Winter.

Reclined Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

As we near the end of our list, you may see we are once again back on the floor. The poses listed above are meant to be nourishing, rejuvenating, and restorative for our immune system. Therefore, when we keep our yoga practice low and slow, we give our bodies the time they need to feel replenished. That brings us to our next pose, Reclined Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana). This pose is done lying on our backs and can incorporate pillows or blocks if desired. Once on the floor, pull one knee to the chest and twist it across the opposite side. (Those extra blocks or pillows can support that leg if there is any tension in the hips or low back.) After settling into the twist, we let gravity assist our shoulders to ease into the floor. Finally, spread the arms out and slowly look the other way to experience the full twist. This pose acts as a mild cleanse for our overall digestive system and many metabolic pathways throughout the body. As mentioned above, when in a twist, we gently compress the vital organs; allowing freshly oxygenated blood to circulate in the body after releasing the twist. By keeping our systems refreshed this season, we better prepare ourselves to fight off those nasty cold and flu symptoms. 

Supported Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Finally, we made it to our last pose, which also happens to be our favorite! Many of you may know that Corpse Pose (Savasana) is the pose typically practiced at the end of most yoga classes. It looks very much like one would expect; lying on our backs with our arms and legs outstretched like a corpse. (Pillows and blankets can also be used to support our heads and under our knees to deepen the sense of relaxation.) That said, even though we may look like a corpse, we are far from that ‘final rest’ in this pose! Supported Corpse Pose allows the body the time needed to integrate all of the benefits from the previous poses. And although it is incredibly restful, falling asleep is not the ultimate goal here. Instead, this is the time when the mind strives to calm and quiet as a means of tapping into our higher sense of consciousness. If practiced regularly, this pose can also serve as a direct channel to a stronger connection with the world around us. When we can achieve that, we experience improved health, a clear mind, and a more present spirit. 

Just a Note

These poses can be practiced individually or as an entire sequence. Whichever you choose, just know these poses will help to keep you feeling replenished as the seasons’ shift. And if you do start to feel a little run-down, these poses can help bring you back into balance. 

Stay well and happy practicing!

Wall-E

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“I don’t want to survive. I want to live.”
This quote from the movie Wall-E highlights a powerful message about the importance of leading a fulfilling life. In the film, humans are depicted as being addicted to their screens, leading sedentary and isolated lives that are harmful to their health. Unfortunately, this is a reality that many of us can relate to, with our environment often discouraging healthy habits and promoting inactivity, which can lead to obesity. Wall-E serves as a warning of the dangers of neglecting our physical and mental well-being to such an extreme extent. To combat this, the Canadian Paediatric Society recommends limiting screen time and encouraging alternative activities such as outdoor play, crafting, and shared reading. By taking a conscious and proactive approach to our health, we can create a sustainable future for ourselves and generations to come.

Inside Out

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“There’s always a way to turn things around.”

This quote really embodies the transformative power of resilience and hope. This lesson is beautifully illustrated in the movie Inside Out, where Riley learns to embrace her emotions, including sadness, and becomes stronger with the support and understanding of her parents. When emotions become overwhelming, they can feel like a force beyond our control. However, Inside Out teaches us that acknowledging and working through our emotions can help us address our mental health and find peace. Suppressing emotions can have negative effects on both our mental and physical health. Research shows that patients who express their emotions have higher rates of recovery from health conditions. Whether it’s confiding in loved ones or seeking professional help, talking about our emotions can help us process difficult experiences and come out stronger on the other side. By embracing our emotions, we can find a way to turn things around and move forward with renewed strength and resilience.

Mulan

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“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”
This quote captures the essence of Mulan’s inspiring journey. At the heart of the movie is a strong and courageous woman who defies societal norms and rises above her challenges. Mulan’s bravery and determination in the face of adversity serve as a powerful reminder that we too can overcome obstacles and achieve our dreams. It may not be on the same scale as saving a country from invading forces, but pursuing one’s goals and aspirations requires a similar level of resilience and perseverance. By facing our challenges head-on, we can develop the strength and tenacity needed to thrive and grow. Whether it’s conquering a personal fear or pursuing a lifelong dream, the process of overcoming adversity can be transformative, helping us become the best versions of ourselves. So take a chance and embrace the journey, for like the flower that blooms in adversity, the rewards of perseverance and resilience can be rare and beautiful.

A Bug’s Life

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“You might not feel like you can do much now. but that’s just because you’re not a tree yet. You just have to give yourself some time. You’re still a seed.”
A Bug’s Life is an inspiring tale of unlikely heroes who band together to achieve their goals, despite their small stature and lowly status in the food chain. The movie challenges the notion that we are set in our destinies, and instead presents the idea that through hard work and determination, we can transform ourselves and achieve great things. Like the hard-working ants in the movie, we too can continue to trudge forward, tapping into our unique strengths and abilities to make progress towards our goals. Although progress may be slow and success may not be immediate, A Bug’s Life reminds us that the fruits of our labor will eventually become evident. This message is a powerful reminder that with perseverance and a willingness to embrace change and growth, we can achieve our dreams and become the best versions of ourselves.

Soul

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In the movie Soul, Joe Gardner and 22 showcase two very different approaches to life. While Joe is fixated on achieving his goals and fulfilling his dreams, 22 takes a more leisurely approach, savoring the simple pleasures of life and finding joy in the mundane. Despite their differences, both characters teach us a valuable lesson about mindfulness and living in the present moment. By taking a moment to appreciate the journey and finding joy in the small things, we can cultivate a greater sense of gratitude and fulfillment in our lives. One way to practice mindfulness is through meditation, a practice that has been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, and promote overall well-being. If you’re new to meditation, there are many easy ways to get started, such as guided meditations, breathing exercises, and body scans. By incorporating mindfulness and meditation into our daily routines, we can learn to appreciate the present moment and cultivate a greater sense of inner peace and contentment. So, take a page out of 22’s book and enjoy the journey, one step at a time. And if you’re interested in learning more about meditation, be sure to check out our article on 5 easy ways to get started.

Up

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“Adventure is out there”

This quote from the movie Up encapsulates the spirit of living life to the fullest and chasing our dreams, no matter our age. In the movie, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen embarks on a journey to fulfill his lifelong dream, forging invaluable friendships along the way. Carl’s journey is a reminder that there are countless adventures waiting for us, and it’s never too late to pursue our dreams or make positive changes in our lives. A 2012 health study showed that exercise and social interaction are crucial for healthy aging, and like Carl, we too can defy our age and sedentary lifestyle to embark on new adventures. Stepping outside our comfort zones and leaving unhealthy habits behind is the first step in taking control of our lives. It’s never too late to take that first step out the door and create new experiences. By embracing new challenges and pursuing our passions, we can infuse our lives with a sense of purpose and adventure that can keep us young at heart. So, let’s heed the call of adventure and set out on a journey of self-discovery and fulfillment. Adventure truly is out there, waiting for us to discover it.

High School Musical

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“There’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reach.”
Is a powerful reminder that we are capable of achieving anything we set our minds to. The characters Troy and Gabriella demonstrate that with hard work, dedication, and a supportive community, we can surprise ourselves and accomplish great things. The movie also highlights the importance of time management, showing that we can balance our extracurricular activities and social lives with our academic pursuits. It’s essential to surround ourselves with friends who uplift and encourage us, rather than bring us down. By putting in the time and effort, we can achieve our dreams, no matter how big or small they may be.

If you’ve been putting off exercising or living a healthier lifestyle, now is the time to get your head in the game and make the time for self-care. Prioritizing our physical and mental health can give us the energy and motivation needed to pursue our dreams and live our best lives. Whether it’s hitting the gym, going for a run, or practicing mindfulness, taking care of ourselves allows us to reach for the stars and achieve our full potential. So, let’s take a cue from High School Musical and believe in ourselves, surround ourselves with supportive friends, and make time for our health and well-being. With dedication and perseverance, there’s no limit to what we can achieve.

Monsters University

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“Don’t worry about anyone else. Just go out there, and show ’em what Mike Wazowski can do.”
This quote is a powerful reminder that we should focus on our own strengths and abilities rather than comparing ourselves to others. Mike and Sullivan’s unconventional approach to becoming scarers highlights the importance of leveraging our unique talents and skills to achieve our goals.

A healthy lifestyle is also about finding what works for us individually, rather than adhering to a one-size-fits-all approach. Eating five dozen eggs like Gaston or going to the gym every day may not be feasible or enjoyable for everyone. At Health Fitness Revolution, we provide research-backed articles on various ways to improve personal fitness, offering a range of options to fit different lifestyles and preferences.

Instead of worrying about what others are doing, we should focus on finding healthy choices that work for us and align with our personal goals. Whether it’s practicing yoga, taking a walk, or trying a new healthy recipe, there are countless ways to improve our health and well-being. By finding lifestyle improvements that fit our unique needs and desires, we can take control of our lives and achieve our full potential. So let’s take inspiration from Mike Wazowski and embrace our strengths, focusing on our own journey towards health and happiness.

Lady and the Tramp

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“There is a great big hunk of world down there with no fence around it”
This is a reminder of the vast opportunities available to us in the world. The movie’s protagonist, Lady, learns to love a whole new side of the world she never experienced, highlighting the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing new experiences.

Fear of the unknown can often hold us back from enjoying everything the world has to offer, but as Lady discovers, people can be more welcoming than we expect. Whether it’s joining a new gym, participating in intramural sports, or trying a new healthy food, we should embrace new opportunities and not be afraid to try new things. We truly never know how we feel until we try it.

For example, while eating insects may seem foreign to the Western palate, over 2 billion people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America relish insects as a nutritious and sustainable source of protein. Rather than jumping headfirst into new experiences, we can dip our toes in until we’re comfortable enough to immerse ourselves in a healthier lifestyle.

At Health Fitness Revolution, we encourage people to explore new ways to improve personal fitness and well-being. Whether it’s trying a new workout routine, cooking a healthy meal at home, or finding a new hobby, there’s a great big hunk of world out there with no fence around it. So let’s step out of our comfort zones, embrace new experiences, and take control of our lives. Who knows what kind of amazing things we might discover along the way?

Ratatouille

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“If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.”
Remy’s journey from a shunned cook to a certified French chef showed the power of his resilience. Remy proves that anyone can cook. His masterpiece, the ratatouille, made our list of 10 healthy French foods. For those aspiring home chefs, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start cooking to your heart’s content! Trial and error is the secret ingredient to good cooking.

Cooking at home has numerous benefits, from saving money to controlling the quality and nutritional content of our meals. At Health Fitness Revolution, we provide easy healthy recipes to get you started on your culinary journey towards a healthier lifestyle. By cooking with wholesome ingredients and making intentional food choices, we can fuel our bodies with the good stuff and feel our best.Check out the benefits of home cooking and easy healthy recipes to get started on cooking your way to a healthier lifestyle.

So let’s take inspiration from Remy and embrace the power of good food. Whether it’s trying a new recipe or incorporating healthy French foods into our diet, we can nourish our bodies and enjoy delicious meals that support our health and well-being.

Builds Self Esteem

Volunteering forces you outside of your comfort zone. Whether it is meeting and working with new people or mastering a new skill, volunteering forces you to grow as a person. According to University of Minnesota psychologist Mark Snyder, “people who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem, psychological well-being, and happiness.”

Reduces Stress

Modern life can leave us anxious, alienated, and overburdened. When you volunteer, you check your own problems at the door to help someone else with theirs. With increased social interaction, meaningful work, and a little exercise, your stress levels are sure to decrease.

Creates A Sense of Purpose

Philosophers aren’t the only ones looking for a sense of purpose in life. Many people struggle to define what their life is all about. “Am I giving back to the world?” “Am I spending my time selfishly?” Questions like these pester many of us. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to find a cause you identify with and believe in and helps you find the motivation to accomplish it.

Social Support

One person can make a difference and a whole community can change the world. Most volunteer organizations muster the collective effort of a whole team, fostering close connections and creating tight bonds between volunteers. Studies show that volunteering helps create a social connection that decreases depression and loneliness. It is particularly beneficial to help older people and retirees maintain a social network later in life.

Cardiovascular Health

A Carnegie Melon study published by the American Psychological Association identified a tentative link between volunteerism and decreased risk of hypertension among adults 50 years or older. The study found that older adults who had volunteered at least 200 hours over the course of a year were less likely to develop hypertension than people who didn’t volunteer. While the study couldn’t identify the link, it suggests higher levels of physical activity and better mental health as possible explanations.

Lower Mortality Rates

Improved cardiovascular health is just one of the proven benefits of volunteering, even decreased mortality rates! One 2005 study found that those who gave social support to others had lower mortality rates than people who don’t volunteer, accounting for other factors like class and age. A longitudinal study confirmed that providing support to others led to a lower rate of mortality five years down the road.

Promotes Travel

Volunteering strengthens your local community. Chances are you can find a great cause just down the street. But what if you want to save the whales, or provided medical assistance elsewhere? Global volunteer opportunities draw conscientious people from all over the world to help on a cause. At HFR we celebrate anything that promotes travel. Why not volunteer where you can expand your horizons and see the world while helping others? Now that’s a worthy cause.

Makes You Happy

Think of the last time you were undeniably happy. When you felt a radiating feeling of contentedness and positivity that could not be mistaken as anything else. Maybe you felt it right after a hard workout on a beautiful day, or over a home cooked meal with friends and family. What you felt is called The “happiness effect,” and researchers at the London School of Economics claim that volunteering creates the happiness effect. People were 7% more likely to say they felt “very happy” if they volunteered monthly, 12% if twice a month, and 16% if they volunteered weekly.

Teaches Caring 

When you care about others, it helps you re-evaluate how you care about yourself. Spend time in a positive environment working towards something, and you will prioritize self-care and love.

Learn New Skills 

Whether you are preparing meals at a food bank or building houses, chances are that your volunteer work will push you to learn new skills. Learning keeps your mind young and improves critical thinking. It can also help you in your career, which can give financial well-being to put your mind at ease.

Statistics on Travel:

• Students who have travelled abroad are nearly twice as likely as their home-bound peers to complete a college degree and report earning higher incomes, out-earning their peers by more than 40%.
• Workers who take time off are more productive, have higher morale and are less likely to mentally “zone out” on the job. They also report less stress and burnout.
• One-third of all leisure travelers say they have more sex while on vacation. Sex is a part of a healthy body too!
• Each US household would pay $1,000 more in taxes without the revenue generated by travel and tourism.
• Travel is an economic powerhouse, supporting more than 14.4 million jobs in the US and contributing more than $124 billion in domestic tax revenues.

Intangible Benefits of Travel:

• Expand Your Mind: Traveling allows the mind to expand and literally see the world in new and different ways. When we become accustomed to a certain way of living, our minds tend become closed to many of life’s possibilities.
• Become More Flexible: No matter how rigid the travel plans may be, traveling always has an edge of unpredictability. For most travelers, it means that they need to allow time for spontaneity in their schedules. Traveling will force you to be more flexible, a great quality that will make life easier in the long run.

• Put Things In Perspective: When we live in one place for years on end, seeing the same sights every day can impact the way we imagine the rest of the world. That is, until we see other cities or countries first hand. As humans, we naturally compare ourselves to others, but when we discover cultures and lifestyles that aren’t our own, we get a chance to break free of that habit and appreciate how other’s lives are different than our own. Putting things in perspective greatly helps in reducing any stress or depression that may be lingering in the body.
• Try New Healthy Foods: Traveling offers us the opportunity to leave our comfort zones and try local foods. This means that our body might be getting different nutrients that we are used to – adding an aspect of health to our travels!
• Be More Active: Most traveling either has an element of sightseeing, walking, hiking, or water sports. This means that you can be active while still immersing yourself in a new place. Read our article about bike tours instead of bus tours here.
• Build Team Synergy: Traveling with another person, or even a group, brings everyone closer together by sharing new experiences simultaneously.
• Learn Patience: There are often language barriers and culture shocks when traveling. We can all learn a lesson in taking a deep breath, and not sweating the small stuff.

Have safe and fun travels!  It’s a vital part of staying healthy!

•  Make your bed. This is a small ritual that can help create a calm environment for you in your bedroom — and a soothing bedroom is part of “sleep hygiene” — little habits that can help you sleep better. If you make it first thing in the morning, then you’ve got one less thing to worry about for the rest of the day.
• Pack a snack. Before you head out the door in the morning, prep a healthy snack to take with you. Ideas include fruit, unsalted nuts, and low-fat cheese or yogurt. When you get hungry later in the afternoon, you’ll be ready!

• Clear your desk. From stray papers to scattered coffee mugs, clutter can make you lose focus and curb productivity. Declutter your outer environment and you may feel more organized and better able to concentrate on the task at hand. It will lower stress and make your day more enjoyable.

• Pump up the music. Several studies have found that listening to music can help lower, reduce stress, and boost mood. We wrote an article about how healthy music is here. The right music has the power to change your attitude. So load up your MP3 player and create a playlist that will make you smile — whether you’re working or working out. As long as you don’t blast it (bad for your hearing), this is a safe, healthy way to make your day more enjoyable.

• Sniff a lemon. For a quick de-stressing trick, turn to an underrated sense – your sense of smell. Japanese researchers found that linalool; a substance found in lemons, may turn down the classic “flight-or-fight” stress response. If you don’t like lemon, try basil, juniper, or lavender — those scents have also been found to lower stress.

• Stretch. No need to do a whole yoga class (although if you have the time, it’s a great idea!) Just a few easy moves will do. Stretch your arms overhead. Raise and lower your shoulders a couple of times. Stretch your legs as you lean your torso against a wall. Be gentle, so you don’t overdo it. Stretching can help improve your circulation and flexibility, and may help ease the tight muscles that come with stress.

• Meditate. It’s easier than you may think. Here’s how: Settle into a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor. Then follow your breath – in, out – for a few minutes. The thoughts are bound to come up in your mind, just let them float by and turn your attention back to your breath. Meditating daily, even just for a few minutes, may  help tame stress.

• Be Grateful. Take a minute every day to write down what you’re thankful for – big or small. It’s easy to vent about weather, traffic, or job woes, but complaining brings negative energy along with it. Being thankful for what you have can make you appreciate all the positives in your life.

• Turn off your electronics. Take a little break, already, from all your gadgets. Staring at computer screens and electronics all day long can zap your energy and encourage inactivity. So log off of everything every so often. This is especially important to allow you to unwind and relax before bed. Just because the world is on, 24-7, you don’t have to be!

• Prioritize. Give yourself permission to admit that you can’t do everything, all at once. Instead, you can nibble away at your to-do list, and feel more satisfied, by setting some priorities. So make a list, figure out what really matters, what can wait, and what you can skip. Work your way down the list, handling your top priorities first. Bit by bit, you’ll get there! Here is an article we wrote about letting go of stress and being more productive.

Click to read more of our TOP 10 Articles

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Here are Samir Becic’s and Health Fitness Revolution‘s Top 10 Snacks for Roadtrips:

• Grape tomatoes: Miniature tomatoes, when ripe, make a delicious snack. This is a no-mess, grab-and-go treat, and one you can reach your hand in the bag for over and over.

• Summer berries: Throw together blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any mix of berries in a plastic container- chock full of antioxidants and nutrients, this is a healthy snack for everyone.

• Plain popcorn: Whether you buy a bag of naked popcorn or air-pop your own kernels at home, plain, unbuttered popcorn is an easy grab snack that’s a lot lighter with less calories than chips!

• Top some greek yogurt with some crushed cereal or granola. This will give you a solid dose of calcium, and although a little more challenging to eat in the car, you can make it work by placing the yogurt in your cup holder.

• Cheese and crackers: Decorate some whole wheat crackers with your favorite low-fat cheese, and portion them out in plastic bags for easy access. You can use string cheese and snack on it by itself too!

• Mini pita snackwiches. Hummus is full of protein and can help keep your hunger at bay until you reach your destination. Put some into mini pitas pockets with shredded carrots or sliced cucumbers for crunch. These mini hummus sandwiches make the perfect portable snack that the kids will love too!

• Homemade trail mix: It’s easy to make your own trail mix — not to mention healthier than the store-bought stuff — and it’ll help keep you full and energized on the road. Make sure to buy unsalted peanuts and dried fruit without added sugar.

• Celery sticks: Celery does double duty by filling you up while helping you stay hydrated during the long hours in the car. Add some almond butter on there for an added boost of protein.

• Kale Chips: a crunchy, healthy alternative to regular chips.  You can make your own in the over or buy some from a health food store.

• Nuts: Raw, unsalted nuts are full of fiber and protein- only one handful of nuts though because they are high in calories!

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Forget the medicine cabinet— romantic relationships can be a ticket to good health! (Thanks, sweetie.) But is Cupid’s bow a double-edged sword? We took a closer look at love and health— from long-term relationships to casual encounters, marriage to heartbreak— to see how it really affects our health.

Love isn’t all about the butterflies. There are chemical processes in the brain that affect how we feel. When we’re with a significant other, the body releases hormones, like oxytocin and dopamine, that signal feelings of trust, pleasure, and reward.

And all that happens in the brain may be good for the heart— literally. In one study, researchers found people’s blood pressure was lower when they were with a romantic partner than when they were interacting with anyone else. (Guess they weren’t fighting…). Scientists suggest blood pressure’s lower in these situations because romantic partners feel familiar and comfortable with each other. Yet, even new relationships have their advantages— researchers discovered fresh love may shield against stress. Oh, the joys of the“honeymoon” stage.

LOVE LOCKDOWN — YOUR ACTION PLAN

In most cases, love and wellness go hand-in-hand. But beware: People in unsupportive and harmful relationships are at greater risk for developing heart problems, depression, and a weaker immune system. And with any relationship comes the risk of heartbreak, which really does hurt, as scientists uncoveredneurological similarities between feelings of social rejection and physical pain.

And it may not be a good idea to get hitched too soon. When researchers looked at marriage among couples up to 26 years old, they found a link between tying the knot and a higher BMI. And, sorry gents, early marriage was also associated with an increased rate of depression in African American men and smoking in white men. Maybe their spouses were Housewives?

So here are some tips to take advantage of the potential health benefits of Cupid’s arrow, giving us another reason to thank a loved one this Valentine’s Day (and every day that follows!):

• Write a love letter. Forget texting— one study found writing love letters can reduce cholesterol. Signed, sealed, delivered— it benefits both parties!

• Grab a hand. Holding hands with a significant other can reduce stress more than holding a stranger’s (which would be weird anyway). Looks like the Beatles were onto something.

• Hug it out. Don’t forget the power of a good hug. Frequent hugging between lovers is linked to high oxytocin levels (the love hormone!) and lower blood pressure in some women.

• Get down n’ dirty. It’s no secret sex can reduce stress, so remember to fit in some quality time between the sheets to feel good in more ways than one. Read our article 10 reasons sex is good for your health and best foods to improve libido.

• Hit the gym (together). Studies suggest married pairs frequent the gym more often and are less likely to call it quits than when they go alone. So become a power couple and sweat it out together, boosting some endorphins along the way.

How does your relationship benefit your health? Tell us in the comments below!

Originally Published on The Greatist

• Snack, but put those Oreos back!  

As the night goes on and the clock turns to 1 am, when you go to your pantry to snack, skip the Oreos. It is best to snack on healthy foods, or “brain foods” to keep you going and energized. Ditch those fries and eat peanut butter or beef jerky to help improve studying skills. As cliche as it sounds, eating chocolate and candy when stressed might just make you more irritable and craving more of those unhealthy foods.

• Study and burn calories

We all know that studying on your bed or couch is not really studying but a good way to take a nap. While studying at a desk is the best and most common way, there might be a better way to study.  Standing up is a guaranteed way to help you stay awake while studying, studies show. Try getting on the treadmill and walking while studying and knock two birds out with one stone.

• All nighters are not the best

Thinking about pulling an all-nighter? Think again. With each hour that passes and you should be asleep your brain efficiency decreases. This means you’re practically studying and watching your favorite TV show on Netflix. All nighters are better for short term memory when you need it for long-term retention. Short-term memory lasts only for 30 seconds in the brain and then becomes forgotten, and when you pull all-nighters you activate the short term memory only, so it’s best to just get some sleep.

• Water is your best friend

Drink water, and lots of it! Water is highly beneficial for numerous reasons: maintaining bodily fluids, helping control calorie intake (most people are actually dehydrated and not hungry), glowing skin, regular bowel functions, and kidney function. Drinking water and studying has its benefits, research shows that water helps your brain work faster, and concentration is improved.

• Gym. Study. Sleep. Repeat.

Studies show that working out in the morning before getting your day started helps you feel more productive and stay alert while studying. Morning exercise has also been proven to improve focus and mental abilities- much like a cup of coffee. Early mornings in the gym are usually empty and if you want free reign of the machines, try going at 6 am.

• Take a break

Know your limits, and how much you can really endure. When you get to the point when you are just re-reading the same sentence 15 times, it is best to just step back and take a break. Look around, walk outside, anything that gives you a quick break without thinking. Sometimes even switching topics and coming back to it later can give you that extra kick you need to keep studying.

• Coffee can go a long way

If you plan on a long day of studying, it is best to drink your coffee in moderation. Instead of ordering a venti coffee from Starbucks and chugging it in the 30 minutes, try drinking your coffee in moderation. Just like when you eat too much candy and get a sugar crash, it is similar with coffee. Chugging that coffee in the morning will help your caffeine levels soar in the moment, but you will inevitably crash a few hours later. It is also healthier to do it this way, try drinking your coffee in slow, deliberate sips.

• Study in bright light

We all know that studying at night in the dark will never get you past one sentence! When studying in bright light, you can trick your mind and circadian rhythm into thinking that it is still daytime. Studying in poor lighting leads to cortisol levels dropping and feelings of irritability and stress.

• Chew gum

Chewing on something makes it impossible to fall asleep, which also makes you much more alert. So if you feel yourself nodding off mid-sentence, chewing gum will help you stay awake. Studies show that chewing gum while studying will help to later recall certain words, and give you an advantage. Studies also show that the chewing that you are doing gets the blood flowing exactly where it helps to improve memory.

• Warmer is actually better

Studying in a warm environment actually leads people to be more productive and generally happier. It also helps to improve mental performance and overall alertness, whereas studying in cold environments can actually lead to depression. Warm environments can diminish feelings of loneliness, and studies actually show the disease SAD follows the pattern of the winter blues when people are subjected to cold temperatures.

Fitness trackers are a popular way to keep track of your progress. Depending on the tracker, wearers can track steps, calories, distance traveled, caloric intake, and even heart rate and sleep. Some even offer GPS tracking to map your distance and pace. While fitness trackers may seem like a needless investment for those who already have an athletic incentive, fitness trackers can be the “ghost you” you’ve been looking to compete with all along!

Personal accountability – Unless the corresponding app you use with your fitness tracker encourages social media usage, the only person you’re truly competing against is yourself! Fitness trackers track your goals and your progress, psychologically encouraging you to walk more steps than you did yesterday; to run faster than you did yesterday; to sustain that peak heart rate for just a little longer for that intense interval training. Research shows that wearing a fitness trackers – even if it’s just a basic pedometer! – can increase a user’s activity levels by 30 percent!

Individually-tailored goals – Maybe you’re a season 5k runner but looking to get into the 10k and eventually half-marathon scene? Perhaps you haven’t gone for so much as a walk around the neighborhood since graduating from college. Either way, most fitness trackers have workouts, tips, and realistic goals you can set for yourself. It makes sense before running half-marathon that you can, at the very least, run a 5k and 10k. If you want to run a 5k but have been couch ridden, couch-to-5k programs to exist and in as little as 8 weeks, you can be running 3.1 miles, no problem!

All about you! – Let’s face it; there’s a lot of anxiety around hitting the gym. Whether or not you work out regularly or haven’t worked out in a while, going to the gym can be nerve-wracking for many people. “Am I doing this right? Are they watching me? Will I be laughed at?” are all questions many of us have faced one time or another. Fitness trackers, on the other hand, are a “crutch” – not in the bad, but in the sense that you can rely on them and tune into them to ensure you’re working out for you. Whether you decide to workout at home, at the park, or at the gym, the fitness tracker and where you are in your goals can serve as an excellent thing to focus on when nerves hit you.

Financial motivation – Many models of fitness trackers are retail-priced at over $100. For many, that can be steep for a little band that wraps around your wrist and displays information most athletes don’t need to know to motivate them to workout. But this is part of that psychological encouragement. If you’re dropping the cash for it, you might as well use it your advantage.

Up-to-date weight loss tool – As you’re busy trying to beat and maintain your personal records, you may not even notice the gains (or well, losses) you’re making in your weight goal. Or you may. Regardless, seeing your activity levels, noticing whether you’re in the correct heart rate zone and comparing with your weight on the scale after a few weeks can determine whether or not you’re on the right track to your desired weight.

Group dynamic – While personal motivation is ultimately a key component of physical activity, many people also enjoy the benefits of posting their activities on social media – and many fitness trackers’ apps promote linking up with other fitness trackers in your area, creating workout groups, and hosting challenges.

Incentives promote activity in the workplace – Fitness is no longer an individual hobby or habit. Workplaces are getting involved in encouraging employees adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle with many incentives. Richardson Software, for example, promised to reimburse employees the cost of their fitness tracker if they walked one million steps – and employees were taking advantage of any free time they had to walk. Oscar Insurance Company started a program where they would pay their employees $1 for each day they surpassed a goal in steps. If your company’s not on board with these incentives yet, try to pitch the idea! Having healthier employees cuts down costs for companies too!

 Variety of trackers – Since there are a variety of fitness trackers out, an inquisitive consumer can easily determine which features they want most on their tracker. GPS may not be necessary if you know the distance of the trail you normally hike; same for the heart rate feature if you have a watch and can monitor your heart rate yourself. At this point, they’re essentially customizable!

Everything you need in one – Once you’ve determined what features you need for your fitness tracker, you’re all set and ready to go. There’s no need to open an app or worry about whether or not you have enough battery to have multiple apps open; most trackers will automatically sync tracking activity via Bluetooth to your smart phone. If not that, some trackers have the option of being manually plugged into a computer via USB to upload information. A nightly charge or while plugged into a laptop can be enough to keep many trackers going throughout the day – and for a few, even the year!   

Sleep too! – Back in the day, tracking the quality of your sleep meant sleeping in a lab with wires hooked up to you to determine whether you were in REM or NREM sleep; now fitness trackers can easily determine the quality of your sleep based on your movement during sleep. Sleep is an instrumental determinate in the quality of your health and lifestyle and ensuring you get at least 3 full cycles of sleep in a night is pivotal to maintaining the energy you need throughout your day while giving your brain ample time to store and process everything that’s happened in the day prior!

I have flown three times since early March, and here are my recommendations when choosing to travel during COVID-19:

Wear. A. Mask. Firstly, most U.S airlines require all the passengers to wear a mask during the plane ride, and will actually ban a passenger for refusing to do so. Although wearing a mask should feel like second nature at this point, please keep reminding yourself to wear one. There are countless studies proving that wearing a face mask is critical in decreasing the spread of COVID-19. However, something to keep in mind is that airlines do give you the option to take off your face mask when eating or drinking. While this may be permitted, if you want to ensure safety during your trip, try to keep your mask on the entire flight. Also, there have been many studies verifying that eye coverage is vital in preventing the spread of Covid-19. According to the CDC, the most effective forms of eye protection are goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full-face respirators. You may feel like you look silly, but it is worth it!

Turn on the air ventilator: While you are sitting in an airplane, the air you breathe typically ranges from your seat to the seat five feet in front or behind you. So, by turning your personal air ventilator on you can create an air barrier around your set, resulting in increased blockage around airborne particles. 

“For airborne viruses, it is incredibly important to ventilate, since ventilation becomes your main means of control besides isolating the affected person,” Dr. Mark Gendreau said, the medical director and vice-chair of emergency medicine at Lahey Medical Center-Peabody.

Ultimately, it will be much harder to spread coronavirus within a plane if the air is filtered around you!

Try to board the plane last: Although many airlines assign seats prior to boarding, during these past few months many flights have been under full capacity, meaning that the flight attendants will allow you to sit anywhere you please. So, if possible, try to wait out the line to board. Once you are on the flight you can view which seat will give you the most isolation from the other passengers.

Sit by the window: Most airlines have implemented the policy that there must be an empty seat between you and another passenger, thankfully. Beyond this precaution, in terms of choosing a window or aisle seat, choose the window. This position seats you the furthest from other passengers sitting and walking through the aisle throughout the flight. 

Try to book a direct flight: When purchasing a flight, many of us look for the cheapest one. However, in order to reduce the risk of cont COVID-19, try to book a direct flight! Flying direct limits your interaction with other people, and other surfaces that may contain infections. It can also be very stressful to fly during COVID-19, so flying direct will limit the amount of time traveling.

Practice good hygiene when traveling! Hand sanitizer (3.4 ounces or less) and individually wrapped or larger packages (including the large tubes) of moist wipes are allowed through checkpoints in your carry-on bag. pic.twitter.com/nDlyBhjc11

— TSA (@TSA) March 5, 2020

Bring hand sanitizer: When traveling, you are bound to touch new surfaces. So, if you are not wearing gloves, definitely wash your hands often. If soap and water are not available, carry hand sanitizer in your handbag! This is an easy way to make sure your hands stay germ-free while on the plane. However, the bottom line is: try to limit touching your face during the entire travel to ensure the utmost safety.

When you arrive home…

There are important measures to take as soon as you arrive home from the airport. Firstly, take your shoes off at the door, as the bacteria on your shoes can spread throughout your home. Nextly, wash your hands; the CDC recommends that you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds in order to truly de-sanitize yourself. Also, as your clothes have touched many surfaces, immediately remove your clothing and place it in the wash, or your laundry bag. Try to take a nice long shower to cleanse your body from the whole experience. Then, once you are clean, wipe down your luggage so the germs from the surfaces do not spread throughout your home.  Continuously wash your hands and try not to touch your face! 

If you need to travel within the US, make sure you follow the guidance of local officials in the location you are departing from and the location you are traveling to. For more information about traveling within the US visit: https://t.co/5W44A5Wmi9. pic.twitter.com/6dLB4iTQgy

— CDC Travel Health (@CDCtravel) May 18, 2020

Overall, flying during the COVID pandemic can definitely put you at risk. However, as someone who has flown three separate times since early March, and has stayed healthy, taking the right precautions can truly limit your risk of obtaining COVID-19!

Firstly, there are MANY virtual pride events coming up.

Global Pride

On Saturday, June 27th, beginning at 10:30 a.m, there will be a worldwide 24 hour live stream of performances, speeches and music in support of the LGBTQ community. Hundreds of organizations, celebrities and public figures will participate in Global Pride, ensuring that the LGBTQ community receives the recognition and support they deserve. 

With 7 days to go until #GlobalPride 2020 streams to the entire world, we can today confirm the official start time of our historic global broadcast. Beginning at 5pm NZST and airing for a full 24 hours, check out this handy graphic to see when we begin airing in your timezone. pic.twitter.com/xlud98M1VE

— Global Pride 2020 (@GlobalPride2020) June 20, 2020

Can’t Cancel Pride

On Thursday, June 25th at 9 p.m  iHeartRadio and P&G are hosting a livestream relief benefit for L.G.B.T.Q. organizations. The livestream will include inspirational voices and performances from public figures such as Sia, Katy Perry and Big Freedia. Tune in and help iHeartRadio and P&G’s goal of raising 5 million dollars in support of the LGBTQ+ Community. No matter where you are, you can celebrate pride month! 

“You can be an isolated kid in the small rural town in Mississippi or you could be in Eastern Europe or you can be in a country where it’s illegal to be L.G.B.T.Q.,” she said. “All you need is an internet connection.” -Cathy Renna, the interim communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force

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Very proud to be able to lift up my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters this Pride month with @iHeartRadio’s Can’t Cancel Pride: Helping LGBTQ+ People in Need. Be sure to save the date, June 25th. #CantCancelPride

A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Jun 16, 2020 at 11:10am PDT

For a more extensive list of virtual celebrations and events click here! 

Donate to LGBTQ Organizations

One of the most effective ways to support the LGBTQ+ pride is simply to donate to organizations around the country fighting to protect and empower LGBTQ+ community. In order to increase the scale and impact of these queer organizations, we need to fund them! Especially due to COVID-19, members of the LGBTQ+ community have been disproporitantely impacted, further marginalizing them socially and economically. If you have the means, help fund LGBTQ Organizations!

Here is a list of 14 black-led organizations to donate to!

Support Queer and Trans Owned Businesses

Another very impactful way to celebrate pride month is to support queer-owned businesses and brands! This is an easy way to directly show your support for the LGBTQ+ community. Here is a list of queer businesses to promote this pride month. However, you are not limited to this list, there are thousands of businesses and brands to support! 

Educate Yourself

In order to stand in solidarity with members of the queer and trans community, you have to educate yourself! LGBTQ+ members have faced and continue to face inequality in all aspects of life including the workplace, housing, homelessness, prison systems and simply everyday tasks. On top of inequality, trans and queer people face disproportiante amounts of abuse and violence. This year alone we have already seen far too many transgender or gender non-conforming people fatally shot or killed. 

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TRANS PEOPLE NEED MORE VISIBILITY as a trans teenager i for one do not feel safe at school and these statistics show that we need to do something about the fact that transphobia is just social protocol in today’s society, people should better educated so that trans people are treated like humans and feel safe and comfortable at school, in relationships and just generally in society ~charlie

A post shared by trans rights are human rights (@transpixies) on Apr 13, 2015 at 7:49am PDT

It is SO important to stand in solidarity by educating yourself on how to effectively help create equality for queer and trans people. Remember, as an ally, we should always make it a priority to recognize discrimination and show support for members of the LGBTQ+ community!

Here are a few books on Black Trans Rights that Black LGBTQ leaders reccommend!

Check out five informative podcasts as well!

All in all, no one can tell you how to celebrate pride month, as it is up to you to determine how best you express yourself! Happy Pride Month!!

Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

• Breathing exercises – When playing chess it’s important to stay calm and focused.  Breathing exercises can lower your blood pressure and relax your mind. By calming yourself using various breathing techniques you can ensure you are well prepared and have the proper concentration to defeat your opponent.
• Foods to help your focus – There are several foods that you can eat that will help you focus on your game.  These foods will keep your mind clear and focused on the task ahead of you.  A few examples of these brain foods are whole grains, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and nuts.  Try to incorporate these foods into your meal time prior to a chess game.
• Get a good night’s sleep the night before – Proper rest is a huge component of mental clarity.  To stay on top of your game, make sure you have gotten a good night’s sleep and are fully rested.  Sleep will also help strengthen your memory which is very helpful for chess.
• Avoid alcohol for several days before – The cognitive effects of alcohol are still apparent long after your last drink.  Alcohol will affect your decision-making ability, inhibit judgements, delay response time, and leave you feeling groggy and irritable.  You should avoid alcohol consumption a few days prior to a chess game to make sure you are not mentally affected by alcohol.
• Eat lightly before you play – Food is important in fueling your mind before a game of chess.  You should steer clear of greasy, fatty foods that will leave you feeling sluggish and tired.  Instead, give your body healthy foods that are a natural energy source.  A healthy meal will give you the vitality and mind clarity you need for your game.
• Exercise regularly – If you work out – even just a little – at least 5 days a week you get deeper and better sleep each and every night. Our bodies are built to be highly active. In our modern culture we consume more calories than we burn which leaves us with too much nervous energy to get sound sleep. When you work out, you are simulating the activity our bodies should be getting regularly and are burning the calories you put in.
• Stay Hydrated – Hydration is mandatory for proper cognitive function. When you drink an adequate amount of water (around 3 litres per day), you are “lubricating” your body & mind and allowing it to function at its fullest potential. When you hydrate, you are also preventing head & body aches that could distract you while you’re trying to focus on your game.
• Foods to help you sleep – As we have already mentioned, getting proper rest before your game is necessary to play well and be able to focus on strategizing your moves. There are several foods that you can consume before bed the night before that will help you sleep deeply and feel better the next day. Some of these foods that will help you sleep are milk (especially if it’s been warmed up), cherries, bananas, and turkey.
• Confidence-building exercises – Here at Health Fitness Revolution, we believe that if you don’t believe in yourself, you will never accomplish your goals. Because of this mindset, we recommend practicing self pep-talks in the mirror before you play an important game. In the mirror, take a good look at yourself, compliment yourself, tell yourself about all of the victories you have accomplished in chess before and say out loud “you can do this”. Beyond that, all you need is a little practice and focus.
• Avoid caffeine the day of – Unless you are so addicted to your morning coffee that you need it to function, you should avoid consuming any caffeine before you play a chess game. You don’t want to feel to jittery to focus, and you definitely don’t want to experience a caffeine crash during your game. With good nutrition following the healthy lifestyle, you shouldn’t need caffeine to feel energized and your chess game will be better than ever.

Read more of our top 10 articles

Protein Patties ($4.49 for two) 

Vegetable substitutes are all the rage these days, so why not find a way to enjoy a classic burger without all of the unhealthy downsides? These protein patties are made with mainly pea protein, providing a similar texture to a typical beef patty. Each plant patty has 18 grams of protein, ensuring that you are full for hours. So if you are going to your next barbeque, or just want a new inexpensive vegan dinner idea, try these protein patties!

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It may seem far outside the ordinary, implausible, even, but plant-based #burgers have become one of the most popular food trends of the last few years. Folks are opting for meatless menus for many reasons, but one of the main motivators? #PlantBased patties have gotten really, really good—and ours are no exception! Made from a pea protein base, #TraderJoes Protein Patties offer all the juicy flavor & tender texture of traditional beef burgers, plus 18g of protein per patty. — | Vegan | Kosher Pareve | ¼-Pound Patties | | Two #Patties per Pkg. | Refrigerated Foods Section |

A post shared by Trader Joe’s (@traderjoes) on May 6, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT

Jicama Wraps ($3.99) 

The perfect substitute for the base in your next taco, sandwich, or wrap night! If you are on the lookout for a low-calorie bread alternative, look no further. Each Jicama Wraps are only fifteen calories, three grams of carbs, and one gram of sugar.

Gluten Free Cheese pizza With Cauliflower Crust ($4.99)

If you haven’t already tried Trader Joe’s cauliflower pizza, it is time that you did! Each box holds three servings, each only 250 calories. The pizza is gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it. Make sure to pick up the cauliflower pizza; it is a dietician’s favorite!

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NEW ITEM ALERT NEW Cauliflower Thins!! I can’t wait to try these new Cauliflower thins at TJ’s. They definitely remind of of @outeraislegourmet . These are perfect for making creative meals. Something about them inspires creativity. Will you be buying these on your next trip to TJ’s? Tell me in the comments. • • • • • • #traderjoes #traderjoesfinds #outerislegourmet #cauliflower #cauliflowerrecipes #cauliflowerpizza #traderjolene #traderjoeslist #traderjoeslove

A post shared by Traderjolene (@traderjolene) on May 19, 2020 at 8:24am PDT

Cauliflower Thins ($6.99)

These days cauliflower is a substitute for almost everything, but we’re not complaining. These brand new cauliflower thins are a perfect swap when looking for a low-carb sandwich or bun base. Each thin is 100 calories, five grams of fat, nine grams of protein, and three grams of carbs. Don’t pass on these!

Everything But The Bagel Dip ($3.49) 

By now you have surely seen the Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel trend, as the seasoning blend truly was all the buzz. Trader Joes has released Everything But The Bagel Smoked Salmon and a nut mix, but now we want to talk about the yogurt dip! Not only is this product delicious and perfect for a social gathering, but you can also enjoy it without worrying about overindulging. Each serving is only sixty calories, two grams of carbs, zero added sugars, and one gram of protein. 

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#TraderJoes Organic Watermelon Fruit Spread tastes just like the real, melon-y McCoy. Which is what it should taste like, given that organic #watermelon purée accounts for 60% of its recipe! It’s sweet, it’s summery, and it looks lovely spread upon a toasted slice of TJ’s French Brioche, or spooned atop a scoop of TJ’s French Vanilla Ice Cream… — | Limited | Link in Bio for Pricing & Nutrition Info |

A post shared by Trader Joe’s (@traderjoes) on May 20, 2020 at 5:41pm PDT

Watermelon Fruit Spread ($2.69)

During the summer we all crave foods that are light and refreshing. Trader Joe’s Organic Watermelon Fruit Spread is a sweet and energizing spread to add to your next picnic or gathering. Each serving is only thirty calories, eight grams of carbs, eight grams of sugar, and zero total fat. Add this spread to your next toast or sweet treat!

Gone Bananas! ($2.00)

Looking for a refreshing dessert, but do not want to risk overindulging yourself? Try Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered frozen banana slices! Bananas have many health benefits, and this treat is only 100 calories for four bites, 3.5 grams of total fat, and twelve grams of sugar. This is the perfect summertime snack if you want to treat yourself, just a little bit. 

Ube Ice Cream ($3.00)

Ice cream made from purple yams? Ube seems to be the upcoming vegetable, so why not make an ice cream flavor with it! The product is described as “sweet & nutty, with hints of coconut; some liken it to a cross between vanilla and pistachio.” With only 200 calories per serving, Ube Ice Cream is a great refreshing dessert for the summer months!

Sparkling Watermelon Juice ($3.99) 

Here at Health Fitness Revolution, we are all about staying hydrated. If you are looking for a new, reviving drink to spark up your summer, look no further! This sparkling juice is only sixty calories and contains no added sugars. Buy a box of these for your next hang out and your friends will instantly be hooked. 

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When it comes to #beverages, folks still love a fizz, but they’re ditching traditional, high-sugar sodas in favor of unsweetened (or lightly sweetened) sparkling options, like #TraderJoes Organic Sparkling #YerbaMate & Sparkling #GreenTea Beverages! SPARKLING YERBA MATE: • USDA certified organic • 60mg caffeine per 12 fl. oz. bottle • Unsweetened; zero calories per bottle • Made w/ real, organic yerba mate • Blended w/ tangy organic hibiscus & citrus flavors SPARKLING GREEN TEA: • USDA certified organic • 33mg caffeine per 12 fl. oz. bottle • Unsweetened; zero calories per bottle • Made w/ real, organic green tea concentrate • Blended w/ refreshing organic grapefruit & mint flavors

A post shared by Trader Joe’s (@traderjoes) on Mar 2, 2020 at 7:07pm PST

Sparkling Organic Yerba Mate Tea ($1.49)

Another non-alcoholic beverage to keep you healthy and hydrated this summer! Yerba mate tea holds many health benefits as it is high in antioxidants and contains no added sugars, fat, or calories. Definitely a must-try. Make sure to check out our top ten teas for good health as well!

Did we miss any all-time favorite products? Reach out to us on Instagram @hfrevolution or tag us in posts about your favorite items at Trader Joe’s! 

As difficult as this is for many of us, we often forget that young children are going through the same struggles as us. Many children have been out of school for several months, which means that they are not getting nearly as much socialization as usual. This can have long-term consequences if we do not find creative ways for children to safely socialize with individuals their own age.

Of course, no one wants their child to feel lonely and depressed, but without the ability to maintain friendships during this pandemic, children’s mental health may suffer, both in the short run and in the long run. 

In a study conducted in 2003, researchers found that psychological well-being in third through sixth graders was predicted by friendship. Friendship experiences for children this age directly influenced feelings of loneliness and depression. Thus, children must be able to make friends and interact with them regularly to help avoid these negative feelings.

Further, in 2015, researchers conducted a different study to measure the long-term impacts of childhood friendships. The researchers followed up with the same individuals over 18 years and found that having just one good childhood friend was sufficient to reduce the likelihood of psychological difficulties in adulthood. This means that it is imperative to allow and encourage your children to develop and maintain healthy friendships, but of course, this can be difficult during the current pandemic. However, the good news is that there are many ways to keep your kids happy and healthy at home during COVID-19. You can also read more about COVID-19 and kids!

Beyond just keeping your children entertained at home, here are five creative ways to ensure that your kids safely get the socialization that they need to prevent negative mental health outcomes:

Encourage your children to take socially distanced walks or bike rides with a friend

As fun as family bike rides and walks are, these activities can also be a great way for children to hang out with friends. Make sure that your child knows that they must be at least six feet away from his their friend at all times, and have your child and their friend wear a face mask as an extra precaution. 

As long as your child is at a safe distance from their friend, walking or biking is a great form of exercise and socialization that can help improve your child’s mental health during these difficult times.

Have a socially distanced picnic with another family

Take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and go for a family picnic, and invite another family with kids! Make sure to position your picnic blanket at least six feet apart from the other family and be sure not to share food. 

Although this may not feel entirely normal, it is a great way for your children to feel like they are back at school and having lunch with friends in the cafeteria. You can make it feel even more like school by packing your children’s lunch in their favorite school lunchboxes.

Help your child host a virtual slumber party

Some of the best childhood memories are late nights of movies and snacks after parents have gone to bed. Of course, it is not a good idea to have a bunch of children inside your house right now, but virtual sleepovers can be just as fun! 

Set your child up with movie snacks, a sleeping bag, and a laptop for video chatting and have their friends do the same. There are many apps, like Netflix Party, that make virtually watching a movie with friends easy! Who doesn’t love a good movie night that ends with playing Truth or Dare in a sleeping bag? This is a great way for your children to maintain friendships safely while having fun!

Participate in a virtual game night

As much as kids love video games, sometimes it’s nice to go back to the basics with a good old game night! Many games are easy to play over video chat, such as charades, Bingo, and trivia. 

Encourage your kids to set up a virtual game night with their friends or organize a family vs. family game night! This is a great way to ensure your kids get the socialization they need, and a little healthy competition is always a fun way to keep children engaged.

Get creative with sidewalk chalk

If your child is too young to understand that they have to stay at least six feet apart from friends, grab some sidewalk chalk, and designate a play area for each child. The visual will help younger children understand where they are supposed to be and give you peace of mind. 

Get creative with how your child and friend can play with each other from their designated spaces. Some ideas include encouraging them to draw with chalk inside their spaces, have a jump rope or hula hoop contest, or have a dance party!

The bottom line is that socialization and friendship are just as important for children as they are for us, but it can be difficult for children to know how to socialize safely without our help. It is important to allow your kids to have time alone with friends and help them creatively maintain childhood friendships to avoid mental health issues now and in the future.

Check out more Health Fitness Revolution articles on COVID-19 and kids.

Wine & Cheese Night – Ladies, grab your favorite bottle of wine to share with your favorite girls. Drinking a moderate consumption of wine can have many health benefits such as reduced stress, increased bone strength, and improved mental health. Pairing your wine with salami and cheese will be the icing on the cake for your girl’s night because cheese provides calcium and protein your body needs.

As tasty as cheese is, make sure you limit your consumption because it has high fat. Here are some low-calorie cheese options you can try:

• Parmesan 20 calories
• Fresh Mozzarella 70 calories
• Goat Cheese 75 calories
• Camembert 85 calories
• Swiss Cheese 100 calories

Check out our list of Perfect Wine & Cheese Pairing & Top 10 Healthiest Cheeses.

Lastly, pair your cheese with some tasty berries like Strawberries, Blackberries, or Raspberries because they contain antioxidants that prevent and control stress.

Pole & Aerial Aerobics – Pole and aerial aerobics classes are a fun and exciting way to work out your body muscles. Both pole and aerial aerobics work out your upper and lower body muscles. Serena Williams uses pole aerobics as part of her workout routine to enhance her skills on the tennis court. These classes are great to mix some fun and sweat together while hanging out with your girls.

Yoga – Tell your girls to grab their mats and come over for some nice relaxation and meditation through yoga. Yoga is a great exercise and tool to stimulate your mental health and reduce any stress that has built up. Yoga can be done with or without music, but most importantly at home with a group of your friends. What are you waiting for? Get your ladies together and try some of these yoga poses to release that stress.

Zumba – Bust out those dance moves, ladies! Hit the gym and attend a zumba class. It’s a fun and interactive way to spend time with the girls in your life while also getting a good sweat at the same time. Whether you’re a dancer or not, it’s a great way to have a few fun laughs while moving to the rhythm of the music. It’s also a great alternative to working out if you can’t hit the gym.

Spa day – It’s time to relax! Take a day off and hit the spa because you ladies deserve to be pampered! A massage, manicure, or facial with the girls can do a lot of justice and relieve you of those long stressful days. You’ll walk out feeling like a brand new woman ready to tackle the world again.

Spin Class – Get the girls together and take a spin class! But be prepared to do some work! It’s another great way to get active. Cycling works out your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core. So if you and the girls want to sweat but also work out to look great, this is the activity for you to push yourself and each other! If you would rather cycle outdoors, you can also pull out your bikes and ride on a trail in the park together to enjoy the weather.

Pilates – If you and your girls are looking for a healthy and fun activity, try taking a pilates class or at home from a tutorial! There are many health benefits and it’s a great way to work out your core and flexibility too!

Outdoor picnic/brunch – A picnic is great way to relax, breathe in some fresh air, and cook up your favorite healthy meal to share with your girls. If you do not feel like cooking, then a great restaurant with an outside patio will do the job. A picnic or brunch gathering is a great way to catch up on the latest news with your girls. While outside you can soak up some natural vitamin D from the sun, which is beneficial to healthy bones and regulation of calcium.

Craft Night – Pull out all your supplies, your creative mind, and get crafty! Whether it’s painting pottery, knitting, painting mini canvases, or making jewelry, you and the girls can enjoy a great time getting your creative juices flowing while jamming to some music and talking about the latest news or TV shows.

Romantic Dinner for 2
Cancel going out for dinner, and have a romantic dinner for two at home. Cooking a meal will be inexpensive and save you both on gas, expensive dining, and interruptions. You and your significant other can create a shared favorite dish at home. Just grab your favorite wine glasses, buy a nice table cloth, and sprinkle rose petals around. If you really want to set the mood, then purchase a battery candle (to prevent any fire accidents).

A dinner at home will strengthen a relationship by bonding and spending quality time with one another. This will help you two focus on one another by enjoying the company you each give to one another. Furthermore, make sure your dish at least includes one or more of the The Top 100 Health Foods to Have in your House.

A Moonlit Picnic in the Backyard

Is your significant other the star to your moon? Well, how about a night under the stars and a nice picnic to celebrate a romantic evening? The best part is that you can set up right in your backyard, that way you are close to home and save on gas. According to our previous article, Top 10 Health Benefits of Going on a Picnic, having a picnic can be healthy and beneficial. For instance, it will enable communication and strengthen the relationship.

However, it is at night and you want to make sure you are prepared to keep away night critters. So purchase some festive Bamboo Tiki Torches to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away, as well to have a little light while outside.

Dinner and Movie From Home

A classic dinner and a movie will never be old. However, going to the movies can be a little expensive nowadays. Also, the movies can have a few distractions. Save time and money by setting up your own movie theater at home. Purchase some tasty popcorn or a popcorn machine, that you and your loved one can share. Or, you can create your significant other’s favorite dish and begin your movie date.

A movie and dinner for two will save money, build intimacy and communication, and beat Netflix and Chill. So, bring out the finest wine, a healthy meal, and press play on The Notebook.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts can be a great stress reliever. It can create some artistic and creative bonding between the you and your significant other. You can bring painting with a twist at home, with some romantic music, a healthy dinner, and your favorite bottle of wine.

There are many health benefits for painting, such as a good way to relax and improves concentration. Also, it can build effective communication, and reveal how you and your significant other express one another artistically. To see other benefits, then read our article Top 10 Health Benefits of Painting.

Okay, enough reading, go and get creative. Be sure to have you have your canvas, acrylic paint, and paint brushes, and sip on your favorite wine at home.

•  Be there for Thick and Thin:  Tough times are an inevitable part of life.  We grow from our good and bad experiences and we all benefit greatly from those who stick by our sides when the going sometimes gets rough.  Even though tough times in a relationship are difficult to deal with, making it through these times makes a friendship stronger and deeper.  So don’t give up on your friends!

• Be Honest:  This part of being a great friend can be the toughest. People don’t always want to hear the honest truth. But that’s what a great friend does. You tells it like it is—even when it might be hard to speak the truth.  Because no matter how your friend initially reacts, they will always appreciate that you were honest with them.

• Be Encouraging:  Encouragement is one of the best things about having a great friend and being a great friend. No matter how down or stressed you feel, a great friend will remind you that you’re awesome, that you’re on the right path, and that you can do it. Great friends don’t stop encouraging you, even when you’ve completed a goal- they help you make it to the next one.

• Balance Giving and Taking:  As with any relationship,  to be a great friend, you must learn to give (your time, your truth, your love), but you must also learn to accept what’s given in return.  Focus on keeping this balancing act going, so that you both feel respected and appreciated in the friendship.

• Make an Effort:  There are times in life when you will feel like what you have going on is all consuming- but make an effort to be there for your friends, as much as you can.  If you want to be a great friend, you have to make an effort. And sometimes it’s the little things that matter most—the letters, the phone calls, the quick catch-up lunches. A great friend will put in the time to stay connected.

• Respect Differences:  While some of the best relationships are built on mutual interests, to be a great friend must be able to respect the line where the similarities end and recognize that differences don’t have to stand in the way of a good relationship. In fact, some of the best relationships can come develop with those who are quite different. The key is respect.  You don’t have to agree with them, but always respect them.

• Don’t take them for Granted:  No matter how long you’ve been friends or how solid your relationship is, know that a great friend will never, ever take that relationship for granted.  A great friend will make a point to treasure the relationship and will make it clear how much they value it.

• Don’t Judge:  judgments will only put strain on the relationship. A great friend is willing to speak the truth, but he or she holds back from adding personal judgment to those words of wisdom. Avoid comparisons, because they are a surefire way to damage a good relationship.

• Strive to focus on the Positive:  Though a great friend will be honest and truthful, they will also search for the good and focus on the positive elements of a friend’s life. No matter how negative a friend gets, it is important to redirect the focus back to the positive.  This will ultimately keep everything in perspective, long-term.

• Be a Friend to Yourself:  The relationship you have with yourself is the most important one.  To be a great friend, you must also be your own friend. The foundation of any relationship is the relationship you have with yourself—so cultivate a good relationship within and, in doing so, you will become a better friend to others. Loving and appreciating yourself sets the tone for how you will love and appreciate others so put an effort into creating both internal and external relationships.

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• Poker Night & Pool – Some of us love a good poker game or game of pool, so maybe taking a trip to the casino or the pool hall with the guys would be a good idea. Playing poker has its own health benefits believe it or not, and we have some health tips for poker players to match! Shooting some pool is also another fun and competitive way to enjoy your time together. If you’re looking to improve your pool game we have a few pointers to help!

• Basketball – Everyone loves a good game of basketball so get those jerseys and kicks on and hit the court with your team! Ball is life for some of us, and it’s a great way to sweat and get that extra cardio in! Don’t forget to check out our article on the Top 10 health benefits of basketball!

• Paintball – We all love a good game of Call of Duty, but instead of hitting the video games at home, take it to the field with your own game of paintball! Not only is it a competitive battle between teams, but it’s also another healthy and beneficial way to get active! To help you improve your paintball game strategy, we also have a few tips you might want to try out when you venture into the field with your bros!
• Shooting Range – Practice on your accuracy and precision at the shooting range! Make it a fun little competition on who can get the target first. Whether you shoot at an indoor or outdoor shooting range, it’s important to be safe as well! Wear your protective gear! You can also check out our article on the Top 10 Health Benefits of Going to a Shooting Range!

• Bowling – It’s time to see who can get the highest score and knock down the most pins with a game of bowling! It’s a great way to kick it with the boys and also very beneficial to your health. So turn on your spin hand!

• Hiking – Take a day trip and go on a hiking trail with the guys! It’s a healthy way to bring out your inner adventurer and take in nature’s beauty. Hiking a few miles will help you break a sweat while testing your manly strength and instincts. We also made a list of the Top U.S. Hiking Destinations for you to check out for your next hiking trip with the boys!

• Fishing – If you’re looking for a nice and relaxing activity to do, pick up your fishing rods and set sail to your nearest pond, river, lake, or ocean! Fishing is a great and healthy way to give yourself some time off and bond with the guys. Plus you might even catch some good fish to fry for dinner!

• Camping – Take a mini camping trip out into the wilderness with the boys. It’s a nice way to relax, enjoy the weather and scenery, and catch up on stories with one another. There are many great health benefits that come with enjoying the wilderness in the mountains.

• Ultimate Frisbee – Ultimate Frisbee is a fun field activity to play on a nice sunny day at the park. You can even bring your dogs and play catch together with man’s best friend if you want! Don’t forget to check out our article on the health benefits of playing Ultimate Frisbee!

• Football – Everyone loves a great game of football! Whether you and the bros are just passing it around, or playing flag or tackle football, it’s an overall great way to get into teams and show off your agility and muscle. Like any other sport, playing football has its own great benefits as well!

• Celebrate with your favorite exercise class: Turn your class into a party by having everyone dress up in crazy costumes to make the exercise more fun and exciting! Having a theme like an 80’s dress up party with everyone wearing legwarmers and sweatbands in spinning class will put everyone in a good mood.

• Go on a run (or bike ride) for how old you’re turning: If you’re turning 26 or under, this would be a fun and blood-pumping activity to challenge yourself with! Celebrate not only your birthday but a fitness goal you’ve been trying to reach. Even if you’re older than 26, don’t limit yourself! Hike, bike, or walk your age, you’re going to feel great afterwards!

• Write down everything you’ve been thankful for since your last birthday: Start off this new age with a positive attitude. Take time to sit down and write down everything you’re thankful for, and write down all of the things you achieved since your last birthday. Not only will you feel more positive with this fresh start, but you can improve your overall mental health.

• Indulge in mini-cupcakes as a birthday treat: You deserve dessert on your birthday, but you don’t necessarily want to run a mile just to burn off that piece of double chocolate cake. Instead, opt for some “mini-cupcakes”, which only have about 50-80 calories per cake, instead of a whole piece of cake which averages about 545 calories.

• “Treat Yo Self”: You know the famous catchphrase from Tom on Parks and Recreation; once a year you need to treat yourself! Why not have that day be your birthday? Studies show that indulging in yourself can bring many mental health benefits, like rejuvenating yourself, reducing stress, and boosting your mood. Remember that you’ve earned a day to do what makes you happy!

• Meditate: Meditating will not only bring you peace but give you the energy to get through your big day. Don’t try and reach for a sugar-filled energy drink, meditate for 10 minutes! Research shows that meditation will give you natural energy, and will help you stay awake and alert for the rest of the day.

• Have a healthy smoothie: Want a treat of ice cream but don’t want to completely ruin your diet? Mix up some greek yogurt with some frozen strawberries and bananas in a blender and create your own one of a kind ice cream smoothie!

• Go on a scavenger hunt: You don’t want to just sit around and do nothing for your birthday, right? Get up and go on a scavenger hunt! Have a friend plot points on a map for you to find the hidden treasures, and tell them they all have to be within walking distance: no driving allowed!

• Have a potluck dinner: No one wants to spend their birthday cooking all day, so make everyone else do the work! Use this day as an excuse to get together with friends and family and eat yummy and healthy foods, like chocolate-covered strawberries dipped in sprinkles!
• Do an outdoor activity: There are so many seasonal outdoor activities to do no matter what time of the year it is. Are you a fall baby? Go for a hike, or go explore a farmer’s market and pick out some new fruits and veggies for dinner. A winter baby? Go ice skating, or go walk around the neighborhood and look at everyone’s Christmas lights.

• Laughter Triggers Endorphins: Which are the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  They are known to give a sense of overall well-being and even temporarily relieve pain!  Endorphins curb anxiety, worry, fear, and stress.

• Laughter Relaxes: Laughter leaves your muscles relaxed for 45 mins afterward, leading to less stress and physical tension.

• Laughter is Good for your Heart: Laughter can help protect you from cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks by improving circulation, blood flow, and improving blood vessel function.

• Laughter Boosts Immune System: Laughter improves the body’s resistance to diseases by increasing immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies while simultaneously decreasing stress hormones.

• Laughter Lowers Blood Pressure

• Laughter gives a Workout: Have your abs ever been sore from laughing hard? That’s because every time you laugh, your abdominals and diaphragm contract- giving you a mini-workout!

• Laughing increases Learning and Memory: In a John Hopkins Medical School study, results showed that laughter during learning led to higher test scores.

• Lowers your Blood Sugar Levels: One particular study tested a group of diabetics. After a large meal, they were immediately subjected to a tedious lecture. The next day, after the same large meal, they watched a comedy- and their blood sugar levels were significantly lower on the day they laughed after their meal.

Social Activity

Horseshoes requires you to grab a few of your close friends or family to play. Celebrate with your teammate when you hear the sweet ring of metal on metal, or just chat over a little friendly competition on a nice summer day. Social engagement and activity is shown to increase quality of life and even to prolong lifespan.

Improved Coordination

Not everyone is gifted with the nimble reflexes and split-second decision-making required for more intense team sports. But even the clumsiest out there can still have a good time playing horseshoes. Calculate the pendulum-like rhythm of your arm and try to focus as much on possible on the angle and moment of your relief. With mindfulness you will see your game and coordination improve.

The Virtue of Patience

Unless you are an athletic prodigy you probably won’t be super successful at horseshoes your first few tries. Pitching takes a lot more finesse than most people imagine, and there are all kinds of little tricks you need to discover. But if you stick with it you will find your game improving, a result of patience.

Improved Cell Health

Whether you are playing on a sandy beach or a grassy backyard, horseshoes is almost always played out side. As such, you are spending time in nature and soaking up the sun, which provides the vitamin D you need for cell growth and improved immune function.

Light Cardio

Horseshoes is not going to replace your regular cardio routine. But just because it’s a leisurely game doesn’t mean it can’t get your heart pumping. It requires you to stand, walk back and forth down the court, and toss the horseshoes. Therefore, it’s the perfect leisure sport for multiple generations to play together.

Mindfulness

In order to get any good at horseshoes, you will need to learn how to focus. It’s easy to get lost in anxious thoughts and forget about the present moment, which is why games like horseshoes can actually help you live in the present. Focus intensely on the throw and your release, making tiny adjustments based on previous tosses. Doing so will improve your horseshoes game, but it will also help you stay present elsewhere in life.

Limber Up – Flexibility

Low-impact sports like horseshoes can help seniors maintain mobility as they age. You aren’t going to contort into any crazy yoga poses, but you will be bending down to pick up the horseshoe, as well as using your hips and should to release the target.

More Cheerful Mood

Exercise, sociability, and sunlight are all proven to improve mood and make you live a happy and more satisfied life. Horseshoes deliver on all of those, which is why it is a common game at many senior living communities across the country.

Relieves Stress

Exercise also produces endorphins, which are your brains pleasure neurotransmitters. Increased endorphin production reduces stress levels.

Strategic Planning

You can’t just chuck a horseshoe at the metal rod and hope for much success. To really get better, you need to practice with different grips on different sections of the shoe. Learn which weight works best for you, think critically about the game!

Enjoy the fresh air of a new city

Most bicycle paths are placed near trees and parks which provides oxygen. Being out in the sunshine also provides the body with Vitamin D, which is also called the Sunshine Vitamin.

A different point of view

The beauty of a bike tour is seeing a city from a pedestrians point of view while still being able to cover significant ground. You get to be amongst the locals and get your bearings on a city, directions, sights, smells, sounds that you would miss out on if you were in a vehicle.

Save the planet

Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as one car. It takes around five percent of the materials and energy used to make a car to build a bike, and a bike produces zero pollution. Taking into account the ‘fuel’ you put in your ‘engine’, you do the equivalent of 2,924 miles to the gallon. You have your weight ratio to thank: you’re about six times heavier than your bike, but a car is 20 times heavier than you.

More efficient than walking

You can travel around three times as fast as walking for the same amount of energy and you’re still being active!

Build your muscle tone

This type of workout will focus on the core muscles, as well as the buttocks and thighs. You can increase and decrease the level of the bike; this is similar to riding up and down a hill. While you pedal, you will work your thighs and calves.

Low impact exercise

It’s so much easier on the joints than running that it’s recommended for those suffering from arthritis and other joint ailments.

Cycling eats up calories

Cycling is a good way to lose those unwanted pounds, especially on vacation when you’re indulging! Steady cycling burns approximately 300 calories per hour. If you cycle for 30 minutes every day you would burn 11 pounds of fat in a year. Since it helps build muscle, cycling will also boost your metabolic rate long after you’ve finished your ride.

Cycling improves coordination

Cycling is an activity that involves the whole body. Therefore, arm-to-leg, feet-to-hands, and body-to-eye coordination are improved.

Cycling reduces stress

Any regular exercise can reduce stress and depression and improve well being and self-esteem. Cycling outdoors is also a good way to be one with the city and its vibe. It will keep your mood happy while you’re on vacation, and add the wonderful list of memories you’re building.

The Prophet Muhammad shared many insights into the Qur’an on how to lead a natural and healthy life, and many of these health and fitness tips are the foundation of social customs in the Islamic religion. Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

Eat in moderation

Prophet Muhammad stressed the practice of eating less to prevent sickness and diseases, which is supported by doctors today. The Islamic practice of eating in moderation suggests your stomach should be filled by ⅓ of food, ⅓ liquid, and ⅓ breath. Within the past 20 years, studies have shown that mindful eating can help you reduce overeating and binge eating, lose weight and reduce BMI, cope with eating problems, and reduce anxious thoughts about your body and food.

Eat slowly 

It was narrated that the Prophet Muhammad was a strong advocate of eating slowly to help with the digestion process. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to tell our brain that we are full. Slow eating helps digest our food because efficiently chewed food aids the digestion process and doesn’t require too much energy from the stomach or intestine.  

Participate in sports

In Islam, sports are important to gain a healthy body. Sports like archery, swimming, horseback riding are especially encouraged.  Islam encourages exercise and being in good physical shape. The Prophet said, “A strong believer is better and dearer to God than a weak believer, though in both is good.” The one who is physically stronger is better before God because they are more active and energetic in the performance of worship and taking care of the needs of others.

Sleep and Salat (prayer)

The Prophet also recommended adequate sleep. He never deprived himself of sleep nor overslept. He advised and practiced to sleep in the early part of the night and to wake up early in the morning. Science research shows that going to bed early can help maintain a healthy weight, stay more productive, and avoid serious health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases.

Salat is one of the five fundamental requirements that a Muslim is obligated to perform. According to a hadith (authentic narrations from the prophet), the Prophet has reported having said, “Verily there is a cure in salat”. There are some physical benefits in salat, such as increased movement in hand and shoulder muscles at the beginning of the salat, therefore increasing the blood flow towards the torso. The heart is one of the most important organs in our body because it supplies fresh blood to all body tissues. The movements during prayer are a good source of exercise in our heart.

Share food

Prophet Muhammad told his followers about the benefits of sharing as opposed to over-indulging in the good things in life. He said, “He is not a believer who eats to his full but his neighbor goes without food.” Prophet Muhammad encouraged sharing food with neighbors, friends and the poor. This principle of improving the public’s general health is thanks to the Prophet’s own life and ideas.

Foster a strong community 

The Prophet brought value and significance of Muslims eating together. He said it is crucial to eat food with family, romantic relations, and with children to build a better connection. People are usually relaxed when eating with company and it also builds social harmony and understanding. “Eat together and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company,” the Prophet said.

Fasting

Recent evidence has shown that the foods we eat and the times that we eat have impacted our health. The Prophet would fast not just during Ramadan, but Monday, Thursday, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every Islamic month. Intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular as it has numerous benefits to the body. Fasting helps with weight loss, improves insulin sensitivity, speeds up metabolism, curbs hunger, improves eating patterns, enhances brain function, and boosts the immune system.

Dental hygiene 

The Prophet would always brush his teeth before and after bed using a part of a fruitless yet fragrant branch called Arak. This small wooden branch is still used today as a toothbrush. Muhammad gave special attention to cleanliness and personal hygiene with respect to faith. Research shows that 70% of people with poor dental hygiene were at risk of heart diseases according to the Scottish Health Survey.

Drink water slowly

The Prophet said to not drink water in one gulp like a camel, instead take small sips. Today, science shows that when a person drinks too much water in a short period of time they can imbalance blood electrolyte levels and experience dizziness. Drink water slowly so it will help your body absorb fluids and get the most out of them.

Mental health 

The Prophet taught his followers to have a peaceful mind though acceptance in life changes. He warned them not to be engulfed with anxiety, depression, or anger. “A man said to the Prophet, ‘Give me advice.’ The Prophet said, ‘Do not get angry.’ The man asked repeatedly and the Prophet answered each time, ‘Do not get angry.’” Prophet Muhammad knew that if a person controlled his anger he or she would be able to control other aspects of life. That is why the Prophet mentioned in another hadith (authentic narrations from the prophet), “The powerful man is not the one who can wrestle, but the powerful man is the one who can control himself at the time of anger.” Anger opens the door to all bad qualities and staying away from it opens the door to all good qualities. Health studies have shown that anger can raise your chances of a stroke, puts your heart at greater risk, and weakens your immune system.

Here are the Top 5 Benefits of Engaging in Community Service:

Build Relationships/Networking– Engaging in community service can help build relationships and networking skills. For instance, it can help with meeting new people, being more social, or learning more about your community. Being active in community service could open more doors to other opportunities that you may have never imagined.

Create Work Experience– Not only will community service build relationships, but it is a great way to gain work experience, as well. This is a great tool to get youth more active and prepared for their future career by establishing professionalism and hard work within their community.

Boost Positivity– Doing something for others is a selfless act, and serving the community and connecting with others will give you a positive feeling on the inside. Community service makes you appreciate and value the hard work you put in knowing that it will make a difference in your environment. There is no greater feeling than knowing that your actions help others, as well as yourself, in a positive way.

Establish Leadership and Responsibility– It takes strong leaders to make a difference in their community. Leadership creates a platform to be a role model for those around you, and to show the importance and responsibility of taking action to serve in the community.

Increase Physical Activity– Community service makes you more active so that you can explore the environment around you.

In case you are curious about what type of community service there is to do around our neighborhood, just do some research. There is always something that can be done to keep your community thriving. Also, here are a few ideas that you can do on your own or with others:

• Park Cleanup: Take a stroll through the park while picking up trash to make sure it stays clean and healthy for families to enjoy. Also, you get some physical activity in while doing so.
• Neighborhood Clean Up: Connect with neighbors and walk around the block to pick up any trash and make sure your neighborhood is clean.
• Neighborhood Recycle Day: Recycling is a great way to keep a clean environment locally and nationally. You and a group of friends can go door to door and collect recycled items from neighbors. This will also make neighbors more conscious about recycling.
• Community Gardening: Creating a community garden can be beneficial to you and your surrounding neighbors. It will make food more accessible to those who are underprivileged and it is an inexpensive way to get produce for your kitchen.

While I agree it is comfortable and cost-efficient, consider: how do you really feel in it?

I have been observing people working out and learned even though a lot of them agree that spending money on gym clothes is unnecessary, the majority will tell you that a new pair of running shoes or a new workout outfit is motivational.

The psychology behind this is simple: workout gear – performance and technical tank tops and shirts, compression shorts and pants, moisture-wicking socks – is made to make you feel comfortable while you work out.

Think about it: cotton gets heavier as it accumulates sweat. It will also stick to your body in a less-than-pleasant way. Working out shouldn’t be like that and wearing what you wear to work out should be as comfortable as it can be.

And while cost may be a deciding factor, consider this – reward yourself every time you hit a new milestone. Completed you couch-to-5k course? You earned yourself a couple of pairs of moisture-wicking socks. Shot ten 3-pointers in a row? Have yourself a shooter sleeve. Placed first in a swim meet? Consider that performance tank top yours.

Some things do need to be prioritized when it comes to workout gear, such as running shoes or sport essentials like yoga mats or boxing gloves. Be sure to schedule those and save in advance, say 6 months on average for shoes; and know your own financial limits when it comes to sport-specific gear.

Pro-tip: the best running shoe models come out during the spring and fall. Get a jump on clearance sales for previous models around that time. Many stores will also offer summer sales, so be sure to visit or subscribe to store newsletters to know when to get the best deals.

So! Motivational workout gear!

I believe that there are two types of workout outfits that are motivational each in their own way.

I’m sure you have noticed that lately there is a lot of color in workout gear. Bright neon colors are taking over the workout world. Popular outfits range all the way from solid neon yellow to five color splash paint.

On the other hand, don’t forget that edgy, intimidating, all black look… That just makes you feel like you are ready for the Olympics. It gives you a feel of power and success. It makes you jump higher, do a couple more squats, and when running, just make sure to pass that perfect looking couple in front of you.

So now, go to your favorite store and try a couple of outfits and find out what will inspire you!

• Identify your Strengths
• Become Conscious of your Weaknesses
• Take Opportunities for Improvement
• Be Aware of Injury Prevention Methods

• Live a Balanced, Healthy Life: This is the MOST important aspect of being more productive.  By exercising regularly you will notice you have more energy, more focus, and more ambition.  Part of healthy lifestyle includes getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night, eating a nutritious diet, and being physically active.  Being healthy boosts energy levels by 60% within the first two months, which can greatly improve both career and interpersonal relationships.

• Organize Everything in One Place: Make sure all your appointments, scheduling, and deadlines are in the same place- streamlined.  This can either be a notebook agenda, your phone, or your computer calendar, as long as you make sure it’s all in one master organizing system.

• Plan your day/ Make a list: You should plan for every day, week and long term. Separate the important and not so important activities and plan to do them accordingly. Set your goals for a day and write down the list of activities to be finished in a certain amount of time.

• Prioritize: This is a big one! Next to each bullet point item put an A for a must do item of the day, a B for a should do item of the day, and a C for something that could wait if you ran out of time.

• Do not confuse business with productivity: Oftentimes the most productive people have plenty of time- because they know how to get what is important done! This is how they avoid getting overworked and overwhelmed.

• Know the difference between urgent and important: Last-minute distractions from yourself and others are not necessarily priorities, so learn how to distinguish what’s most important.

• Time Management:  experts will say that 80 percent of the importance of what we do in any given day lies in only twenty percent of the activities. This means, if you focus on accomplishing the top twenty percent of the most important tasks, you will feel more productive and satisfied at the end of the day.

• Use your natural rhythm: Observe yourself for one week and note when you have the most energy and when you start feeling natural lags in energy and motivation.  If you’re most productive in the morning, start knocking out important tasks then.  Schedule tasks that require complex thinking, creativity or interaction for your energetic hours. Fill your natural down times with easier tasks like handling paperwork or organizing your office.

• Set a timer: For thirty minutes or an hour, set a timer and focus your energy for that amount of time.  Turn off all other distractions for that period of time and just focus on the task at hand- you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish in that amount of time.  After the timer goes off, reward yourself with a well-deserved break.

• Recharge and Refresh with breaks:  A 10 to 15 minute break after a dedicated period of work can help you refresh yourself, recharge your mind and help you be more productive.  You can use this break to eat lunch, meditate, do some light reading, or find some other way to relax for a few minutes. Recharging can help invigorate you and reset your mind to work more efficiently for your next productive period.

• Don’t Procrastinate:  It’s easy to blame slow computers, distractions, stress, and an array of other factors for not getting work done.  But truly, it’s on you to not procrastinate and maintain a bright outlook in getting things done. You’ll get more done if you focus on solutions and stop wasting time making excuses.

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So I heard a conversation the other day between two people with opposite opinions on a sensitive topic… Healthcare. We have to decide in this country whether healthcare is a privilege or a right and we have to decide at what point we as individuals should assume some responsibility. This brings me to the argument I overheard. An employee was upset that they were being asked to pay $50 more a month for their share of health insurance because they  smoke. They did not think it was fair and thought it was a form of descrimination. For clarification sake, smokers are not part of the protected class covered by civil rights legislation. The other employee, who is not a smoker, made the point that smoking has been substantiated as a detriment to ones health so why shouldn’t they pay more if they “choose” to do something that is proven to greatly increase the chances for cancer and heart disease.

Other employers have gone as far as to increase rates for, or not even hire people who are overweight because we know the chances for type two diabetes are greatly increased. In fact,  CVS pharmacy just made headlines for requiring employees to get screenings and disclose information about their weight and blood glucose levels. Although it is controversial, you can argue that it makes since when your company is footing the bill for your health insurance. Type two diabetes is the leading  cause of amputations, kidney failure, heart disease and can lead to blindness and other declining health issues. With that said, it was just a matter of time before insurers  and employers would start charging overweight people a different rate for something some feel is within a person’s control to change.

Both these situations bring to light a bigger conversation that we should be having. Most all of us have some fear over what can happen to us health wise but we give no thought to what we do to ourselves to cause our health problems starting with our food. Socrates had it right when he said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” As a friend once told me, Dr. Russell  Martino,  ”We are digging our graves through our teeth.”

Changing habits is hard. I recently asked in a Facebook poll, “What is your excuse for not eating right or exercising?” The majority of people said the reason they don’t do either is because… they have type two diabetes! News flash, if you exercise and eat right, the diabetes in most cases goes away! Don’t eat right + don’t exercise + gain weight = type two. Why in the world is that so hard? Why would most people rather pop a pill or administer some insulin rather than do what your body needs and wants. No matter what medication you are taking, the impact of diabetes marches on if you do not change your diet and activity level. Those two things are free and proven to work! Somewhere along the way we have handed control of our health over to a bottle or a syringe that simply keeps you hanging on. It does not get rid of the problem and does not improve the quality of life. As cardiologist, Dr. Kota Reddy often notes, many of the patients who have suffered from heart attacks and have type two diabetes are also taking insulin, high blood pressure and cholesterol medications. Obviously it didn’t stop the disease from progressing. A simple change in diet would have been much more affective than any pill or surgery.

With these killer diseases at epidemic levels and a healthcare system that can’t afford it, we have to institute our own healthcare system called personal responsibility. Yes it is hard to not have a bread-a-licious,  super cheesy day. It just can’t be every day. I know! Them’s fighting’ words for some folks including a close friend who says, I just don’t understand. She is  losing her eyesight and is becoming immobile because of diabetes, but getting her to change her diet is a battle.  I get it. Comfort food and convenience are worthy adversaries. I just had to finally ask myself whether that mouthful (several mouthfuls actually) was worth my life. The answer is no.

At the age of 15, he made his first steps as a DJ.  Bando has been spinning in Greek major clubs such as Cavo Paradiso (Mykonos), Island, PIXI, Mikro Kiss The Future, Cash, Saint Solange and Blast Dance Club which currently is his residency home.  Throughout his career as a DJ, Bando has been a support DJ to many big names such as Martin Garrix, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Eddie Thoneick, Kryder, The Cube Guys, Fraanklyn and many more.

Here is his exclusive interview with HFR:

HFR: What was it like growing up with your father and uncle who were both professional athletes?  Well, growing up in a family where my father and uncle were both athletes has always motivated me in many ways because sports require so much sacrifice and practice to achieve goals. That notion has always been my motto, and it helped me in my love for music- whenever I thought things were hard, I always remembered what my family has achieved. On the other hand, growing up in sports created a love for athleticism in me and that’s what drives me today to stay fit and enjoy my gym sessions and football [soccer] whenever I can.

HFR: How do you stay healthy while working late hours?   Working late night hours has always been a big deal for me because it causes a lot of issues when you care about your health and body. My main goal is to avoid alcohol as much as possible! I also stay away from late night eating and always stay hydrated with lots of water.

HFR: During the day when you aren’t DJ’ing at a nightclub, what is your health routine? Every morning, when I wake up, I make a fruit smoothie to kickstart the day with energy. After my smoothie, I eat a good breakfast and then hit the gym for weights, cardio, and CrossFit, followed by rest. In the afternoon, I might go for a good swim at the beach to relax after the gym traning.

HFR: Do you have any physical activities or hobbies that you like to practice on your free time and how often do you practice them? I have always loved playing football [soccer]. When I was a young kid, I would watch my father and uncle play live and videotapes of their matches and it would inspire me. I have always had a love for the game, and even though I did not make it in professional football, I still train whenever I have the opportunity, which is about once a week. I also do CrossFit 3-4 times a week, which I love a lot because of the tension and speed and good results.

HFR: What is your healthy nutrition like? 

My healthy nutrition could be better, to be honest. Working late night hours makes me hungry at weird times and if I eat it doesn’t affect my body in a good way. Another big issue with my schedule is that I am always at venues for daytime pool parties and nighttime clubbing, which means I often have to eat out. Not to mention, eating healthy on the road is always a little bit hard. When am home, I try to eat healthy foods that include fruits, smoothies, salads and organic stuff but when on the road, that’s not always an option.

HFR: Do you get enough sleep even though you work late hours?

Sleep is always an issue with me because of my work because I like to sleep a lot and often cannot! However, when I work in a nightclub I might only sleep for 4-5 hours because I always like to wake up around 12-1 so I can enjoy the day as much as I can. When I’m not working, I make sure I sleep a lot so my body to recover from training and so that I can be prepared for my next gig.

HFR: When you are overwhelmed with work, how do you handle your stress?

It’s very simple for me: training and exercise! Whenever I am stressed from work and everyday life, I just hit the gym.  In stressful times, I find that running and 1-hour cardio sessions kill all the stress, anger, or nerves inside of me. Sometimes, I will also go for outdoor bike rides with my uncle where we can enjoy the views.

HFR: There’s a new study that says night clubbing is healthier than yoga, how do you feel about that? Do you agree? Why or why not?

I think everything in life has to have a balance- that includes work, exercise, and nightlife. Every person is different, for some, nightclubbing can make them forget their problems, meet more people and have fun and enjoy the music of their favorite DJs and musicians. I agree to the study to a certain extent, because everyone has things that relax them and makes them happy. For some, that might be yoga but for others, it might be nightclubbing and experiencing new things, enjoying the good music, or listening to their favorite DJ. In general, yoga is more healthy in a person’s life but all that can change throughout our hobbies and life- that’s my belief.

Health issues of a socialite:

It’s best to eat like a pauper

Eating Fage yogurt with berries and fiber cereal for breakfast all while depending on a personal trainer may seem healthy… until $40 martinis and a fine dining series featuring the nation’s top chefs overshadow it. That truffle mac and cheese and parmesan french fries accompanied with a bottle of Dom Perignon contribute to an excess in calories, contradicting precisely what your favorite trainer and trusted nutritionist told you to eat earlier that day- a moment on the lips, forever on the hips!

Health is priceless

Boujee societal pressures can cause anxiety and depression. As a socialite, it is important to “constantly” fit in, look amazing, and keep up with the Jones’. This mentality also leads to spending copious amounts of money on Botox, chemical peels, liposuction, shopping sprees, cars with German, British, and Italian accents, and over the top pet accessories for teacup dogs with French names, just to name a few. Whatever your interests, if you’re missing out on them because of the constant need to be on the scene, it’s time to take a break and rediscover your lifelong passions.

Disconnect

“If you weren’t at the party you don’t exist!” The constant muted click of cameras at the annual spring fundraising party can become deafening. Attending black tie society balls nightly while drinking booze in excess amounts and using a variety of stimulants and depressants can be exhausting. No proper rest, all while having a pressed schedule, can have very harmful consequences such as increasing the risk of disease, exhaustion, a weakened immune system, heightened blood pressure, mental breakdowns, and heart attacks. By pausing to breathe and taking time for introspection, you can actually find your true, healthy self. Life is more than just a Broadway stage!

Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

Full Body Strength

The protagonist in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea battles a great marlin for 3 days.   That’s one strong dude. Your average hobbyist won’t be called on to strain day and night to reel in an adversary. But battling even a small fish calls engages the shoulders, back, arms, core and legs in an excruciating workout. Fishing encourages sportsmen and women to train their body so that they have the strength when the time comes for the big catch.

Family Bonding

Fishing is a skill passed on through the generations, with grandfathers taking the younger kids out to a familiar pond and instructing them how to hook a worm. Spending time with your family promotes feelings of security and well-being, making fishing a worthwhile activity to learn.

Boosts Immune System

Vitamin D helps your body regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that improve immune system function and help defend against disease. The best source of vitamin D is a day outdoors under the sun.

Promotes Relaxation

A beautiful day spent in a mountain stream followed by a dinner of grilled fish. Sounds idyllic doesn’t it? Spending long hours in nature with a focused task is akin to meditation, an activity linked to lowered blood pressure and decreased anxiety.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Fishing burns an average of 200 calories an hour, depending on the kind of fishing you like to do. Maybe it isn’t true if you are sitting around with a cooler of beer and a king-size bag of jerky. But if you are walking around to test out different spots, recasting your line, and (fingers crossed) reeling in a fish, you’ll have put your heart and lungs to work.

Teaches Self-Reliance

In our service-oriented economy we rely on others to perform all kinds of functions in our daily lives. Fishing puts you out in the wilderness and calls on you to master a variety of different skills. The more involved you get in the sport the more you’ll learn: from driving a boat to hunting down tackle.

This impromptu trouble shooting will spill over into your normal life. If you can fix your rod with just your ingenuity, what else can you do on your own?

Bestows Patience

In our world of over-stimulation and instant gratification, fishing puts your patience to practice. Unless you are extraordinarily lucky, you don’t just drop your line in and hook a fish. Some days (and even some trips) you go home empty-handed. But persisting makes you a more patient person, accepting of defeat but unwilling to quit.

M.J. Ryan, the author of “The Power of Patience,” explains that learning patience benefits health. Impatience causes stress, weakening your immune system and raising your blood pressure. Patience, meanwhile, makes you calmer and more content.

Encourages Travel

At HFR we promote travel whenever and to wherever you can. Travel expands the mind and makes life more fulfilling. Fishers are among the most accomplished travelers on the planet. Whether head to the Great Lakes for Walleye or Florida for Marlin season, you’ll get to see more of the planet with this hobby.

Enjoy The Great Outdoors

Fishing inspires a closer connection with nature and all the creatures in it. Fisher are tuned in to the harmonious ecosystems in coastal environments. They know all about the different fish that live in the water, the insects they eat, and their predators. The exposure to fresh air, sun, and being on the water has numerous health benefits.

Improves Balance

As anyone who has ever reeled a catfish in to a canoe can tell you, fishing requires some acrobatic maneuvers. Balance requires core strength and benefits flexibility, both of which help offset backpain.

ours 

Cassey Ho 

I’ve been getting back into running – but not just jogging leisurely around my ‘hood – I sprint and do intervals like a mad woman! ??? I’m running faster than ever and it feels so good to see my speed go up to 11.2 MPH on a 30 sec sprint now! I am able to control my legs, my heart, and my breathing. Go read my new blog post on ?blogilates.com? to see what I do to keep my feet safe when I run! #Compeedus #partner

A photo posted by Cassey Ho (@blogilates) on Jun 2, 2016 at 6:59pm PDT

• Promotes the body positive movement
• Created POP Pilates
• Designs POPFLEX Active
• Posts healthy recipes and workout routines

Hannah Bronfman

The summer is filled with celebratory weekends and next weekend is the kick off. Don’t forget to put in that work so you can smile with a little more pride this summer #tgif #hbfit ?by @Paulstawong

A photo posted by Hannah Bronfman (@hannahbronfman) on May 20, 2016 at 6:08am PDT

• Not only a DJ, Hannah started HBFit.com and regularly posts her workouts
• Believes in a holistic approach to health
• Is adventurous in the types of workouts she tries, ranging from dancing in heels and aerial fitness, to boxing and yoga

Emily Skye

I just wanted to say that every single one of u is amazing. Anything u want to do or be is possible. Don’t let anyone tell u it’s not. I’ve been told many times that I can’t do something and I have done every single one of them and proved them wrong. Something I’ve learnt is; the more good u do and the more success u have the more hate and negativity u attract..but u also attract amazing people as well. U just have to be selective with who u choose to listen to and surround yourself with. Choose to surround yourself with people who are supportive of u and distance yourself from anyone else. Always choose to do what makes u happy – whatever that is, as long as it’s not directly hurting anyone go for it. Everyone has a right to do what makes them happy AND everyone has a right to be proud of themselves. Don’t ever let anyone take that away from u. You deserve to be happy and u are WORTH it. U can’t control what others do but u can control what u do. Love yourself and be proud of yourself. ? . . ________________________________________ ?? My Meals & Exercise Programs – Click the link in my profile! . ? My FREE Daily Workouts app??search “Emily Skye” in the App Store. .? Workout vids: @emilyskyefitness . ? Snap chat: emilyskyefit . ?? Be sure to turn on “Post Notifications” at the top right hand corner of my profile under: ” • • • ” so you don’t miss my posts. ?? . . #emilyskye #emilyskyefit #fit #fitness #fitfam #exercise #fitspo #fitlife #healthy #fitbody #beyourbest #inspiration #fitnessjourney #fitnessmotivation

A photo posted by EMILY SKYE (@emilyskyefit) on Mar 17, 2016 at 6:52am PDT

• Promotes healthy mind and body
• Does a combination of outdoor, at home, and gym workouts
• Has created and tailored fitness and nutrition programs
• Has tailored programs for vegetarians and vegans
• Posts workout videos, recipes, and motivation

Jen Selter

Yes @squatspo ??

A photo posted by Jen Selter (@jenselter) on Mar 10, 2016 at 2:44pm PST

• This new york based fitness model gained worldwide attention for her perfectly toned derriere
• Posts workouts and motivation
• Started the #seltering movement which promotes striking a plank pose in public, usually suspended in the air

Tanya Poppett

Morning runs in endless green ? Love our green and blue planet ???? #trainwithtanya

A photo posted by TANYA POPPETT (@achieving_balance) on Jun 13, 2016 at 3:47am PDT

• Works out anywhere and everywhere
• Does a combination of boxing, running, cycling, yoga, pilates, swimming, jungle gym workouts, anything!
• Has a “train with Tanya” workout app
• Wrote “Your balanced life” and ebook

Faya

On the blog today, THE BENEFITS OF A STRONG SKELETON! Most of the time we focus on muscle strength, but this post contains my top 5 tips toward helping to maintain a strong foundation; good bone strength! ??? Check out the link in my bio <<? @FitnessOnToast ?>> to see it all! #FitnessOnToast #BoneStrength

A photo posted by FITNESS ON TOAST (@fitnessontoast) on May 23, 2016 at 8:10am PDT

• This swedish fitness blogger inspires through her instagram, showcasing workouts, healthy food, and fitness fashion
• Sails, does trampoline workouts, TRX, cardio abs

Kayla Itsines

Basketball is life ?? www.kaylaitsines.com/app

A photo posted by Kayla Itsines (@kayla_itsines) on Jun 9, 2016 at 10:42pm PDT

• Has an App called “Sweat with Kyla” available in english, italian, german, french, and spanish
• Created a 12 week fitness program
• She believes clean eating in order to reboot your metabolism
• Promotes vegetarianism and has a helpful guide for vegetarian beginners  
• Has a husky, which made our list of Top Fittest Dog Breeds

Nude Yoga Girl

In the evening I like to write down 5 things that I’m happy about in my day. Even during bad days I always can find something good…! This also makes me feel more grateful and positive about my day. My list for today: 1. The Sun is shining! It gives me so much energy! 2. It was really nice to do a workout outdoors. I ran 45 minutes and did some stretching. 3. I cleaned up the kitchen very well. 4. I’m just so ecxited about what is going to happen in the next few weeks! It’s nice when you have something to look forward to. ? 5. I made some delicious banana protein pancakes for a snack! With fresh berries and almond butter. ?? How would your list look like!?

A photo posted by Nude Yoga Girl (@nude_yogagirl) on May 8, 2016 at 10:55am PDT

• This anonymous account is inspiring because it celebrate the womans active body
• Posts black and white nude (artistic) photos daily to inspire movement and push boundaries
• We added the account because it is unique and artistic- fitness and art combined

Natasha Oakley 

My mood depends on the weather ?? @mondayswimwear Link to outfit details and blog post in my bio X

A photo posted by Natasha Oakley (@tashoakley) on Jun 12, 2016 at 6:00am PDT

• Her workout routine is step outside squats, plank with jumps, back to back partner wall sit, partner tricep dip, parter side lunge, plank with claps, besque leg lifts, lower ab bicycle
• Is the July/August covergirl for UK Women’s Health
• Practices hot yoga daily
• Stays hydrated with lots of water
• Her diet tip is to not have a heavy meal before a workout, it can lower your energy levels
• Recently launched a new workout clothing range called Monday Active

Natalie Jill 

I’m no longer feeling cloudy ??Good morning Maui!

A photo posted by NATALIE JILL (@nataliejillfit) on Jun 4, 2016 at 10:51am PDT

• created the 7 Day Jump Start and is a best selling author
• She also has her own tv show that promotes and showcases all of her workouts
• Workout routines focuses on one area of the body in the beginning such as abs, triceps, and the butt
• Newest workouts are created to help prevent back pain in which she demonstrates

You can truly do you push-ups anywhere and everywhere.

• Aim for 10!
• Challenge two of your friends!
• Give them an ultimatum: push-ups or donate to the Samir Becic Foundation.

Let’s push for a fitter America!

#PushUpsEverywhere is a campaign launched by Health Fitness Revolution to push America to become a fitter nation. The challenge consists of filming yourself or someone doing 10 push-ups, uploading to Facebook, Twitter or Youtube, challenging two of your friends and tagging #PushUpsEverywhere.

Samir Becic is a world-renowned health and fitness expert. He is the founder of Health Fitness Revolution Magazine and creator of the ReSync Method. Samir’s work has been featured in many top media outlets, and he is famous for his strong motivational skills and energetic presence.

From 2000-2008, Samir worked for Bally Total Fitness as the fitness director of the largest fitness facility in the entire United States. During that time, Samir quickly established himself as a world leader in health and fitness, receiving the prestigious title of  “#1 Fitness Trainer in the World/US” four times.

In 2009, Samir started ReSync Enterprises, a company which provides health and fitness education seminars to corporations, the media, and community organizations using his celebrated ReSync Method.

Samir used his extensive knowledge of health and fitness to found Health Fitness Revolution in 2011. Health Fitness Revolution is a non-profit movement headed by the Samir Becic Foundation 501(c)(3) that aims to spread the message of health and fitness throughout the world in order to prevent disease and improve quality of life.

•  Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic.
• Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons.  By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.  We are also eating them when they are at their freshest!

• Eating local means more for the local economy.  According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy.  When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.  By buying from local farmers, you are supporting a local, small business owner.

• Locally grown produce is fresher.  While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer’s market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase.  This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.  An exception to this is frozen fruits and vegetables, which are flash frozen when picked, and are also very fresh.

• Local produce tastes amazing!  Have you ever eaten a freshly picked apple or tomato, it really tastes great!

• Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to stand up to the rigors of shipping.  This means that you are going to be getting very fresh produce that has ripened on the vine/tree/plant versus a warehouse.

• Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. The fewer steps there are between your food’s source and your table the less chance there is of contamination. Also, when you know where your food comes from and who grows it, you know a lot more about that food. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination.

• Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space – farms and pastures – an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

• Local Foods Create a Community. Knowing where your food is from connects you to the people who raise and grow it.  The food you buy has a great story, from a real person.

• Local Farmers Markets teach your kids to be healthy.  Taking your kids to local farmers markets teaches them about sustainable agriculture, but also about where vegetables, eggs, milk, and produce comes from.  The better we educate our children about nutrition, the healthier they will be in their adult lives.

Click to read more of our TOP 10 Articles

Follow us on twitter and facebook and visit www.healthfitnessrevolution.org!

Explore Your Mind – Exposure to the arts helps you work out your ability to be creative, which promotes problem solving and fostering connecting to each other and the world around us. There are so many different artistic outlets out there that it’s easy to find something perfect for every individual. Viewing the arts is a good way for people of all ages to explore their minds and their interests, and simply to get to know themselves. Understanding the processes of your own brain helps you connect to yourself and improves your emotional state as you know how to help yourself when you’re down.

Improve Focus – Immersing yourself in the arts allows you to escape the worries of life and concentrate on the creative energy of someone else’s mind. Being able to fully focus on something helps the mind simultaneously relax and expand, which will help you focus in other areas of life as well, such as improving your interpersonal relationships and mental health. Often people find it difficult to meditate without anything to focus on – even if it’s freeing themselves of thought. This process becomes much easier when you have an object of focus, and you just allow your thoughts to centralize on it until you have released thoughts of anything else.

Reduce Stress – Our minds focused on something outside of our personal and work lives, the senses are heightened and the mind is at peace. A lot of focus is required to notice details in any art form, and because of this, your mind is unable to become distracted and strung out. Both creativity and focus work together to help the mind become centered and serene. This attitude translates into other parts of life as well and encourages healthy relationships and an effective work ethic.

Communicate Non-Verbally – When you see a work of art, you become privy to the emotional experience of the artist in the moment that they created the piece. You may be able to relate to their experience, or you may find meditating upon your thoughts that arise to be a spiritual experience, or even both. Often we find that non-verbal communication between individuals is extremely powerful (i.e. “a picture is worth 1,000 words”). Communication is key to social, spiritual, and mental health and helps you thrive in school, work, and personal environments. Seeing the arts in action can often inspire you to create your own pieces as well, which can be extremely therapeutic. See the health benefits of painting and the health benefits of pottery for more information.

Promote Cultural Awareness – If you attend an international festival like the Sarajevo film festival in Bosnia, or if you go to an internationally famous museum like the Louvre, you will be exposed to artistic works from all over the world. A major component of culture is the arts. Each area of the world has unique artistic style and unique history to draw artistic inspiration from. You can learn so much about a place, its people, and its culture from seeing the arts from there, and this knowledge gives you the insight to form stronger relationships with people different than yourself.

Encourage Sociability – Whether you’re spending the afternoon in a museum with the family or going to a music festival with your best friends, one thing is clear. The arts bring people together. Being surrounded by people and bonding with them over the arts helps you to create a support system that will increase your emotional stability and improve your overall health. Mental and emotional health is dependent not only on personal stability, but also external stability in life and relationships. Sociability is necessary for this.

Increase Optimism – Seeing so much beauty in the world by exposing yourself to the arts allows you to see positive qualities in your surroundings everywhere you go, even the less-than-ideal elements and experiences in your life. This outlook makes you less susceptible to mental illness, and it also helps to cope with a variety of mental disorders as well. In short, it makes life a better experience, and who doesn’t want that?

The speech urged audience members to wake up to health, incidentally the name of the challenge Shemek issued. The challenge is a mid-year challenge to compliment Lakewood Church’s annual January Health and Fitness Challenge.  This is the second week of the five-week challenge.

Becic motivated his audience by saying fitness starts somewhere. “You’re not expected to go into the gym and be an immediate expert,” Becic said. “You have to work yourself up!”

The statement proved motivational. The crowd was electrified with energy and inspired by both Becic and Shemek.

Becic started the health and fitness program five years ago at Lakewood. The church has benefited from the fitness program and the community is among the fittest megachurches in America. The program frequently invited prominent guest speakers with their insight to the congregation. Classes at Lakewood are open to everyone and can be attended at Mondays at 7 p.m.

Along with Becic, Dr. Lori Shemek presented on health and fitness. Shemek has written two books, her latest being “How to Fight Fatflammation.” Her previous book, “Fire Up Your Fatburn” was a bestseller.  She has a doctorate in psychology is a certified nutritional consultant and certified life coach. She is a leading authority regarding inflammation and cell research and has appeared as a guest and health consultant for various media outlets, including Ladies Home Journal, Livestrong, CNN and Fox News.

HFR determined the top 10 summer global sports to watch during the summer. Whether you’re in town, looking to travel, or bound to stay home or at the bar to catch games, these events are sure to draw huge crowds and create connections wherever you are!

Here are the Top 10 global sports for the summer:

• Association Football / American Soccer –  Played by over 250 million players in more than 200 countries, football (or soccer in the U.S.) is known as one of the most popular sports globally.
  • Biggest event is the FIFA World Cup (FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association; in English: International Federation of Association Football) World Cup.
  • The men’s competition was last watched by an estimated 600 million people total in 2014 and the 2015 women’s peaked at 22.86 million TV viewers in the U.S. for the U.S. vs. Japan finale, becoming the highest viewed soccer event in the U.S.
  • The World Cup takes place every four years and features both women’s and men’s leagues.
  • Soccer is dominant in South America, Europe, and Africa but is also a major sport in the U.S., India, Australia, China, Japan and Canada. Soccer also holds some of the highest paid sportsmen such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.  Soccer is typically played year-round, but the FIFA World Cup tournament typically takes place in the month of July.
• Tennis –  Originating in England, Tennis has been gradually rising to becoming one of the top global sports.  Most of the popular competitions taking place from May to September, including the the U.S. Open, the French Open and Wimbledon (the other major event is the Australian Open, which takes place between January and February).
  • Tennis is most popular in Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.
  • Tennis also holds some of the world’s highest paid athletes seen during the biggest tennis event, Wimbledon.
  • Wimbledon is one of the top 10 most watched events in the summer with players representing more than 40 countries.
• Swimming – This sport not only qualifies as a great summer sport because of how crisp and refreshing the water is, but also because swimming is ranked as the second highest sport of interest in the Summer Olympics.
  • The competitive season takes place from April to September,
  • Swimming is most commonly known in the U.S., South America, Asia, and Europe.
• Golf – Rising in fame as a global sport during the Ryder Cup between the U.S. and Europe, many of the most popular golf tournaments takes place between April and August.
  • The Fedex Cup has made this sport popular with winners acquiring a $10 million prize.
  • Golf is not only gaining popular interest in the U.S. and Europe, but also Japan, UK, Australia and South Korea.
• Cycling – With the Tour de France finale rating as one of the top events watched globally, cycling has gained popular interest around the world.
  • The most popular interest lies in Europe with the major Tours taking place in Spain, Italy, and France, and can also be classified as a summer sport in Australia, Mexico, . There is minor popularity in the U.S. and Asia.
  • The typical season for cycling takes place during May and June where millions of events and races take place every year globally.
• Track and field –  Along with swimming, track and field is also a popular summer global sport due to the Summer Olympics.  During the Summer Olympics, track and field has been noted as top-watched sport worldwide.
  • With the season taking place from May to August, track and field has the highest popularity in Europe, Asia, and South America, but has risen to be a major sport in the North America.
• Boxing – Although matches take place year- round, boxing has been challenged at the Summer Olympics every year.
  • Boxing is a major global sport with world champions ranking in from every continent, however, the majority of the popularity is in Japan, Russia, the U.S., the U.K. and Mexico.
  • This sport hosts some of the most popular athletes such as Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather and is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide.
• Baseball – Although baseball has the most popularity in two major countries (the U.S. and Japan), baseball has also been deemed as a major sport in other parts of the world such as: Europe, and South America.
  • Although American baseball’s big event, the World Series, typically takes place in the fall/winter, the majority of the baseball season begins during the summer in the months April to to October.  It has also been noted that MLB and Nippon League are two of the highest attended leagues in the world.
  • For tournament-styled baseball, consider watching the Little League World Series. The series features the youth of the world, ages  representing both the U.S. and other countries from various regions of the world, including Asian-Pacific, the Caribbean, South America, Europe-Africa and several others.
• Horse racing – With the most interest being in the U.K., Australia, U.S., and Japan, horse racing, to non-horse racing enthusiasts, has been known to be a gambling sport, but, it is an entertaining summer sport, no doubt.
  • The popular time for horse racing falls between March and June with major events taking place sole where the sport is very popular.
  • The Melbourne Cup, the Grand National, and the Kentucky Derby are three of the biggest horse racing events that take place annually.
• NASCAR – Although the majority of the popularity for this sport lies in the U.S. where it originated, NASCAR has been recently gaining popularity in European countries, and also Canada and Mexico.
  • The Sprint Cup the final major event for the NASCAR season, taking place from May to November.

HFR compiled a list of 10 workout songs you need to add to your rotation for an extra boost in your workout.

• Beyoncé, “7/11” – Beyoncé can get anyone in the mood to get moving! 7/11 is a great song to dance, run, spin or lift to! It has a very versatile yet simple beat that doesn’t slow down for even a second. Just make sure you put the weights down before trying to move your legs side to side and smack it in the air!
• Ellie Goulding, “Burn” – No better song to squat to than Ellie Goulding’s “Burn.” Something about when that chorus that just makes you want to push yourself even harder and though Goulding’s voice is calm and crisp, you can feel underneath that is an explosive burst of energy just waiting to get out!
• Kendrick Lamar, “i” – One of Kendrick Lamar’s more fun tunes, this jam is definitely a mood booster. The motivational chorus may be just what you need to hear while bettering yourself during your workout! Just hear Kendrick rooting you on in the background – go your own pace as long as you’re doing the best you.
• Britney Spears, “Work B*tch” – You want a hot body? Lean muscles? Big muscles? Decrease the symptoms of a chronic illness? You better work! No one says it better than the the queen of pop Britney Spears. This song will give you that extra motivation you need to get that hot body you know you deserve!
• Drake, “Started From the Bottom” – We all have to start somewhere. Even megastar Drake had and you most definitely have as well. You may have a body goal you have set for yourself and haven’t quite reached it yet and it may seem disappointing at first, but put this jam on and remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. Keep pushing and always look back at the achievements you have made so far!
• Kanye West, “Harder” – Kanye does it right with the hip hop twist to Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”. It’s a great tune to get better, faster, and stronger to, to! Sympathize with Kanye’s plight in this song by pushing forward, and you might even just adopt Kanye’s flawless attitude of himself as long as you know you’re going hard.
• Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk” – Who doesn’t love this funky song?! Mark Ronson’s beats classy but upbeat, well, beats paired with Bruno Mars smooth voice sure hits that spot to just get up and move! It’s fun and great song to add to your running playlist and even better if you’re jamming to it during a group workout.
• Paramore, “Now” – You need some Paramore in your mix. Now is a great song to seize the moment to! To run, to lift, to see those gains. You know no one will take those gains from you now, not with this ambitious song playing.
• Taylor Swift, “Bad Blood” – If you have come to the gym to blow off some steam this is the jam for you. Has you enemy finally gone to far? Listening to this song while lifting weight is guaranteed to make you re direct that energy into the weights.
• Drowning Pool, “Bodies” – It’s only fitting that bad blood leads to bodies on the floor, right? That said, this is the most intense song on the list. If you’re in the mood to absolutely destroy the gym and wreck any and all your goals, this is the song for you! You would just about demolish anything with this screaming song drumming through your ears

But in this day and age, obesity in America is quickly rising so more and more kids are growing up unhealthy. It’s time to make a change in our diet, in our daily activity and in our home lives. Parents have the most power when it comes to teaching their kids to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Through family fitness you will build a connection that will last as you adopt the health lifestyle for years to come. Kids are the most impressionable when young and instilling the importance of health and fitness could lead them to following a healthy lifestyle for decades to come. If a son watches his father partake in daily runs, it’s likely he will imitate that behavior to emulate his father. On the other hand, the kids will not only adopt a healthy lifestyle, but also treasure fond memories of family experiences, whether it’s going on daily runs, camping and hiking over vacations, or hosting lessons on how to cook healthy, the influence you have on your kids can be immeasurable.

Here’s some advice Health Fitness Revolution came up with to inspire family fitness:

Work Out

• Keep track of your goals – Odds are everyone in your family is at different levels in terms of fitness and nutrition. Perhaps one is a track star who devotes most of her time to athletic sports, while another has never played a sport in his life. Maybe one is diabetic while the other consumes water and granola bars like no one’s business. Not everyone will be on the same page. The best thing you can do is have everyone set individual goals for themselves, given their current position. Having your family at your back will hold you accountable for reaching your goals and maintaining whatever workout or diet regimen you maintain.
• Hit the gym – Finding a gym that suits your needs and getting a membership is the first step. Some gyms offer deals for family memberships to motivate you to get your whole family active, so be sure to capitalize on that. Take each other to the gym – you don’t have to do the same workouts, but knowing someone is there with you can prove reassuring.
• Cycling – Riding a bike is fun for all ages. Going on rides at the park, around the neighborhood, to run errands – all of this can be a fun activity the whole family can take part in. If you have older kids, you can take them on rigorous, enduring rides through the woods or back roads for enhanced physical activity and a unifying adrenaline rush.
• Running – There’s nothing like a good run to clear your mind. Just like with biking, you can go running through the neighborhood or at the park as a family. One of the best things about family fitness is that you can wake up in the morning and go run together. There’s no need for plans in advance since you’re in the same household. There are also plenty of fun runs and family 5ks to participate in.
• Swimming – Swimming is a fun interactive way to workout your body. You can do it recreationally or competitively. You can swim during the summer, on vacations, or even at neighborhood pools. Many families enjoy swimming as it’s a good way to promote not only athleticism, but also teaches the swimming ability – a fundamental life skill – while everyone’s having fun splashing around!

Nutrition

• Breakfast – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, serving as the basis for the rest of the day as it is the first fuel in your body. You want to make sure you have a good balance of carbs, protein and fats to keep you energized throughout the day.
• Lunch – As you approach midday, you feel your body craving for some tasty sustenance. You don’t necessarily need to completely fill yourself up at this time, but be sure to eat just enough to keep you on your feet. If you’re packing your kids lunch you want to make sure you’re giving them the right amount of protein, carbs, and fruits and vegetables.
• Dinner – The last meal of the day is typically eaten with your family. This gives you a chance to have the whole family eat healthy. You don’t want to eat right before you go to bed because bad food can affect your sleep and can possibly lead to gas buildup in your digestive system. If you want to wake up refreshed the next morning, having a light dinner will be enough to keep you satisfied without weighing you down.
• Snacks – Snacking throughout the day can be just as important as meals because having snacks can keep your metabolism at peak levels and decrease portion size in your main meals. Just as is with meals, it’s imperative you snack on foods that are nutritious, like fruits, vegetables, or even nuts. Grated, it may be tough to ease vegetables as a snack into your kids’ diet, so try adding organic peanut butter or ranch dressing as a dip for flavors. Click here for various snack recipes and tips!
• Dessert – The temptation to consume dessert is an ever-present one, nagging at your sweet tooth and your taste buds as if to say there’s no harm in it. Unfortunately, there can be plenty of harm in coming dessert. Try eating some healthy desserts if you’re in the mood for baking or eat berries and other healthy but sweet foods to satiate that craving.

Becic welcomed Clinton, thanking him for his efforts. “All your help during your administration was and still is greatly appreciated by the people of Bosnia,” Becic said.

Clinton’s efforts for Bosnia during the Srebrenica Massacre included spurring NATO forces to act against Serbian forces, ending a four year conflict in two months.. In September 2003, Clinton unveiled the Srbrenica Genocide Memorial located in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“We must pay tribute to the innocent lives, many of them children who were snuffed out in what must be called genocidal madness,” Clinton said at the time.

Clinton is also consistently ranked among Health Fitness Revolution’s fittest politicians and sports his own HFR fitness profile.

2013 Fittest Heads of State

Top 100 Fittest U.S. Politicians

And let’s admit here, there’s a lot of pressure to have fun. But for many budding teenagers, young adults, adults, and growing families, defining fun in the summer time is an all-encompassing question that takes into account the various personalities, hobbies and general interests of those involved.

So HFR decided to make your itinerary planning a little easier and created a list of the top 10 adventures you and the squad can embark on this summer.

Explore your city – The city you live in has more to offer than you know. While you may be bored with the usual malls, eateries and the idea of your city, simply because you live or work there, it’s always nice to take time truly get to know your surroundings. This means looking for those hidden treasures, those local shops, restaurants, entertainment centers. During the summer you may have a lot of free time, so spend it outdoors soaking up the sun as you stroll through your concrete jungle.

Visit Museums – Museums are a great, inexpensive way to get cultured. These days, many museums run rather low prices, meaning either free or the cost of about a fast food meal (take your pic: fast food or inspiring art and history). It is also a great way to keep cool in the summer heat while stimulating your mind, as most museums – especially art museums -keep indoor temperatures look to preserve art and artifacts. Visiting museums can be an effective way of learning in an informal setting as you can choose to learn about the things that interest you the most.

Finally do that road trip – If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, hit the road! For a day, a weekend, or even a whole week, a road trip is the way to go when you’re in need of new scenery. Go alone, with family, or with a group of friends and it’ll be a great experience. Sit back, enjoy the drive and the road, hitting destinations you planned or didn’t plan. Just hit the pedal and go!

Camping – Tired of spacing out in front of your TV/computer/phone? Why not drop the technology and get in touch with nature? Pack up some bare necessities, hit the road for some off-the-road woods and prepare yourself for a night out in the wilderness. Camping is a great way to seclude yourself from the hustle and bustle of work and whatever personal chaos you deal with and is also an excellent way to get closer to friends and family through intimate socialization. You’ll even get great exercise out in the wilderness trekking over the terrain.

Kayaking- With the heat of the summer so constant and naturally working up a sweat on your skin with minimal physical effort, being near large bodies of water can be the most refreshing temptation you’ll need to satisfy. Kayaking is a great way to do, get a little exercise in, and have fun. Bonus: odds are, you’ll get spectacular view of the scene before you as continue to paddle along the river, lake – wherever you are!

Hit the beach – A classic summertime activity, heading to the beach can be a great place to soak up the sun, cool down, and all around relax and have fun. In fact, studies have shown going to the beach can reduce levels of stress and anxiety – the clashing of the waves, the sand between your toes, all of it can be quite therapeutic for the mind. It is also a great way to take in some of the sun’s vitamin D and breathe some fresh air. And the best part is it’s 100% free!

Mosh at Some Concerts and Music Festivals – Concerts are a great way to let loose. It allows you to relieve all your stress without having to think twice about it. At concerts, you’ll have a ton of fun, surrounded by people all looking to have a great time by dancing and enjoying the music. Jump up and down in sync with everyone around and let the good-time ambiance and adrenaline inspire you.

Horseback Riding – Horseback riding yields numerous benefits and is a fantastic way to soak up the outdoors while feeling the wind breeze through your hair. A great hobby for adults and children, horseback riding can be done with many people if you’re looking for a casual way to socialize, or, if you’re looking for some solitary time, a great way to get lost with you and your trusty companion. Gallop along the pasture, along the beach, through the wild and rocky terrain – just be sure both you and your horse are having a good time.

Skydiving – Summer is all about trying new things, so why not check skydiving off your list? – and odds are, skydiving is on your list. This free-falling activity will get your adrenaline pumping as you allow gravity to drop you at increasing speeds, giving you that amazing rush that’ll boost your confidence. You’ll feel limitless and you’ll walk with a new stride in your step once you accomplish this crazy adventure. Not sure where to skydive? We think we’ve got some ideas for you.

Visit the Zoo- If you love animals, the zoo is one way to visit many different kinds of species. See everything from alligators to zebras, amphibians to mammals. Watch as they engage either other, engage trainers, and even engage you as seeing and learning about various species of animals can stimulate the mind. The zoo is fun for all ages and can be a great way to bond with nature while still being in your own human habitat.

Check out more top 10 articles here!

Want to hit up some places this summer but not sure where? See our travel articles.

Samir Becic, 4 times Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the world (author of the book ReSYNC Your Life ) and HFR’s top 10 horseback riding destinations.

Loire Valley, France: Located in the middle span of the Loire River in the central area of France, Loire Valley holds a plethora of vineyards and fruit orchards.  The grand castles in the valley also offer up an impressive layout for visitors to explore and even stay the night at local bed and breakfasts located among some of the finest historic legacies.  Horseback riding in Loire Valley allows visitors to tour through French gardens and to see beautiful landscapes throughout the terrain. Visitors also are able to enjoy trekking through courtyards in the national park of Loire Anjou Touraine, ride over drawbridges through the Chateau de Gizeux, and also in between rivers and forests.  Loire Valley offers family rides where children are able to ride on ponies, discovery treks through countryland and visit at a walking pace for beginners, while also offering pleasure and touraine treks for more advanced equestrians.

Masai Mara, Kenya: Let’s admit, Kenya may not be the first place that comes to mind when looking for somewhere to horseback ride. However, Masai Mara offers a horse riding safari where visitors are able to ride in equal positions with all wildlife roaming through the desert. Without the restriction or interruption of fences or any barriers, riders experience some of the most scenic parts of Kenya and have the chance to go to wildlife viewing areas where elephants, zebra, giraffe, and antelope meander freely.  The polo ponies are dressed with saddlebags and takes riders on game trails across Masailand.  It is recommended that only experienced horseman travel to Masai Mara to partake in the horseback safari due to the prolonged treks.

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii: Known as the “House of Sun” and sitting 10,023 ft above sea level, Haleakala is known as the highest peak on Maui island.  Haleakala National Park houses the world’s largest dormant volcanoes, giving visitors a memorable adventure should they choose to adventure through here. However, one of the most popular thrill activities in Haleakala is to go horseback riding.  Through the Makena Stables’ Sunset tour, horseback riders are able to experience the tropical Hawaiian culture while riders savor thorough views of the latest lava flow at La Perouse Bay.  At the end of each tour, riders have the luxury of enjoying a dynamic and vivid sunset that takes place at the summit of the park.

Tuscany, Italy: There is no better way to experience the picturesque landscapes in Tuscany than on the back of a horse.  Without any previous experience needed, visitors get to divulge in some of Italy’s greatest artistic and historic treasures, such as the circular stone walls of the Castello di Tocchi. The horseback riding adventure offers a trail throughout the Chianti region of Tuscany, allowing riders to tour through lavish vineyards and olive groves.  After the trek riders also get to enjoy plush wine tastings at local wineries.

Cappadocia, Turkey: Known as the “Land of Beautiful Horses,” Cappadocia has been a distinct place for visitors to go horseback riding for centuries.  The exotic landscapes and eccentric rock formations that line Cappadocia are stationed between some of the most picturesque valleys in Turkey, includings the valleys Swords, Meskendir, Rose and Love. Riders are able to saddle up with real Turkish cowboys on either an Anatolian or Arabic horse and ride alongside apple and apricot orchards and catch sites of volcanic stone hills on the trail.  Part of some riding trips include a visit to Istanbul which is considered as one the most beautiful cities in the world.

Grand Canyon, Arizona: There is no better place for a rider to channel their inner cowboy/girl than in the dry west of the Grand Canyon.  The canyon cavern tours allow visitors to see the unique and colorful rock formations and to be able to descend 2,300 hundred feet below the surface along the North Kaibab Trail. Horseback riders ride on the Cavern mules and are able to catch a glimpse of the stunning Supai Falls on the Supai Trail.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: With the span of roughly 3,500 square miles and situated among a volcano, Yellowstone is a vast area where visitors venture near striking canyons, luxurious forests and hot springs. This adventure is enhanced with the extravagance of horseback riding along the remarkable scenery. Trails go along sagebrush flats on Garnet Hill, giving riders a distinct aroma to treasure. Beginners and experts ride through open meadows and through wooded areas along the Cascade Creek.  There even may be some bears or wolves to catch a glimpse of while riders are on the trail.

Napa Valley, California: Also known as the renowned wine-producing country where there are hundreds of vineyards among the hills, Napa is also known as a remarkable place to ride a horse.  Visitors get the chance to experience a rustic horseback riding tour through the Chateau Lane Winery.  The Napa Valley Horse Company ensures its visitors that it will be the trek of a lifetime as they offer both romantic sunrise or sunset rides for couples, as well as all-around family tours that give families the opportunity to ride leisurely through the sloped vineyards.  Naturally, there is a wine tasting opportunities for visitors to partake in at the end of each tour.

Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas: Everyone loves a memorable view of the beach! Stationed just off the shore of the biggest city in the Bahamas, Paradise Island, formerly known as Hog Island, houses Happy Trails Stables that leads riders on a remarkable horse trail along the beach.  Since 1977, Happy Trails have been offering a variety of trails along the Coral Harbour where riders are able to trek along at a relaxing pace and enjoy the endless stretch of the sparkling blue water.

The Andes, Peru: There are few riding areas that offer a more sacred experience than riding through valley in the Land of the Incas.  Perol Chico is known as Peru’s prime horseback riding company that takes visitors on a trail across the Peruvian Andes allowing them to take-in Incan ruins and ride through obscure villages along the way.  From Cusco to Machu Picchu, horseback riders get to experience a combination of the richest history and culture on an eleven day trip throughout the terraced fields.  This once in a lifetime experience has been known to award riders with a dramatic and spiritual presence that will remain with them forever.

Hello, esteemed equestrian lovers! Check out more of our equestrian articles!

The Health Benefits of Horseback Riding

Top 10 Tips to Improve Your Horse Riding Technique

Top 10 Health Tips We Can Learn From Horses

The Social and Mental Benefits of Horse Ownership

Top 10 Benefits of Owning a Horse

Curious for more top 10 articles?

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Going on a pilgrimage is a life-changing and a transformational experience. Walking these paths are usually long because their purpose is to give time to be with God, the gods, with your faith, with yourself and with others. It is time take aside to meditate, relax and enjoy. Spending this quality time can help you strengthen your faith, spiritually heal you and give you new perspectives. They can be inspiring, calming, and fun, yet still challenging and rewarding, as you dedicate the tine and energy to traverse these long distances. Go ahead and plan your spiritual journey, you will experience a new level of spiritual and/or moral revival.

Spiritual Journey To Embark On Now

• Pilgrims’ Way to Canterbury, England:
  • Location: Winchester or London to Canterbury, England
  • Significance: Visit the shrine of Thomas Beckett at the Canterbury Cathedral. He was known to be a miracle maker. Priests are available throughout the day to offer blessing to those who are done with the walk and to offer prayers to those who are arriving.
  • Routes: On the road you will enjoy the beauty of the countryside, villages, towns and cities. Learn some religious history while enjoy the English countryside. This journey will take approximately two weeks to complete.
    • From London – 180 km (112 miles)
    • From Winchester – 214 km (133 miles)

• Kumano Kodo Ancient Trail, Japan:
  • Location: Mountains in Kii peninsula, south of Osaka, Japan
  • Significance: This trail focuses on three grand sacred shrines, the Oji shrines and numerous protector shrines and tea houses. This walk was part of the pilgrimage process for the pilgrims from 1000 years ago as they undertook rigorous religious rites of worship and purification. This is one of only two UNESCO-recognized pilgrimage walks.
  • Route: There are several routes which will take approximately 5 days each to complete. You can do the whole pilgrimage in roughly six weeks.The walking is mostly through paved village paths and unpaved mountains trails, ascending and descending constantly. The unique landscape views are often impressive. The most popular is the Tajijiri-Oji route, which is 40 km (25 miles). This is one spiritual journey that will make your heart sing.

• Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru:
  • Location: Machu Picchu, Peru
  • Significance: Experts believe the Incas built this trail as a holy pilgrimage to prepare visitors to enter Machu Picchu.The access to the trail is strictly controlled, with the Peruvian government only issuing 500 permits each day and about 200 of these are for tourists.
  • Route: The walk is very challenging since the terrain is rough with high altitudes. The distance is approximately 43km (26.7 miles).

• Camino de Santiago, Spain: (Also known as The Way of St. James)
  • Location: From southern France (Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port) to northern Spain (Santiago de Compostela)
  • Significance: This path leads to where the apostle St. James is said to be buried at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The trek very easy to follow and gives the opportunity to stop and admire the culture of the small towns as you pass by and and even gives you the opportunity to try rioja wine.
  • Route:  The are many routes but the most popular one is The French Way, spanning a distance of approximately 725 km (450 miles), or approximately a month of hiking. Generally, routes will vary and take anywhere from a week to several months to complete. You will walk through very scenic views of the towns and amazing cornfields.

• Mount Kailash Pilgrimage, Tibet:
  • Location: Mount Kailash, located in the westernmost part of the Tibetan plateau
  • Significance: Several religions believe that circling Mount Kailash on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune and erase your sins. Your religious preference will determine which direction you travel around the mountain. Hindus and Buddhist travel in a clockwise direction, while other religions, like Bon faith, make the journey counterclockwise.
  • Route: Circling around the base of the mountain is 52 km (32.3 miles), taking roughly three days to complete the pilgrimage. It is forbidden to actually climb the mountain.

• Croagh Patrick, Ireland:
  • Location: County Mayo, West of Ireland
  • Significance: Croagh Patrick is considered one of the holiest mountains in Ireland. This is where St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is said to have spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting, his prayers leading to the removal of snakes from the country. Millions of people follow St. Patrick’s footsteps, some even do it barefoot.
  • Route: The mountain ascends 765 m (2,509 feet) – a roughly climb that may take hours to reach the top. There are, however, stunning views along the way up including breathtaking views of Clew Bay and the surroundings of south Mayo countryside are spectacular from any point while ascending the mountain. Once at the top, there is a chapel anyone can attend or one can just enjoy the views before you go back down. At the end of your hike, you can visit a local pub and chat with other pilgrims or locals. There is also the St. Patrick’s Heritage Trail that you can choose to walk, covering a span of 61 km (38 miles).

• Char Dham, India:
  • Location: Foot of the Himalayas, India
  • Significance: There are four sites that serve as an important part of the Hindu tradition, with many Hindus aiming to visit all of them at least once, going from east to weest. For those of other religions and spiritualities, going on this journey can be an excellent opportunity to learn from the Indian culture and their traditions.
  • Route: The 4 sites are: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Visiting all of them in a single go may take two weeks.

• Shikoku Pilgrimage, Japan:
  • Location: Coast of Shikoku, Japan
  • Significance: The trail gives you a glance into Japanese tradition and history.
  • Route: The pilgrimage runs through 88 temples and 200 bangais (unofficial temples). As one of the longest trails on this list, the pilgrimage covers a distance of 1,400 km (870 miles!) and can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days to complete. There are a number of shorter imitative trails in Japan, such as the 150 km circuit on the island of Shōdoshima, a 3 km course in Ninna-ji, Kyoto and a route on the Chita Peninsula.

• The Ganges River:
  • Location: Runs from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal in Ganges, India
  • Significance: With approximately 20 million people visiting a year, the Ganges River, also known as Ganga Ma or “Mother Ganges” is one of the most popular pilgrimages to embark on. To the many people living around it, and those who believe in its majesty, this river goddess represents life and purity. The story of the Ganga is of how the goddess poured herself down from heaven upon the ashes of King Sarga’s sons. It was this cleansing and self-sacrificing act that raised the king’s sons to dwell in peace in heaven. It is also believed that anyone who touches these purifying waters even today is cleansed of all sins. Hindus bathe in the river as they walk slowly during the Maha Kumbh Mela (Grand Pitcher Festival).
  • Route: The river’s length is 1,569 miles and while you do not have to traverse the entire length to experience the river, many Indians walk from their villages and cities to bathe in the river. You can choose to walk from any destination to the river.

• Hajj Pilgrimage, Mecca, Saudi Arabia:
  • Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
  • Significance: The pilgrimage to Mecca is called Hajj and is one of the largest gatherings in the world as the Islamic religion views Mecca as the holiest of places. It is part of their culture to do this pilgrimage at least once during the week of Hajj. Muslims have to be physically and financially capable to perform this pilgrimage. The week of Hajj entails a series of rituals such as head shaving and animal sacrificing. The entrance to the city of Mecca is strictly prohibited for non-Muslims since it viewed as a holy city.
  • Route: The pilgrimage can take anywhere from 3 days to a week’s worth of walking. Their rituals suggest walking counter-clockwise around the Ka’aba, symbolic for stoning the devil. Then they go between the mountain of Safa and Marwah getting on the wide plain of Arafah, where they start praying for forgiveness. The pilgrimage ends with Eid Al-Adha, a festival in which they celebrate with prayers and animal sacrifice, and they also exchange gifts.

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Top Rowing Destinations In the World

Lake Lugano– Lake Lugano sits just between Switzerland and northern Italy. The lake features breathtaking views of the surrounding Alps mountains and cozy villages. It also sits between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore, two more very picturesque lakes to row to cement your experience on Lake Lugano. As you row down Lake Lugano, consider docking along the opposite coast of where you’re staying and embrace the differences in culture. Either way, you’ll be sure to meet other enthusiastic outdoorsmen and women.

Southeast Corner of Ireland– Ireland is home to four different rivers that give you the ultimate rowing experience. The rivers include the Three Sisters – the rivers Barrow, Nore and Suir, which combine toward the southeast of Ireland and empty into a common bay. Another river, Blackwater River, has great mountain views and lush scenery. Between the four waterways you will experience all that Ireland has to offer. Picturesque scenes of snug villages and farms, tamed and relaxed wildlife, and enthusiastically vibrant people with an exceptional knowledge of Irish culture and history. Ireland’s southeast corner ensures that you will get a vibrant and culture filled rowing experience.

Lago Di Como – Bellagio, Italy – Between Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan, it might seem ridiculous to here a small town called Bellagio may be the most beautiful city in Italy. Bellagio, located in Lombardy, sits on a peninsula surrounded by the beautiful waters of Lago Di Como.  Lago Di Coma offers unparalleled views of charming villages, rolling hills, colorful architecture, vibrant gardens and even snow capped Alps in some directions. Known as the Bellagio short break, a portion of Lago Di Como offers short route to row down with nothing short of spectacular sights, adventure and relaxation.

Thames River–  The Thames is a top rowing destination for many rowers. It is the heart of the British rowing community. While the Thames hosts the country’s most elaborate and prestigious regattas, ideal for competition, the Thames is an excellent river to row through for leisure as well. The Lonely Planet, the renowned guidebook company, recently listed rowing River Thames as one of the world’s great adventures, describing it “like sitting on a conveyor belt watching living history pass you by on both banks”. Featuring views of the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Tower Bridge and many more architectural anchors of England, rowers will be astonished at all the sights that can be marveled at from your boat.

Maldives– If you’re looking for paradise, the Maldives is the place to do so. The Maldive Islands are located in the Indian Ocean and is composed of 26 island atolls. The Maldives, with its tropical weather and breathtaking beaches is home to some of the most beautiful stretches of coast in the world! Crystal clear beaches are ideal for hopping out and snorkeling during your row. World Rowing (FISA) has recently introduced rowing to the islands, bringing social and health benefits to the community and now the island is trying to make rowing one of their main attractions.   Since rowing is relatively new to the Maldives, rowing here offers an opportunity to row in regions that many have never seen before.

Lake Wheeler, Raleigh NC – Lake Wheeler serves as a secondary water supply in Raleigh, but even more than that, is an excellent waterway to row through. A beautiful and scenic lake that was constructed in 1956, Lake Wheeler covers 650 acres and is the primary choice of retiring rowers with their excellent rowing facilities and very agreeable weather. In fact, the surrounding areas feature six rowing clubs where you can retreat to for recreation or competitive rowing.

Charles River, Boston MA – Charles River flows through the heart of Boston and offers serene sights of the New England nature. Roughly 80 miles long, Charles River flows under some of the oldest and most historic bridges in the city and is even home to the world’s largest rowing competition, the Head of Charles, which draws in crowds from all over the world!

Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The Schuylkill runs from the Appalachians through the city of Philadelphia. It is a 135 miles long and flows through the entire city. It has long been the Mecca of American rowing as well as several prestigious rowing events and organizations, including Penn State’s rowing team. Boathouse row, a historic site located along the river, offers one of the most scenic rowing courses in the world.

James River – Richmond, Virginia – Originating in the Appalachian Mountains, the James River flows across the entire state of Virginia and serves as the state’s largest river. Known for hosting summer camps, weekend and nature getaways, and home to many family outing events, the James River is a great place to bring your kids and family as they provide numerous introductory courses for all ages, as well as numerous events and competitions throughout the year. In fact, Richmond was voted the number one river town in America by Outside Magazine in 2012.

Lady Bird Lake – Austin, Texas – Austin is a growing rowing mecca. Lady Bird Lake holds an area of 486 acres and a surface elevation of 130 meters. Home to almost 1,000 rowers, Austin prides itself in their well maintained fleet boats and their programs for juniors, masters, scullers and sweep rowers, especially given that Lady Bird Lake hosts 7 regattas a year.

HFR compiled a list of the top 10 sailing destinations to head to before you die. Make sure you’ve got your sunglasses and boat shoes on and prepare for a scenic view.

Thailand 

• Thailand offers towering limestone cliffs, sparkling and vivid lagoons, and unusually unique mangroves.
• Once here, you can experience Thailand’s marine and fishing culture and visit remote harbors and marinas
• Popular tourist destinations include Langkawi, the gateway to Malaysia. nicknamed the Island of Mysteries; and the archipelago of Ko Chang consisting of 52 small islands. South of Ko Chang is a protected marine park with renowned snorkeling and anchorages.

Greece

• Anchored on the Mediterranean, Greece’s 9,000 mile-long coastline and illustrious, clear water offers plenty of islands to sail between.
• The Greek coast is dotted with hidden bays and marinas while the mountainous and arid landscape makes for a backdrop worthy of the Greek gods themselves.
• The are five major sailing areas along Greece: the Cyclades, Sporades and Dodecanese, the Ionian sea, Crete, and the Aroglida and Saronic gulf.
• The local phenomenon called Meltemi – a dry, katabatic wind – makes sailing in Greece ideal during May and September.

Australia 

• The Great Barrier Reef is already famous for being one of the greatest wonders of the natural world, but sailing along the reef can provide you with an experience few visitors will experience from traditional, dry-land tours.
• While sailing, you can view the wildlife entirely unique to the Great Barrier Reef while enjoying the crystal blue waters.
• Sunsets along the reef are said to be unlike any other sunset, while night sailing can give you one of most majestic views in stargazing.

French Riviera 

• Known as the the Cote d’Azur to many and the French Riviera to others, this French coastline stretches along the Mediterranean from Marseilles to the Italian border.
• One of the most luxurious sailing spots, here you can participate in the yacht racing extravaganza Les Voiles de St. Tropez, rub elbows with the richest of the rich and the world’s socialites on Billionaire Row along Monaco, Cannes, and Antibes Harbors, and experience world-class beaches including Pampelonne Beach or Cavalaire-sur-Mer.
• The French Riviera is packed with quaint towns and harbors allowing you to experience small town life and luxury while on land.
• At sea, you are given an incredible french coast and its picturesque villages.

Croatia 

• With crystal-clear water for miles and thousands of unique islands to sail to, the yacht culture in Croatia is among one of the best in the world. So much so that Croatians wait all year for it to draw on tourism.
• Croatian sailing offers spectacular views including having a coastline dotted with crumbling castles, charming villages and spectacular scenes of natural environment.
• Subject to several strong winds as well as gale force gusts coming from the north and northwest
• Sail past the Sea Organ on the coast of Zadar: a marble stairway leading to the seashore. As waves push water under the stairs through metal pipes to make mellow, melodic tunes.

New Zealand 

• A country composed of many islands, sailing is one of the fundamental experiences of New Zealand culture and is even home to the locally designed P-class dinghy.
• North Island has some of the world’s top beaches, including Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty. In fact, Auckland, is sometimes referred to as the City of Sails.
• Off the east coast of the South Island is one of the only places in the world you can easily see sperm whales.

The Grenadines 

• With only 9 of the 32 islands inhabited, the Grenadines are an ideal place to experience a tropical getaway, especially if you’re looking to get away from torrential crowd of tourists.
• The aesthetic of the Grenadines features white sand beaches and tropical waters, while the wildlife includes turtle sanctuaries and iguanas. During the whale migration season, it wouldn’t be uncommon to frequently see whales swimming by.
• Sail by Port Elizabeth, where you can look at the beautiful shops lining the Admiralty Bay and the natural amphitheater in the hills behind them.
• Explore the coast and see the volcanic formations on St. Vincent
• The best reefs in the Grenadines are on the windward sides of Mayreau, Tobago Cays, and Union Island.

Zanzibar 

• Located on the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar is surrounded by warm, turquoise waters and white beaches and has a rich cultural blend of both Swahili and Islamic influence
• Sailing is a must on this island, and to truly experience it, consider sailing on the traditional wooden dhows
• Aside from sailing, tourist activities include scuba-diving, deep sea fishing, and kayaking.
• As for wildlife, there is an island that is a hub for bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales off the south coast of Zanzibar Island. One may find even find benign species of sharks just outside the reefs.

Montenegro 

• Montenegro has a huge sailing culture and celebrates sailing several times a year. Europe’s southernmost fjord has 180 miles of unspoiled coastlines and boasts 42,000 different species of fish.
• One of the places you can sail by in the Bay of Kotor is Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island home to the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks, originally built in 1632.

British Virgin Islands 

• The British Islands features vivid images you thought you could only see in travel magazines and photo editing software. The islands feature several picturesque beaches, including the Baths, the leading attraction located on the island of Virgin Gorda which includes grottos, small pools, and too-smooth-to-be-natural rocks and boulders.
• Chikuzen – The Wreck- is nine miles northwest of Virgin Gorda. This remote wreck site is  subject to unfavorable ocean conditions, but the 246-foot refrigeration ship is a hub for marine life including groups of snappers, grunts and jacks along with schooling barracudas.
• Other islands that separate the channel from the open Caribbean include Peter, Norman, Cooper, Salt, Ginger and Dead Chest. The Dog Islands are renowned for being marked by underwater topographists to include such wonders as underwater arches and canyons created after millenniums of erosion.
• Beyond sailing, tourists can engage in a variety of activities like scuba and deep sea diving to witness coral gardens along surrounding reefs, seamounts which rise from the ocean floor and the resting places of many shipwrecks, brought to the bottom of the sea in a mass graveyard of decaying driftwood and pirate treasure.

Interlaken, Switzerland

Sitting at the base of the Swiss Alps and in between Alpine lakes Thun and Brienz, skydiving in Interlaken has been rated as one of the most extraordinary locations to skydive.  Skydiving in Interlaken offers drops from either helicopter or plane and is noted to be one of the more affordable places to skydive while also allowing visitors to engage in other adventurous activities.  Skydiving in Interlaken allows divers to float over frosted mountain tops, deep blue lakes, waterfalls, valleys and villages giving visitors a remarkable view that is hard to forget.

Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

Dubai is quickly climbing to the top of the list for the most scenic places to skydive.  Ranking as number two, Dubai is praised by divers for the breathtaking view of the man-made peninsula extending out into the Persian Gulf. Dubai also houses one of the biggest international skydiving championships in the city-based area.  Skydive Dubai offers helicopter drops with a generous drop zone with an area size of 260,000m allowing divers to view the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.  After the adrenaline rush of the dive, visitors can also plunge in Arabian sea and enjoy the live night life that Dubai has to offer.

Mount Everest, Nepal

Claimed as the “holy grail” of places to skydive by dedicated skydivers, Mount Everest offers landing from the highest drop zone in the world measuring at 12,350ft.  Mount Everest can be known as the ultimate diving experience, however, it costs  a pretty penny to venture over this side of the Himalayas and bookings are done six months in advance.  Pricing at nearly $20,000 to dive, Mount Everest is definitely one of the most lavish places to skydive and may be reserved for for those who are looking to bring in their bucket list with a grand finale.

Wollongong, Sydney, Australia

Aside from the thrill and adrenaline rush of falling through the sky for nearly 14,000ft, the view is the most important element of skydiving.  Wollongong offers a miraculous view of the Australian coastline and also a full view of Sydney.  What better drop zone is there than on the beach?  Skydiving in Wollongong allows for divers to land directly on the beach with the option to take a refreshing swim afterwards.  While plummeting divers also may get the rare view of whales or dolphins swimming below in the water off the coastline.

Fox Glacier, New Zealand

With New Zealand being ranked as one of the most adventurous capitals of the world, Fox Glacier is naturally an ideal place to skydive.  With the Franz Josef Glaicer, the Tasman sea and various lakes, Fox Glacier divers get a view of the 8-mile long glacier and the pure beauty of a dazzling landscape.  Located on the West Coast of New, Zealand’s south island, diving instructors ensure that divers receive the adventure of a lifetime without breaking any pockets.

Victoria Falls, Zambia, Africa

Everyone loves a view of a sparkling waterfall making Victoria Falls an obvious choice to skydive. This unique spot gives divers a chance to view the world’s largest and tallest waterfall located on the Zambezi River.  With a lengthy dive of 25-minutes, divers get the chance to have an exclusive view of the waterfall, up close and personal, and may even be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a rainbow.

Hawaii

Notably,there is no designated location in Hawaii to choose to skydive because skydiving here allows for a view of the entire island. Looking forward to viewing Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Kaena Point and many more legendary sights in Hawaii, divers also get a chance to reduce their carbon footprint by flying in energy efficient planes.  Skydiving anywhere in Hawaii from Wailua to O’aha, divers free-fall from 13,000ft taking with the bona fide view of rain forests, mountains, and crystal waters from the clear blue Hawaiian sky.

Namib Desert, Namibia, Africa

Although a desert does not seem like the ideal view to enjoy while skydiving, past divers have claimed that the tan sand dunes vacant of any wild-life makes Namib desert a unique experience.  The scenery from the sky has been described as a dream-like and striking view.  Divers are able to see the intricate and compelling patterns that have been made in the sand from the dunes and also see the expansion of the never-ending African sky.  Diving tandem 10,000ft through the sky offers an exclusive experience that skydivers will never forget.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Also located on the south island of New Zealand, Queenstown houses the first profitable skydiving company in New Zealand.  Divers are taken up into the Queenstown sky known as Ranginui or the Maori Sky God and dropped with the chance of viewing the Remarkable’s mountain range which is surrounded by volcanoes, mud pools, and steamy lakes.

Santa Barbara, California

Being North America’s highest Tandem skydiving location, Santa Barbara is an ideal place for many to partake in and one of the most scenic skydiving locations out there.  Offering a picturesque layout of the Pacific Ocean and the California coast line, Santa Barbara is a great choice for first-time skydivers dropping them from 18,000ft high and allowing them to enjoy one of the most breathtaking views they may ever experience.

Read our Top 10 Health Benefits of Skydiving article and the Health Benefits of Skydiving

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

• Home of the world’s highest seaside peak
• Isolated mountain range in northern Colombia separated from the Andes by a low elevation area
• Wide variety of ecoregions, providing many challenging terrains like: beach, mountainous, tropical rainforest, marsh, and grassland.
• Not too far from civilization – The coastal city of Santa Marta would be a great base camp to begin at and return to after your adventure
• Elevation changes add to the challenge of the hiking experience

Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A

• Located in northwest Wyoming, also extending into Idaho & Montana
• Diverse landscape with cliffs, rivers, springs, fields, and mountains
• Known to be the most beautiful national park in America
• Dotted with volcanic regions and coated in volcanic rock from eruptions that have occurred over the past 2 million years
• Good location for orienteering because of its various terrains, including subalpine forest, rivers, cliffs/mountains, and flatlands.
• There are lots of tourist camps to navigate to
• The site is already mapped out extensively, making your experience easier
• Gorgeous landscapes that provide fantastical scenes as you hike

Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal

• Located in central Nepal, nestled between the folds of the Himalayan mountains
• Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, at 29,029 feet above sea level, so high that the entirety of the mountain is coated in ice and snow
• Drastic elevation differences, difficult navigation between the mountain ranges, and challenging weather conditions add to the fun of the orienteering adventure.
• The mountain peaks are snowy, while the ground is dry but very cold nearly year round
• Helpful locals, most of which know a bit of English (in case you get truly lost)

Inca Trail, Peru

• Located in the Andes mountains of Peru
• Popular attraction because of rich cultural history and gorgeous views from the high mountain peaks
• Good location for orienteering because there are several overlapping trails to travel on and navigate to, the challenging elevation changes provide for interesting hiking, and because the navigation is not excessively difficult because the trails are well marked

Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania

• Located in Tanzania right by the Kenyan border
• Mt. Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcanic landform with 3 volcanic peaks creating one massive mountain
• Elevation tops off at 19,341 ft above sea level, with the peaks cold and snowcapped and the area around being very warm and forested
• Tallest free-standing mountain in the world
• Variety of climates at different elevations providing for a diverse set of terrains, some rocky, some icy, and others grassy.
• A total of seven trekking route options you could use to guide your journey
• There are multiple peaks (volcanic cones) to navigate to and around at the summit

Yosemite National Park, U.S.A

• Park in eastern California
• Very popular site, attracting visitors from around the world to its breathtaking waterfalls, mountains, and ecologically diverse forests and prairies
• Various path options for both cycling and hiking by foot
• Many differing terrains, some flat and some steep, mountainous and rocky
• Elevation changes provide for an interesting, challenging experience for the body & mind

MacLehose Trail, Hong Kong

• Hiking route in southeastern China, covering a distance of around 100 km
• Less extreme elevation changes than the rest of the sites on the list
• Distance markers along the way can act as checkpoints on your journey
• You can go off-trail for the orienteering trip and then get back on to navigate along the way
• This trail has incredibly beautiful, mystical views like none other in the world

Chugach State Park, U.S.A.

• Located in southern Alaska
• One of the 4 largest parks in the U.S.
• Bordered by the seashore on one side and mountains on the other, the rocky terrain is extremely diverse with lakes, glaciers, flatlands, and hills
• Good location for orienteering because each destination you navigate to could be in a completely different ecological ecosystem
• Extremely diverse park with extensive attractions, all different and all breathtaking

Overland Track, Australia

• Australia’s most prized park
• Located in Tasmania
• Ever-changing temperatures, fluctuating from hot to sub-zero add extra challenges to the hike
• When exploring, you may encounter a variety of wildlife native to Australia only, like quolls, wombats, and tasmanian devils
• Can make stops at huts along the way for a multiple-day trip, especially to stay warm during the cool nights

El Lucero, Spain

• Located in the Sierra de Almijara range in the south of Spain
• Known to be the most beautiful peak in the range and is a Spanish icon
• The least challenging site on this list, this mountain could be ventured by any reasonably fit individual who stays hydrated and takes care
• The dry, rocky environment you will experience here will give you a great representative image of the Spanish countryside

Izetbegović is the leader of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and son of the first Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegović. In 2010, he was elected to the post of Bosniak member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in 2014 he was elected to his second term in the presidency.

Bakir Izetbegović entered politics in 2000 and after serving in two regional assemblies was elected to the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006. In May 2015, he was elected as president of the Party of Democratic Action.

From 1991 to 2003 he served as director of the Construction Institute of the Sarajevo Canton. He became the Deputy Head of the SDA Caucus in the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton in 2000, a position he continued to progressively undertake at higher levels – at the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament from 2002 to 2006, and at the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2006 to 2010. He also became the Chairperson of the Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Izetbegović has been a member of the SDA Presidency since 2002 and a member of the party since its foundation in 1990. At the general election held in October 2010 he was elected as member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Bosniak people. In October 2014 he was reelected to the position. According to the BiH Presidency rotation system, Izetbegović took over as Chair of the BiH Presidency in mid March 2016.

• Outdoors – Spending time outdoors, basking in nature, breathing fresh air and enjoying a great view. The pure air invigorates you and leaves you feeling rejuvenated. For those with respiratory disorders, breathing clean air helps clear the lungs.
• Family bonding – Spending time with family is always a great bonding experience. In the fast-paced, urbane lifestyle of today there is often limited time for maintaining relationships with some of the most important people in your life. Staying engaged with your family and friends can help build stronger bonds and foster warmth, security and love, as well as feelings of belonging.

• Enables communication – Since picnics often take place in warm environments, the tendency to participate in relaxing small talk is high. Simply keeping updated on what is going on in other people’s lives and learning what their plans can improve relationships. Conversations during the meal provide opportunities for the party to bond, plan, connect and learn from one another.
• Grants time for self-reflection – While picnics offer many social benefits, you don’t have to spend the entire time chatting up a storm. Picnics offer an excellent opportunity for you to spend time meditating about your life, the decisions you have made and the decisions you will make.
• Foster healthy eating habits – Meals prepared and eaten at home are usually more nutritious and healthy than eating out and particularly so for when you bring food for a picnic. The typical portrait of picnics present a wicker basket full of fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains. These foods provide nutrients such as fiber, calcium and essential vitamins.
• Stay active: Regular picnics can foster a family ritual where young ones are introduced to sports, games, and nature and encourages adults to partake in physical activities as well. Mini games between family and friends like tug-of-war, 2-hand-touch or flag football and kickball can be played before a meal to help induce a feeling of achievement prior to a well-deserved meal, while playing more casual games like horseshoes and bean bag toss can serve as a relaxing but still active activity. Even consuming the healthy food usually provided at picnics keeps you energetic and active through the day.
• Mood booster – Eating lunch outdoors is a natural mood booster. You can be amazed how much the lack of sun in your body can affect you mood. There’s something about fresh air, sunshine, or a nice breeze that just puts you in good mood and motivates you making you want to get some exercise.
• Relieves stress – Picnics are a great stress buster as it helps reduce the stress and anxiety related to work and home. Being an adult isn’t always easy and it’s great to be able to ease up on the responsibility from time to time by lounging in the sunlight.
• Builds stronger bones – The vitamin D we get from the sun is needed for maximum absorption of calcium from the intestine, which helps build strong bones and teeth. Getting enough vitamin D can help you reduce your chances of getting bone deterioration diseases like osteoporosis. For children, regular sun exposure helps increase the process of growth and height and can decrease the risk of rickets. The sun also provides benefits to your skin by providing a nice, warm, sun-kissed glow.
• Saves money – Picnics are known to be quite inexpressive. All one has to do is prepare meals at home and head out to a park or picnic area. If you have a well-stocked refrigerator and pantry, you may not even have to spend a cent!

If you enjoy being outdoors, please read our articles:

The Health Benefits of Relaxing in Nature

Top 10 Health Benefits of Trekking/backpacking

Top 10 Health Benefits of Hiking

Read more of our Top 10 Articles 

Here are the social and mental benefits of Horse ownership by the author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

It’s obvious that the physical benefits of owning a horse are many, due to all the labor involved in maintaining the horse and its barn. But what you may not know is that the mental benefits are just as plentiful, especially for young people, because they develop confidence and self-esteem. The benefits of horse ownership are myriad, and you can read about them here!

One of the greatest benefits is in stress reduction. Studies have shown that the bonding that occurs between owners and their pets can reduce high blood pressure. Since horses also require grooming and daily maintenance, spending time with the horse can lead to a reduction in stress levels. The meditative qualities of daily, but low stress, upkeep of horses – such as grooming and washing – provide therapeutic benefits that aid in the decrease of stress levels.

There are so many mental benefits to horseback riding. Not only do you really learn about yourself as you experience time on a horse, but it can also have a meditative effect because for the time being, the only focus is on riding and staying on the horse. While horseback riding is a great exercise, there is a real benefit in the connection with the animal and the peace of mind that comes with every ride.

When it comes to building confidence, horse ownership is invaluable. You are in a partnership, where you are expected to be the leader. Nothing builds self confidence better than “leadership training.” Another thought to ponder on: you are going to direct this 1,000-pound animal through every single move and step. And then train it to follow you. And when the horse does something out of line, you are responsible for administering the proper discipline. That’s a form of empowerment that’s only found working with large animals.

But just as it builds confidence, another of the benefits of horse ownership is that it can also teach humility. Horses will teach you that you’re going to be wrong sometimes. You didn’t ride that move quite right, your legs slipped back and that’s why you fell off. Nobody made you fall off but yourself. It’s never the horse’s fault. In every situation with horses, you learn to handle mistakes and get better. They teach you that you are never done learning. Every rider understands this very quickly.

Owning a horse can also help train your brain to think creatively. On a daily basis, you will be faced with training challenges. It will force you to think creatively about how to train the horse and how to solve a particular problem. If something worked in the last lesson, but it’s not working now, what else can you try? How else can you solve this issue? All of this active participation in learning how to ride, how to train and what to do when a challenge emerges will help in a professional setting. It’s all about self-awareness.

It’s also beneficial for your social life. Due to the finer points involved in horse ownership, equine enthusiasts naturally bond with one another and are able to discuss various topics involving their horse. Eventually this will blossom into a friendship, or at the very least, a very familiar acquaintanceship.

Please read our article on The Health Benefits of Horseback Riding, Health Tips We Can Learn From Horses, and the Top 10 Health Benefits of Owning a Horse.

Read more of our Top 10 articles.

Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!

Martial art training serves as a vehicle to instill the values and skills necessary to combat the peer pressures associated with at risk behaviors. The core philosophy of Martial Arts stresses the vital importance of a healthy mind and body necessary to lead a productive life.

On August 16, 1992, the KICKSTART KIDS foundation was formed by Mr. Chuck Norris. He wanted to provide an effective martial arts program that would teach kids all the valiant traits the martial arts has to offer. Today both Mr. and Mrs. Norris consider KICKSTART KIDS their greatest mission in life and are our greatest supporters.

Featured in this festival will be Damir Catic’s short film The Lost, about a couple lost in the woods after their car broke down. running away from looming storm they found the refuge in an abandoned house that hide a sinister secret. It is part of the “Channeling Anthology Of Terror” (Still in production).

Damir Catic is not only a very talented screenwriter and director, he is also a longtime friend of Health Fitness Revolution founder Samir Becic.

To support the local arts, please go see The Lost and other films at the Houston International Film and Video Festival.

The screenings for The Lost are:

7:00 PM, Tuesday the 14th | Tickets
Evening Program #14: Local Shorts
3:00 PM, Sunday the 19th | Tickets
Matinee Program #25: Local Shorts
3:00 PM, Sunday the 12th | Tickets
Matinee Program #12: Horror and Thriller Shorts

Runtime: 22:19 | English | United States

The ALS challenge is a very important way to raise money for the charity, and it is a part of a healthy lifestyle we support. Everyone should come together to support this very important event and realize is relation to promoting health across the world.

Samir has donated to the cause in addition to the doing the challenge, to donate to ALS, please visit http://www.alsa.org/donate/

http://youtu.be/H2Ehc3-2vng

Here are Health Fitness Revolution‘s 10 Easy Ways to Be More Active:

• Drink plenty of water:  We wrote about the benefits of water here and we are not exaggerating when we reiterate it’s importance in maintaining your energy levels and being active! Also, staying well hydrated may also reduce feelings of hunger, and can often reduce chronic back pain. So this is really a win-win.

• Take the Stairs as Often as You Can: Even if it’s 10 floors, you will be better off for it.  If you have to go up or down a distance that is too great for you to walk at the moment, walk the first few flights, then take the elevator the rest of the way. Remember, every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, you are making a decision that will positively affect your long term health.

• Park as Far From the Front Door as Possible:  Whether you’re at the mall, work, or school, parking the car at the edge of the parking lot forces you to walk just a little bit further than you are used to. It will only add a few seconds to your trip, but if you do it everyday it could add years to your life.  Also, the further you park, the less likely your car will get dinged!

• Clean Your House Thoroughly: Cleaning involves plenty of walking, lifting, and stretching – all of which are very good for your body.

• Garden: Yard work and gardening are great because not only do they increase your physical activity, but it also gives you an excuse to be outside. Pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedge, and raking leaves are all very physically taxing and like cleaning, they use a range of muscle groups.

• Cancel your Cable over the Summer:  Time spent watching TV is directly correlated with disease. It’s not surprising when you think about it – the only time that most kids aren’t moving around is when they’re sitting in front of the TV. Taking away cable leaves more time for family activities, sports, reading, and healthy hobbies.

• Ride Your Bike instead of Driving: When you can, take your bike to get some groceries, or to your local cafe for an active, carbon-footprint free change.

• Have “walk-meetings”:  Consider taking half your lunch break to go for a walk either alone or with someone else you work with. It will help wake you up for the afternoon, as well as giving you a chance to chat with your co-workers.  Whenever you have to meet informally with co-workers, turn the meeting into a short walk. If it takes 5 minutes to discuss the project you are working on, that means you just got 5 extra minutes of physical activity!

• Go for a Family Walk after Every Dinner:  This includes the dog!  It doesn’t have to be far, just around the neighborhood… It’s another chance to spend some time together, get outside, and get some exercise all at the same time.

This country was founded on an idea- an idea of freedom. Not only did this become the law, but also a state of mind that no barriers-except what the individual puts up- can keep a person down. There are and will be obstacles to achieving what one desires, but anything can be overcome with time and effort.

With this idea of equality, our nation has been tested time and time again. It has taken a civil war, various violent encounters and social stigma, terrorism, and big changes. It has not been easy, but as we celebrate another year of freedom, we can reminisce about the good times, opportunities, and happiness we have access to in America.

Fast forward 200 years from July 4th, 1776 to July 4th 1976, and our founder, Samir Becic was born!  Here at Health Fitness Revolution, we like to call him the bicentennial American, because although he was born in Bosnia, fate gave him the same birthday as America- July 4th!  Samir came to the U.S. as soon as he could with his dreams, determination, and vision.  This is the country that inspired him to start the Health Fitness Revolution- because as wonderful as America is, we are plagued with an obesity epidemic that can be avoided and treated at its root- through diet and exercise. Samir truly believes that if any nation can become a leader in healthy lifestyle- it’s the U.S!

Samir believes in the same ideals of our founding fathers and uses the ideal of freedom behind everything he does- especially when it come to the Health Fitness Revolution.  True health gives us a freedom to live our destinies free from disease, and allows to accomplish our dreams.  As he always says, America is one of the greatest nations in the world and should be the healthiest nation in the world—the model for healthy living around the globe. But the unhealthy lifestyle of many Americans and the alarming rates of obesity among youth prove otherwise. Everyday he wakes up with the drive and passion to make life better, and healthier, for all of us- regardless of where we are.

The Health Fitness Revolution Team wants to wish Samir a very happy birthday and thank him for all his hard work and dedication to making America the healthiest- and best- it can be!  To many more years of happiness, progress, health, fitness, and REVOLUTION!  We all toast (and pushup!) for Samir today!

Have a Happy and Healthy Independence Day America!

Bosnian Pyramids in Houston

Dr. Sam Osmanagich is speaking Friday, June 27th from 7:00-9:30pm at the A.R.E Center at 7800 Amelia Rd. Houston, TX 77055

Dr. Osmanagich was contacted in April 2005 by a Visoko Museum director, Senad Hodović, and began an investigation of Visocica hill. He subsequently wrote a book promoting the claim that it was the remains of an ancient pyramid, which he claimed was one of five colossal stone structures in the shape of the pyramid with an extensive pre-historical underground tunnel network. He named those structures “Bosnian pyramids”, and established a charitable foundation, the “Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun”, to fund the promotion and investigation of the site.

Learn about the mysterious pyramids of Bosnia and the underground tunnel networks, the most fascinating archeological discovery of the new millennium!

$25 at the door

For more information about Dr. Sam and the pyramids please visit www.bosnianpyramidlecture.com

For more info about the Bosnian pyramids and this event contact Sharon Prince at sharonprince444@gmail.com

Jet Lag

Jet lag is the result of travelling across several times zones, causing symptoms like fatigue and sleep disruption. Our biological clock is attuned to the day-night cycle of the start of our journey, so when we travel to a different time zone quickly, as we do when flying, our body is still functioning as if we were in the time zone we have left behind. It can take anything between 2 days and 2 weeks for it to adjust completely to the new time zone, depending on how far you have travelled.

Also, you may find that different body rhythms adjust at different rates. For example, digestion can adapt more quickly than sleep.



Here are some tips to minimize the effects of jet lag:

• Set your watch to the time zone of your destination before you depart.
• If you are flying WEST (eg Paris to Vancouver, Bangkok to London): stay awake as long as you can when you get there. It is easier to endure a longer day that it is to shorten your body’s natural rhythm. Also, if you can, try going to bed and getting up later for a few days before you travel.
• If you are flying EAST (eg Mexico City to Frankfurt, Johannesburg to Sydney): try to sleep on the plane while it is night time at your destination. When you arrive, try not to sleep during the day, or it will take longer for your body clock to change to the new time zone. You can also prepare for the adjustment by getting up and going to bed earlier for a few days before you travel.
• When you arrive at your destination, get into the local routine as soon as possible.
• At your destination, try to stay outside during daylight as much as you can (while being sensible about sun exposure and sunburn risk), because natural light helps your body clock to adjust.
• If you have travelled west, go outdoors in the morning and stay indoors in the afternoon for the first few days: if you have travelled east, avoid morning light and try to get more outdoor light in the afternoon.
• If you are going on a short trip, for instance if you are a member of aircrew or a business person going to a meeting, then it doesn’t make sense to try and adapt to the local time zone, you are probably best advised to keep to your home time zone.
• If your business meeting is very important, getting there a half or full day early will give you more time to adapt and be fully alert. Alternatively, try to schedule it to coincide with daytime in your home time zone.

Some research has found that taking Melatonin at bedtime in the new time zone is effective for about 50% of people, but clinical studies have not yet been done to prove it is safe and effective and at what dose. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) the UK’s specialist aviation regulator, aircrew are not allowed to use it. Melatonin is a hormone that is stimulated by darkness and suppressed when it is light.

Some people swear by sleeping tablets, but healthcare provider BUPA warns you should first talk to your doctor before using them on flights and for jet lag. He or she may advise you take them just for a couple of days while your body clock adjusts. But you shouldn’t take them in flight because this will encourage you to sit still for too long which increases the risk of DVT (more about this later). Also, you should not drink alcohol when taking sleeping tablets, as this can make you even sleepier and therefore less mobile.

Comfort and Sleep

Many people find it difficult to sleep on a plane, and no wonder, when you consider all the distractions, noises, children crying, light streaming in through the window (daylight is very bright at 35,000 feet!), and to cap it all, you don’t have enough leg room, you feel cold, your shoes are too tight, and it’s not easy to sleep upright!

Well, even with these disadvantages stacked against you, the following tips may ease in enough comfort to enable you grab a few hours of good sleep on your next long haul flight:

• Choose your seat wisely. This advice comes from the editor of independenttraveler.com, who suggests you pick a window seat so you can lean against it (it also gives you control over the sunshade!) and stay out of the way of people climbing over you or going up and down the aisle and leaning into or falling against you just as you are dropping off.
• Also, think twice about reserving exit row and bulkhead seats, sometimes the advantage of extra legroom is outweighed by armrests that don’t raise and seats that don’t recline (so they don’t cause an obstruction in an emergency). This could also be a noisy section of the airplane as these seats are often reserved for families with young children.
• The same goes for the last row: the seats may not recline and if they are near the toilets, you could be troubled by noise and smell!
• Check out Seat Guru from tripadvisor: tap in the flight number and you can see the layout of the plane and review advice on the pros and cons of different seating areas.
• Take only one small bag as hand luggage, so you don’t have to jam one under your feet and restrict your legroom. Keep all the things you are going to need on the flight at the top of the bag, and put a few in the pocket of the seat in front, but not too many or the flight attendant may ask you to remove them if they bulge out and potentially obstruct passenger evacuation.
• Bring a neck pillow, an eye mask for blocking out light, and warm socks (it can get chilly down near the feet during a long haul flight).
• Some people don’t find neck pillows very comfortable: try out a few. Some of the ones you blow up have an annoying seam that sticks into your skin when your head flops over! Those velvety, already-blown-up ones seem better, but try them out first.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing and go for layers that you can peel off easily when you get too warm or put on again if you get cold, for example a loose long sleeved T-shirt and a body warmer might be more practical than a jumper.
• Wear comfortable soft shoes that you can slip on and off easily: your feet will swell during the flight.
• Board early to make sure you get your pillow and blanket: if there isn’t one for your seat, tell the flight attendant and get your claim in early!
• If you are someone who can’t sleep after drinking caffeine, then stay off it for a few hours before and during the flight. Remember that some soft drinks and tea also have caffeine.

Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)

A DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein, commonly in the legs. It is life-threatening because a piece of the clot can break off and travel to the lungs where it can cause a pulmonary embolism (a blockage of a main artery to the lung).

There has been a lot of controversy about whether flying by plane, especially on long haul journeys, raises the risk of DVT. The jury is still out about this to some extent, but several studies done as part of Phase I of the World Health Organization’s Research Into Global Hazards of Travel (the WRIGHT project) suggest that the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE, of which DVT is an example) may double after 4 hours of flying. The main cause appears to be prolonged immobility, so there is also the same risk if you sit for long periods on a long car, train or bus journey, or even at home or the office.

The longer the period of prolonged seated immobility, the higher the risk, and there is a tendency for longer flights to carry a higher risk of DVT than shorter flights for this reason. The risk also goes up with multiple flights within a short period.

The risk is raised significantly in the presence of other known risk factors for DVT, which are: being over 40, having had a DVT or blood clot in the lung before, having a history of blood clots in the family, hormonal effects of being pregnant or being on HRT or using oral contraceptives. Recent surgery or trauma, and also many types of cancer can also raise DVT risk.

The WRIGHT project found that the absolute risk of VTE per flight of more than four hours, in a cohort of healthy individuals, was 1 in 6,000.

There is some evidence that compression stockings can reduce risk of DVT in passengers on long haul flights. These are routinely used in hospital, where patients share some similar characteristics to long haul passengers: they can become dehydrated, breathe in air of low humidity, and tend to be immobile for long periods.

The CAA also recommends drinking “adequate amounts of non-alcoholic beverages” on long flights to reduce risk of DVT. There have been discussions about the pros and cons of using aspirin as a way to reduce risk of DVT, but the CAA advises against it: “the balance between benefit and harm is not in favour of aspirin and thus its routine use cannot be recommended”, they say in their website’s FAQ section on DVT.

Exercises

So how do you reduce your risk of DVT when flying? Well, the same way as you reduce your risk on the ground: avoid immobility, get up and walk around from time to time, and keep physically active. This can be a challenge on a crowded plane, but it is not as difficult as you might think.

Exercise not only reduces your risk of DVT, it also has other benefits, such as reducing aches and pains, relieving stress and boredom, and inducing better quality sleep. Many airlines now show suggested exercises and stretches in their On Board Information. Click here to see one of the more comprehensive ones, from TAP, the Portuguese airline.

Matthew Eaves, film maker, globe trotter and author of a book of tips on how to survive a long haul flight says “drink a bottle of water every hour; leave your seat every hour and walk up and down the plane”.



Exercises you can do to relieve aching legs as well as reduce clotting risk are rotating the ankles, pushing down alternately with heels and toes, standing calf raises (go to a corner near the toilets or the galley to do these), alternately tensing and relaxing parts of the legs (working upwards from feet to thighs and hips then down again).

The back is a part of the body that often aches after a few hours flying. A good back stretch is to bring your chest down to meet your thighs while seated. Elongate the spine and hold for 5 seconds, then gently sit back upright. Repeat two or three times, and do it every hour or so.

Here’s a tip from bodybuilders for the arms. Hold them out straight out in front of you, with the hands relaxed downwards. Then tense the whole of the arms and make hard fistballs with the hands. Hold for a couple of seconds, then suddenly open the fingers, until the hands are stretched out like dried starfish, then close again, hard. Repeat a few times.

Here’s one for the shoulders: sit up straight, clasp hands behind the head with elbows out to the sides. Gently pull the elbows backwards while bringing the shoulder blades down and together. This is probably not one to do in your seat as you may poke your neighbours in the eye.

And finally, one for the neck: again, clasp hands behind the head and gently pull the head down onto your chest while keeping spine stretched up. Keep pulling gently until you feel the stretch at the back of the neck into the shoulders. Hold for a few seconds and repeat.

Fear of Flying

There are millions of people who have anxiety and panic attacks about flying. Fear of flying is the third most common phobia after fear of snakes and spiders. Sometimes it arises from a bad flying experience, or an emotional reaction to news about hijacking or a plane crash. It can also be triggered by claustrophobia, concern about heights, loss of control, and fear of the unknown.



If you are afraid of flying, then perhaps consider going on a course. Some airlines actually run courses that combine behavioral techniques and education about aircraft, such as the different noises they make and what causes turbulence, one of the things that can cause distress. Some of the courses also finish with a flight, under carefully controlled conditions. The CAA says research has shown that such courses are effective and that the benefit may be sustained.

Fear of Flying Help is a free online course by currently flying Airline Captain Stacey Chance that offers educational material and practical suggestions. For example in Chapter 4, Dr Arnold Bennett of MIT, gives a plausible argument for persuading you that air travel is safer than many other ways of travelling. He also discusses how news media coverage can make air accidents appear to be more frequent than they really are, and gives tips on overcoming fear of flying, such as exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and getting plenty of sleep to increase your resilience and reduce vulnerability to stress.

Another tip commonly given on courses is, once you are on board, rather than dwell on your fear and let anxious thoughts dominate, try to distract yourself by chatting to other passengers, watching the in-flight movie, eating, reading, or listening to your portable music player.

A tip I have found useful to control anxiety in stressful situations is breathing relaxation. We tend to forget about breathing, it happens automatically, but it is a powerful relaxation tool that we carry with us wherever we go. If you feel yourself getting anxious, notice your breath, it is interesting how anxiety and shallow, quick breathing often go together. You can make yourself calmer by focusing your attention on your breathing, and just gently pushing the anxious thoughts to one side. Feel how your lower chest cavity swells as you gently inhale with the bottom of your lungs. Then feel it go in as you exhale. Don’t try to time your breaths, just breath gently, slowly, deeply, naturally. 

You could also consider telling the cabin crew that you are nervous about flying – many are trained to deal with this and can reassure you about strange sounds and other unexpected things that might make you anxious. 

Traveldoctor.co.uk says if you are thinking of taking a tranquilliser before flying, you should remember that many of them do not mix well with alcohol.

Originally published on Medical News Today

Many people believe that the No. 1 secret to maintaining a healthy relationship is having good communication skills. If you’re in an intimate relationship and feel that you could improve in this area, here are some ways to keep the communication — and the relationship — flowing.

People in loving, supportive relationships tend to have fewer health problems.

Show your partner what you want to receive.

Makes You More Social

© Images Bazaar

A lot of people face problems being social at parties where they are not as well acquainted as they are within their own circuit. Traveling exposes you to hoi polloi coming from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This exposure can help you get rid of your socializing scares.

Grooms Your Planning Skills

© Shutterstock

Reaching your planned destination just in time makes you feel good, right? Travel, for the majority of us, is about planning in advance; travelers are considered very good planners. Regular travelers not only good at making travel logs but slowly and steadily planning becomes a habit and becomes more evident in your daily routine as well.

Gives You The “Bring It On” Attitude

© Images Bazaar

You never know what may come your way when you are out jaunting a never before visited place, but you are ready to take it anyways. While traveling you naturally tend to mould yourself according to the situation you find yourself landed into. So if you are a consistent traveler, you might adapt yourself to daily situations with ease and brace yourself for the unexpected.

Makes You More Patient

© Shutterstock

Missing a flight, bus or train is commonplace when you travel. But, the wait that comes as repercussion of your leniency is the wait for the next trip. Consistent waiting patches tests your patience, and if looking at the brighter side; it makes you patient. And as they say – patience is virtue!

Makes You Multi-Culturist

© Images Bazaar

A lot of people face culture shocks when traveling abroad, but let it not hinder you. Constant brushes with different cultures, customs and rituals introduces to various aspects of life. Different cultures and customs teach you new things and enlighten you about the diversity of human nature.

Originally published on MensXP

There is such a thing as old emotional pain living inside you. It is an accumulation of painful life experience that was not fully faced and accepted in the moment it arose. It leaves behind an energy form of emotional pain. It comes together with other energy forms from other instances, and so after some years you have a “painbody,” an energy entity consisting of old emotion.

It lives in human beings, and it is the emotional aspect of egoic consciousness. When the ego is amplified by the emotion of the painbody, the ego has enormous strength still — particularly at those times. It requires very great presence so that you can be there as the space also for your painbody, when it arises.

That is everybody’s job here — to be there, to recognize the painbody when it shifts from dormant to active, when something triggers a very strong emotional reaction. At that moment, when it does take over your mind, the internal dialogue, which is dysfunctional at the best of times, now becomes the voice of the painbody talking to you internally. Everything it says is deeply colored by the old, painful emotion of the painbody. Every interpretation, everything it says, every judgment about your life, about other people, about a situation you are in, will be totally distorted by the old emotional pain.

If you are not there as the space for it, you are identified with the painbody and you believe every negative thought that it is telling you. If you are alone, the painbody will feed on every negative thought that arises, and get more energy. That’s why it’s become active — after it does that for a while, you can’t stop thinking, at night, or whenever it is. The painbody is feeding, and after a few hours, it’s had enough. You feel a little depleted. And then it happens again a few weeks later, or few days later.

The painbody would feel even better if it could feed on somebody else’s reaction. Your partner would be a favorite person. And it will, if there is somebody around, or family situations. Our pain bodies love families. And it will just provoke this person, your partner or whoever it is. The painbody knows exactly what the thing is that will trigger a negative response. Then it says the thing that is going to really hurt you. And of course, if you are not absolutely present in that moment, then immediately you will react. And the painbody loves it! Give me more drama, please!

Both painbodies are now awake, and feeding on each other. Then, a few hours later, or the next day, the painbodies no longer need it. They are full, they have replenished themselves. And you can look at each other and say, “What was that all about?” In some cases, you may not even remember how it all started. This huge drama started somewhere, and then one thing led to another. Wasn’t it the same two weeks ago?

Can we be present and see if next time we can catch it at its early stage, so that we don’t get drawn in totally?

Can we both endeavor to be present for each other, and for ourselves?

See if we can see the first signs of the painbody — either in ourselves, or in the other. Immediately realize it, be the space for it, and if possible — even voice it to your partner and say “My painbody got triggered when you said that.”

Often, little situations trigger enormous reactions. Be there, present for it. Your partner will find it easier to see it in you, and you will find it easier to see it in them. Whether or not you can tell your partner that his or her painbody has become activated depends on the degree to which your partner has already been taken over by it. If you catch it at a very early stage, then some remnant of Consciousness will still be there in your partner and that remnant will be hearing you when you say, “Could that be your painbody?” It has to be phrased very carefully. You may want to add, “Do you remember our agreement?”

If there is still a remnant of Consciousness then that will be listening to you, and your partner will be able to be there as the space for his or her painbody. If there is no remnant of Consciousness in your partner, you will be talking to the painbody, and the painbody does not like to hear about the painbody. Of course, it will deny any such thing. “My painbody? Look at yours!”

So, what do you do? Can I be the space for that? While the partner is there, be the space for that. When you are the space for something, it does not necessarily mean that you have to stay there. You can be the space, and then remove yourself. Self observation – this is why being in the body is an important part of this. Feel the inner body as often as you can. When an old emotion arises, it will be easier to be present as it arises.

If you are present, the painbody cannot feed anymore on your thoughts, or on other people’s reactions. You can simply observe it, and be the witness, be the space for it. Then gradually, its energy will decrease.

Originally published on Huffington Post

But compassion is having a tough time in the age of the internet. We’re more connected than ever, but also more distracted. We answer e-mail while talking on the phone, text one friend while having dinner with another. Such multitasking erodes awareness, a key component of compassion.

Trolls can terrorize the internet, as well as Bilbo Baggins. (Tristan Schmurr/Flickr)

Distraction isn’t the worst of it. Internet trolls fill the web with flame wars, offensive YouTube comments and bullying. For the most part, trolls aren’t psychopaths, just ordinary people who act like jerks online. Psychologist John Suler described the phenomenon in 2007, attributing it to a combination of factors such as physical invisibility and anonymity.

The emotional disconnect caused by technological connection is a thorny problem. And if anyone loves to solve problems, it’s Silicon Valley engineers.

Coding Compassion Into the Internet

“Technology isn’t the end; it’s the means to a greater end,” says Danae Ringelmann, co-founder of Indiegogo. She described how the crowdfunding platform has been used to give gifts and right wrongs at Wisdom 2.0, an annual Bay Area conference about integrating kindness and mindfulness with business and technology.

Speakers at this year’s gathering (February 14-17 at the San Francisco Marriot Marquis) included a Benedictine monk, the CEO of Zappos.com, a VP from Google and Alanis Morissette. It’s not just talk—a past conference inspired changes in Facebook to help users work out interpersonal problems.

Wisdom 2.0 has blossomed from a few hundred people at its inaugural meeting in 2010 to a few thousand in 2014. San Francisco, once famed for its hippie culture of love, yoga and drugs, now appears to be the epicenter for a “second wave” of interest in love, yoga—and tech.

The Science of Doing Good

In 2008, Stanford University School of Medicine founded the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research Education, aiming to study basic human goodness with scientific rigor. Researchers developed a 9-week Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) program, which includes meditation and practicing compassion for yourself and for others.

Does it work?

A team led by researcher Hooria Jazaieri conducted a randomized controlled trial with 100 subjects and found that the training did indeed increase compassion. Not only that, but it enhanced happiness and decreased worry. Their findings were published in February in the journal Motivation and Emotion.

“Given the emphasis in CCT on focusing on the suffering of oneself and others, the increases in happiness associated with CCT may seem paradoxical,” they wrote. They speculated that the boost could be due to participants learning to be simply aware of suffering, without trying to suppress it or ruminate on it. Participants are also taught to cultivate a desire to help, which might bolster their opinion of their own competence.

Technology has tremendous power to connect, not just distract (JR_Paris/Flickr)

Future studies could test exactly what it is about compassion that makes people happier, but the mere fact that it does is both encouragement for the future and explanation for the present. Even on the internet, the troll-creating online disinhibition effect is not always toxic—as Suler wrote, people can also “show unusual acts of kindness and generosity, sometimes going out of their way to help others.” Ringelmann offered the example of an Indiegogo campaign to give a vacation to a woman who had been bullied at her job. The funding goal was exceeded a hundred times over.

Perhaps one day these “internet elves” will outnumber the trolls.

Originally published on KQED

Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Hawaii 

Thanks to the offshore reef, this location is ideal for families. The Beach is accessible by boat. This beach is named after the famous Olympic gold medalist Duke Kahanamoku, who made surfing popular.

Climate: Most days in the year the temperature is between 75°F and 85°F with light breezes.  The temperature of the ocean varies from a summertime high of approximately 82°F, to a low of about 76°F during the coolest winter months.

Cape Florida State Park Key Biscayne, Florida 

Being one of the few places on the east coast where you can see the sunrise and sunset, this location has great clear water and a gentle surf. Cape Florida is well famous for its Cape Florida Lighthouse.

Climate: There are 248 sunny days per year in Key Biscayne, FL. The Summer high is around 87°F degrees. The Winter low is 63°F.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 

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Great vacation spot for the summer.  Myrtle Beach offers great summertime activities as, waterparks, amusement parks, restaurants, and live entertainment. With a nice stretch of silky white sand it makes it ideal for surfing, sailing, fishing, swimming, and sunbathing.

Climate: Average daytime highs range from 57 to 61°F (14 – 16°C) and nighttime lows are in the 36 to 38°F (2 – 3°C) from December through February. The Spring (March and April) and Fall (October and November) months are normally mild and sunny in Myrtle Beach, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s. The beach season in Myrtle Beach normally runs from late April through late October. The summer season (June through early October) is hot and humid in Myrtle Beach. Average daytime highs are from 83 to 91°F (28 to 33°C) and average night-time lows are near 70°F (21°C).

Hamoa Beach Maui, Hawaii 

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Being famous for great scenic views on the road towards Hamoa Beach. This Location has nice coral and lava sand, it is in a volcanic crater, and nice palms and lust and flowering plants surrounding it.

Climate: Most days the temperature is between 75°F and 85°F with light breezes. The temperature of the ocean varies from a summertime high of approximately 82°F, to a low of about 76°F during the coolest winter months.

Main Beach East Hampton, New York

Known as the Hamptons, playground of New York. This Eastern long island is known for being one of the sexiest and fittest beaches in the U.S. This location also has a well trained team of lifeguard on site.

Climate: The July high is around 80°F degrees. The January low is 24°F.

Coast Guard Beach Eastham Cape cod Massachusetts 

Known for its geological history and the former coast guard station. The pilgrims and The Native Americans hat their first encounter across the peninsula.

Climate: Because the sand is relatively coarse and the water temperatures top out at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, most bathers take just a quick dip. However, Cape Cod falls below the 72 °F (22 °C) threshold, as the warmest month, July, averages around 68.25 °F (20.14 °C).

Coronado Central Beach, Coronado California

A great location to visit year round. During the summer tide poolers, bodysurfers, boogie boarders, surfers, swimmers, and sand sculptors all meet at Coronado Central Beach. Winter times you have wale watchers meeting up at Coronado Central Beach. On the extreme north is the dog beach, where your dogs can enjoy running leash less and enjoying the waves.

Climate: The July high is around 75°F degrees. The January low is 48°F.

Clearwater Beach, Florida

Spread along a narrow 3 mile stretch of visitors enjoying sun bathing on white sandy beaches, playing a game of beach volleyball, and taking a dolphin-watching cruise. This location is also known for its beachfront hotels spread down the 3 miles stretch. It has been a top destination for summer family vacation for years now. This location is ideal for a relaxing and fun vacation.

Climate: The July high is around 90°F degrees. The January low is 52°F.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

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Stretched along the Atlantic coast for 72 miles this location is perfect for surfers, swimmers, and body surfing. Well famous for its 196 foot (248 steps) lighthouse, which is the nations tallest lighthouse. Visitors can climb up to see a beautiful view of the seashore.

Climate: The warmest days in July and August average 85 °F (29 °C), and there are only 6 days per summer above 90 °F (32 °C). The median freeze dates are March 11 and December 12, and there is an average of 21 nights with lows reaching the freezing mark, though it is uncommon for temperatures to remain below 40 °F (4 °C) all day.

East Beach, Santa Barbara California

Well known for the beautiful view of the offshore Channel Islands and a wide strip of white sand. This location offers great summer kid’s activities and camps and other great adult beach activities.

Climate: The July high is around 76 °F degrees. The January low is 43°F.

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Health Fitness Revolution brings you 10 Life Tips for Marriage:

• Plan time with your spouse: At least once a week, go on a date and reconnect, especially if you have kids.  There are some rules- No TV. No phones. No books. Just each other.

• Be Healthy Together:   Maintaining a healthy lifestyle together builds a bond and promotes a long life together.  Nothing says “I love you” more than showing your partner that you want a long life together by being healthy and avoiding illness.  Exercise together, cook healthy meals together, try an active hobby together.  Not only will you build your team-work mentality, but you will also learn how to push each other in a positive way and keep each other accountable at being healthy.

• Continually learn about each other: Even if you’ve been married for years, there are still things you don’t know about your spouse, take the time to ask questions. Take the time to find out his or her thoughts, feelings, memories, and future goals.

• Be polite: Respecting and feeling respected are a large part of a successful marriage.  Be courteous to your spouse- when addressing him or her, use phrases such as “please,” “thank you,” “would you mind if I….,” and so forth. It will make your spouse feel appreciated and respected.

• Share enjoyable activities together: this promotes bonding and strengthening your relationship, which gives you the ability to endure the hard times that come with every marriage.  Do fun things with your spouse- Exercise together, take leisurely walks, or share a pursuit that’s fun to both of you.

• Learn a new hobby together: How about learning golf? A new language? Getting certified in scuba diving together?  When a couple learns together, they grow together.

• Share a genuine compliment: This must be genuine! Take time often to actively look for the good in your spouse and tell them!  Does your spouse look stunning? Did they do something great at work? Tell them!

• Do your partner’s favorite thing: This shows them that you care with your actions.  It also means connecting directly with something that he or she values.

• Plan for the future Together: When you first got married, all you did was dream about and plan for the future.  Well that should never stop!  Once a week talk about career, family, and life goals- that way you can both map out a life vision that includes each others aspirations.

• Greet your partner happily: If you greet your mate with a smile every time you see them, it will make them feel appreciated and loved. It’s truly a small investment that goes a long way.

• Respect your Spouse’s privacy: Everyone deserves their privacy- it’s a fundamental aspect of respect. Don’t go through your partner’s things out of curiosity or in an effort to make them look neater.

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Good For Teens’ Mental Health

Travel tops many people’s retirement goals, and it’s a given that staying healthy prolongs our ability to take active vacations. Yet research suggests that the reverse holds true as well: Travel can actually keep our brains and bodies healthier as we get older.

That’s a message that many of us are eager to hear at this time of year, when we may already be looking back wistfully at our end-of-year vacations. So it’s timely that the Global Coalition on Aging, a group of companies across various industries focused on issues related to aging, in collaboration with the U.S. Travel Association, has been circulating an analysis it conducted of the existing medical literature on travel and health.

Some members of these organizations, of course, would see their businesses benefit if more people traveled more often and stayed healthier longer as a result. But a few of the studies that they highlight do show a compelling connection between vacation and physical well-being. Travel has been found to lower the risk of heart attack and death from coronary disease in certain groups, while the new and complex situations encountered while traveling can also help keep the brain sharp.

It’s not too far-fetched to imagine doctors prescribing travel for their patients as these benefits become more widely appreciated, said Michael Hodin, executive director of the Global Coalition on Aging and managing partner at the High Lantern Group, a consulting firm. “It becomes less of a nice-to-have and more of a need-to-have relationship,” he added. Several decades ago, the public didn’t fully grasp the benefits of diet and exercise, Hodin said, and the same might hold true for travel today.

Indeed, we tend to think of travel’s benefits as short-lived. We unwind when we’re out of town, and if we’re lucky, those feelings of relaxation might linger for a day or two once we’ve resumed our regular lives. In fact, the health benefits continue well beyond that.

As part of the long-running Framingham Heart Study, which studies residents of Framingham, Mass., women aged 45 to 64 were asked how often they took vacations. In a 20-year follow-up study, researchers found that women who vacationed every six years (or less frequently) had a significantly higher risk of developing a heart attack or coronary death compared with women who vacationed at least twice a year, even after adjusting for traditional risk factors such as blood pressure.

A separate, nine-year study found that annual vacations reduced the risk of death from any cause, and specifically death from heart disease, in a group of men at high risk for coronary heart disease

Travel is also good medicine when it comes to brain health, said Paul D. Nussbaum, a Pittsburgh-based psychologist who participated in the Global Coalition on Aging report. While studies isolating the impact of travel are few, plenty of research has suggested that there are brain-boosting benefits to social and leisure experiences. One study found that regular participation in activities such as traveling, odd jobs or gardening was associated with a lower risk of subsequent dementia.

The value of novelty

Challenging new experiences of any kind can boost cognitive health, by helping the brain develop parts of nerve cells called dendrites, which are like branches of a tree, Nussbaum said. For example, well-known studies out of University College London have shown that parts of the brains of London taxi drivers actually expanded to help them navigate their complex routes around the city. While these studies focused on people in a work environment, Nussbaum and others think that the novelty of leisure travel—especially the kind that involves navigating an unfamiliar environment on your own—can also boost the brain.

Elderhostel, a Boston-based nonprofit organization, offers various levels of structure in the travel programs it offers, rebranded in recent years under the name Road Scholar. The most popular among boomers is the “flex” option that splits days in half, between planned group activities and independent exploration, said JoAnn Bell, vice president of Road Scholar Programs. Navigating unfamiliar terrain can be stressful, Bell said, so often tour guides will help participants learn their way around a new place before they go out on their own.

For Joe Nevin, a former Apple executive and ski instructor in Aspen, Colo., half the fun of visiting a new place is figuring out the metro system. A “mileage runner,” Nevin, 67, racks up more than 100,000 frequent-flier miles a year by visiting far-flung locales such as Tokyo and Singapore. (He usually spends no more than a couple of days in each destination, which he said helps to minimize jet lag.)

What if your idea of travel is visiting the same beach resort every year, where you lie on the same patch of sand? To be sure, this type of vacation confers certain health benefits, including lowering the stress hormones that have been shown to accelerate aging. But if your goal is to boost brain health, it helps to shake up your routine.

And what if you lack wanderlust completely? With so much societal focus on bucket-list travel for retirees, some folks feel guilty that they’d rather stay home. One answer, Nussbaum said, is to take baby steps outside your comfort zone. For example, visit the next county over, or try a new restaurant.

Traveling for exercise

When he’s not taking the longest route possible around the world, Nevin teaches boomers how to ski moguls and powder through Bumps for Boomers, the ski program he founded in Aspen. He teaches boomers with ski experience how to break out of their “intermediate rut,” working within the limits of the middle-aged physique with a focus on maintaining balance and controlling speed. “We’ve got all these boomers trying to keep up with their grandkids,” Nevin said. Studies strongly suggest that regular exercise may help reduce cognitive impairment and the risk of dementia.

One nice convergence that often happens with active family travel is that the oldest and youngest participants have the same stamina levels, said Dan Austin, president of Austin Adventures, a Billings, Montana-based travel company. On a cycling day, guides might take the younger kids and the grandparents on a 15-mile bike trip, while the older kids and the parents push on for an additional 20 miles, Austin said.

Group travel builds social ties, which studies have suggested help protect against dementia. Joyce Minosh, a retired secretary from outside Boston, enjoys taking hiking trips with friends through Road Scholar and other programs. Her husband prefers to stay at home and play bridge, which is just fine by Minosh. “It’s great to go traveling with friends,” she said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!

As originally published on Market Watch

We first researched all the available data on Hollywood celebs online and narrowed it down to 100. Then, we did more extensive research to narrow it down 50, 25, and then finally 10. We used a combination of interviews, internet, library, industry literature, and Samir Becic’s knowledge of over 33 years in athletics coupled with his experience as 4 times Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the World.

The actors on this list not only lead healthy lifestyles themselves, but also promote healthy lifestyle to their fans.

The following was all taken into consideration: fitness level, nutritional habits, age, their own medical issues and how they coped with them, and involvement and promotion of healthy lifestyle in general. Our picks our listed in no particular order:

• Madonna
• Beyonce
• Tom Cruise
• Gerard Butler
• Jessica Biel
• Jennifer Lopez
• Matthew McConaughey
• Brad Pitt
• Ryan Reynolds
• Jane Fonda

Rubicon Trail, California

Location: Northern California

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 82 Low: 55; July – High: 90 Low: 61; August – High: 91 Low: 61

Permits Required: U.S. Forest Service Camp Fire, Green or Red State Use Sticker for non street-legal vehicles.

•  The best known and most popular 4×4 trail in the world
• A rare combination of difficulty, beauty, length and pure rock-crawling fun
• Great camping next to crystal-clear lakes with stunning views
• Difficult Trail
• A mix of granite slabs, soft dirt, sharp rocks and large boulders that require precise maneuvering to avoid body damage

Moab, Utah

Location: Southeastern Utah

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 93 Low: 58; July – High: 99 Low: 64; August – High: 96 Low: 63

Permits Required: State Resident or Non-Resident OHV Permit, BLM Permit for Organized Groups

• Conveniently located near Moab, this trail offers a hardcore, four-wheeling experience that will scare and exhilarate you
• Great views of Moab from various points along rim
• Difficult Trail
• Trail wastes little time getting down to business. The first half mile is nothing short of terrifying.
• A long climb of tight, tippy, and extremely difficult ledges requires excellent driving skills and a very capable four-wheel drive rig

Mojave National Preserve, California

Location: Southern California

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 98 Low: 59; July – High: 104 Low: 73; August – High: 103 Low: 72

Permits Required: Recreational permit for groups of seven or more vehicles or 15 people

• Traveling the Mojave Road is a 2- or 3-day excursion, best made with a group of well-equipped off-roaders.
• The trip begins at the Colorado River and ends in Afton Canyon near Barstow.
• Easy to Moderate Trail

Superlift ORV, Arkansas

Location: Central Arkansas

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 88 Low: 67; July – High: 93 Low: 71; August – High: 93 Low: 70

Permits Required: $30 Daily Use Fee for Trucks/SUVs, $15 for ATVs and Motorcycles. Annual and family memberships available.

• Superlift ORV Park is a privately-owned off-road park and a premier off road adventure destination
• This park offers enthusiasts over 1,250 pristine wooded acres to explore
• Trails are clearly marked and difficulty rated
• Superlift ORV Park offers both tent camping and RV campsites nestled in beautiful shaded hardwoods

Ouray, Colorado

Location: Southwestern Colorado

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 72 Low: 45; July – High: 77 Low: 52; August – High: 74 Low: 50

Permits Required: OHV Permit for nearby Ridgway State Park, Daily Parks Pass for $7. No permits for San Juan National Forest. Some permits required for group or commercial activities.

• One of the most scenic off-road destinations on this list
• Imogene Pass is the second highest drivable pass in Colorado
• The drive is one of the most thrilling in the state.
• Difficulty is Moderate but do not take this trip lightly
• The road is rocky, steep and narrow in places and passing can be dangerous. Stock SUVs should have low-range gearing, 4-wheel drive, high clearance and skid plates
• Experienced drivers only

Ocala National Forest

Location: North central Florida

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 92 Low: 70; July – High: 93 Low: 71; August – High: 93 Low: 72

Permits Required: Annual/Day Passes required for entranced to concession-managed recreation areas. $50-60, good for one year from date of purchase.

• The Ocala National Forest is Florida’s top destination for off-roading
• Trails are designed for slow speeds for riders to view and appreciate scenery and wildlife as well as to highlight the importance of conservation, forest management, and history.
• Trail is Easy to Moderate

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Location: Southern New Mexico

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 95 Low: 62; July – High: 95 Low: 68; August – High: 92 Low: 67

Permits Required: $5 Per vehicle day use pass, $7 camping permit for BLM-managed areas.

• The Robledo Mountains Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System is a network of trails, including bike trails, in the southern Robledo Mountains
• The trails are dominated by enormous rocks, making the terrain extraordinarily challenging for riders.
• Trail is Difficult

Mendocino National Forest, California

Location: Northern California

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 85 Low: 50; July – High: 94 Low: 54; August – High: 93 Low: 52

Permits Required: Current registration for street-legal vehicles, Green Sticker state permit for Off-Highway vehicles. Campfire permits required for some areas.

• Just a three hour drive north of San Francisco and Sacramento
• Some 65 miles long and 35 miles across of beautiful trails
• The Forest’s 913,306 federally-owned acres of mountains and canyons offer a variety of recreational opportunities – camping, hiking, backpacking, boating, fishing, hunting, nature study, photography, and off-highway vehicle travel

Whipsaw Trail, British Columbia

Location: South Central British Columbia

Average Temperatures (F): June – High: 72 Low: 44; July – High: 79 Low: 48; August – High: 79 Low: 47

Permits Required: None. Valid, current vehicle registration. License required for hunting or  fishing

• Most of the trail is driven close to tree line but in several places it goes into alpine meadows where views from the top are breathtaking on a clear day
• The Falcon Hill Climb can be trying for some trucks, but the result is exhilarating
• Rough spots start after about 24 kilometres of forestry road access
• There are a number of rock shelves/ledges but all can be accomplished in dry weather

But does your home provide a safe escape from stress, or is it causing you additional stress that you might not be aware of?

If you have a disorganized, cluttered, or poorly decorated space, you may be adding subconscious stress into your life which prevents you from unwinding the way you should when you get home.

•  Clutter is a Source of Stress: Just being in a cluttered room can make you feel uneasy, restless, and without direction. There is too much for the eye to process and you are unable to focus properly and efficiently due to this. Living in a cluttered home can be a constant source of low stress, which can be draining over time.
• Organizing your Home Saves Money, Time, and More: There are several ways that being disorganized can cost you.  If you aren’t organized, you will be spending more time looking for places to put things, and then extra time trying to find things.  If you don’t keep papers organized, you’re more likely to pay bills late.  Being disorganized drains many of your resources that you could be using more productively.

• Comfortable Surrounding are Relaxing: There is a reason that marketers are extremely good at making you feel a certain way when you look at ads- being in a space characterized by order, tranquility, and a physical expression of your tastes, can make you feel better and de-stress you.

While we are now in Spring and it represents the perfect time to do some cleaning and organizing, Health Fitness Revolution believes that ANY time is a good time to put your life in order to be more productive, happy, and healthy!

Health Fitness Revolution is always aiming to become the best version of ourselves possible and always want our readers to have the tools and information necessary to do the same.  Here are our favorite tips to living a balanced, healthy lifestyle:

• Set Goals:  Write down your goals – a certain race pace or a target weight – on your bathroom mirror using a dry-erase marker. This simple act not only helps confirm your commitment but it also serves as an easy and great reminder to start each day with purpose.

• Stay hydrated. Before you even eat breakfast, start the day with at least 16 ounces of water. It’s filling, and getting more hydrations will improve your focus throughout the day and help with recovery after workouts. Aim for one gallon per day and read about why we think water is so great here.

• Poach your eggs, boil your chicken: Instead of using oil to cook your eggs, learn to poach them in water!  For dinner, skip the oil and use a tablespoon of water to coat your non-stick plan instead. Cover with a lid and let the chicken steam, then flavor with herbs and spices for a perfectly guilt-free meal.

• Get a dog: As mentioned in the article we wrote about dog owners and increased exercise here, researchers found that study participants who owned dogs were more likely to be active than those who did not. In fact, the study found that 60% of dog owners meet federal criteria for regular, moderate or vigorous exercise, compared with around 30% of people who don’t have a dog.

• Head outdoors: Commune with nature and get a sweat session in outdoors or simply go for a walk!   A recent study found that going for a 20-minute al-fresco stroll twice a week was more restorative than getting the same exercise in an indoor environment like a mall.

• Train with Intervals:  To gain cardio endurance, train in intervals.  Alternatively, to gain muscle in the gym and hit the entire spectrum of muscle fibers, set your workouts so that you train heavy one day, then lighter with more reps later in the week.

• Train with a buddy: Working out with a friend or colleague, surrounded by people who are equally as passionate about achieving their goals as you are, may push you further and do more for your progress than any another factor.  Another great option is joining a class or a bootcamp.

• Never Skip Breakfast:  You know better than to skip breakfast and risk noshing on extra calories throughout the day.  We wrote an article about the importance of breakfast here. And while oatmeal is a great way to start your morning, you should always aim for balance in every meal. For a little protein and healthy fat, add slivered almonds, and for some fruit, throw in fresh or frozen berries or raisins.

• Be Grateful:  Spiritual balance is a key component of healthy lifestyle.  Religion aside, start each day by remembering any experience that recently made you happy. Studies have proven that when negative events happen, people who regularly practice gratitude cope more positively. They’re less likely to run away from the problem or pretend it’s not happening.

• Read and Become Happier: Six minutes could be all it takes to curb that stress and anxiety by 60%, according to British researchers. So catch up on your overdue reading — even if you have to do it one chapter at a time.

Read more of our Top 10 Articles

The suggestions below are not meant to replace your dog’s normal, balanced diet. Rather, they are ideas for alternative treats or for adding a little variety to your dog’s meals:

• Oatmeal: a good source of soluble fiber. Just make sure that the oatmeal is cooked and plain with no sugar/flavoring.  This can be beneficial for some older dogs that may have trouble maintaining bowel regularity. Oatmeal is also an alternative source of grain for dogs that are allergic to wheat. It can be fed in conjunction with probiotics to enhance their function.

• Apples: a wonderful crunchy treat for your dog. They are a source of vitamins A and C and fibre. Apples with the skin on are full of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that are thought to be protective against some types of cancer in humans. Apple seeds, however, contain cyanide so your dog should not be allowed to eat the core- a couple of apple seeds won’t matter but don’t let it happen too often.

• Eggs: are a great source of very digestible protein, riboflavin, and selenium. Adding eggs to your dog’s food is a healthy treat. For some dogs that are prone to digestive upset, eggs can give them a little protein boost. Just make sure to use cooked whole eggs, as raw egg whites can cause biotin deficiency.

• Brewer’s yeast: can actually boost your pup’s appetite! It is the yeast that’s left over from making alcohol. Dogs seem to really enjoy the tangy taste of brewer’s yeast. It’s full of B vitamins which are good for skin, coat, and carbohydrate metabolism. Make sure you’re using brewer’s yeast (available at health food stores), not baking yeast which will make your dog sick.

• Green beans: are a good source of plant fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese. If your dog has a tendency to put on weight, then replacing some of their regular food with green beans is a great low-calorie way to fill her up and help her maintain a healthy weight- a lot of dogs like them frozen too.

• Sweet potatoes: another source of dietary fiber and contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, beta carotene, and manganese. Sweet potatoes are great sliced and dehydrated as a chewy treat for your dog.

• Pumpkin:  a good source of fiber and beta carotene (a source of vitamin A). Dogs need fiber in their diet to maintain regularity in their digestive system.

• Flax seeds: (ground or oil) are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids that are good for skin and coat.  They are also a good source of fiber.

• Yogurt: a good source of available calcium and protein. When choosing yogurt, pick one that has live active bacteria and no sugars or artificial sweeteners. The active bacteria may act as probiotics. If your pooch is overweight, make sure that you pick fat-free yogurt but not one that contains fat substitutes.  This summer, freeze the yogurt and give it to Fido as a special treat!

• Salmon: (oil or cooked) is a fatty fish that is also a good source of omega- 3 fatty acids. These fats support the immune system and can be beneficial for skin and coat health. There has also been some indication that they may benefit dogs with allergies. Just make sure you cook it so that there are no parasites.

• Carrots: Just as in humans, carrots can improve your dog’s eyesight and reduce the development of cataracts and other eye diseases!  Because they are rich in beta-carotene, if your dog eats too much and they have a white or light coat, it can turn them slightly yellow (a temporary affliction).

What more enjoyable and satisfying way to keep those muscles and lungs healthy and energized than hiking through spectacular mountain scenery surrounded by the world’s highest peaks. Follow in the footsteps of the legendary Edmund Hillary and a Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay who were the first men to stand on the roof of the world—exactly sixty years ago.

Your journey begins with a thrilling, forty-minute flight from the exotic sights and sounds of Kathmandu to the 9,000-foot airstrip at Lukla built on a 12% incline with a steeply angled sheer drop off on the approach and a rock wall at the end. Don’t worry. Only the most experienced pilots fly there. For the faint of heart, there’s another landing strip at Phakding, three to four days further south.

At Lukla, you’ll meet the Sherpas living in the shadow of Everest. They’re famous for their ability to carry extremely heavy loads and work at high altitude. Without them few expeditions would ever make the summit. You can trek independently hiring them as a guide and porters or travel with a larger group booked from home. From Lukla, the trek to base camp at 17,500 feet is only 38.58 miles but takes eight or nine days with two rest days built in to acclimatize safely in the ever-thinning air. Coming down into increasingly richer air requires only three to four days, but it’s best to plan on almost three weeks in Nepal due to the uncertainty of Lukla flights that are controlled by weather. You don’t want to miss your plane home.

Trekking to base camp isn’t dangerous in itself. There’s no vertical climbing that requires ropes or ice axes and no crevasses to cross, but yak encounters can pose a problem. One of the unruly beasts may try to knock you off the trail. So always defer to them and stay on the uphill side.

You’ll walk five or six hours per day through mind-blowing scenery. At lower elevations, the trail winds past small villages scattered among deep green terraces with rock retaining walls. Smiling children rush out to greet you yelling, “Namaste!” Follow the rim of deep river gorges as you climb upward through pine and rhododendron forests. No matter which way you turn, one towering snow-capped peak after another rises above you. In two days, you reach Namche Bazar at 11,300 feet, the largest village in the Everest region and gateway to the high Himalayas. Your journey takes you to many of these Sherpa villages where you experience the culture of this amazing ethnic group that migrated from Tibet almost 600 years ago.

You’re in Buddhist country. Colorful prayer flags flutter in the wind carrying prayers to the gods. Stone walls with the mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum carved in them appear along the trail. Always pass them on the left so that upon your return you complete the circle of life. The largest monastery in the region at Tengboche sits beneath a backdrop of Everest and Ama Dablam, the most beautiful mountain in Nepal. You’re welcome to enter and observe monks reciting from Tibetan texts and listen to the droning of eight-foot telescoping horns and the occasional ringing of bells.

In four or five days, you arrive at the Everest Base Camp beneath the infamous Khumbu Icefall, a frozen river filled with yawning crevasses and towering ice pinnacles—the most dangerous section of the mountain with the greatest number of fatalities. The only problem is you can’t see the summit from here. You then descend back an hour to Hillary’s base camp at Gorak Shep. You may want to spend the night before climbing one and a half to two hours 1250 feet up a rocky mound called Kala Patar. From there you have an unobstructed view of Everest’s windblown summit with its perpetual white plume. Turning 360°, you’ll also see Lhotse and Nuptse, glaciers, and lakes.

There are two trekking seasons. Spring starts out chilly in March and warms in April and May—the most popular spring months. The national flower of Nepal, the rhododendrom, is in full bloom as well as almost 500 species of orchids at lower elevations. A large number of summit bids begin in May, so it’s a fascinating time to visit the base camp. Travel companies almost never book trips during the monsoon from early June through September. October through November is the busiest season because the weather is usually dry, warm during the day, and not too cold at night. The skies are clearer than in the spring offering spectacular views.  To avoid the heavy October crowds, you can begin travel in mid-late November when the weather is still warm and clear during the day but colder at night, especially at higher altitudes. Mid December through January, the temperature drops considerably. Rain or snow can occur suddenly in any season, so be prepared with warm clothing.

Trekking five to six hours a day at increasingly higher altitudes requires strength and endurance. The better your physical conditioning, the more you will enjoy the experience. In preparation, include aerobic activity such as cycling, swimming, walking, and stair climbing.

The key to a successful trip is slow and steady. Your Sherpa guide may remind you to go bistarai, bistarai, meaning slowly, slowly because altitude sickness can affect anybody—regardless of age, sex, or fitness level. At base camp, the oxygen content will be 50% of that at sea level. Ascending too fast can cause serious problems … even death.

Coming soon in Part 2. How to acclimatize correctly during a day-to day description of your trek including details of Sherpa culture and their mixture of animistic and Buddhist beliefs.

No.10 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Why It’s So Healthy:  Not only did Sarajevo host the 1984 Winter Olympics, but the terrain around the city promotes being active.  Sarajevo residents have a competitive yet healthy attitude when it comes to sports. Sports play an active part in how they keep fit and in the general civic mindset. There are many types of sports facilities to choose from in addition to the surrounding mountains that are ground for winter sports.  It is a very culturally diverse city because it is the place where the Western & Eastern Roman Empire split.  The city is historically famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries.

No.9 Calgary, Canada 

Why It’s So Healthy:  Five years ago Forbes magazine declared this city in Alberta, Canada the cleanest city in the world.  There are great ways to keep fit all year round. In the colder months, tourists and residents can choose to ski, snowboard or luge; in the summer months people can go biking in the trails or go waterskiing at the Predator Bay Water Skiing club. Golfers can also get their green in Calgary.

No.8 Helsinki, Finland

Why It’s So Healthy:  Last year, Helsinki was chosen as the World Design Capital owing to its metropolitan and architectural design, but strangely enough this sprawling city has very few cars, so few the ratio has been estimated at only 390 per every 1,000 residents. The result? Very low pollution and a healthy walking lifestyle. The city is a mecca for varied interests- it has around 200 different newspapers, over 300 hobby magazines, over 2,000 professional magazines and over 60 radio stations.

No.7 Auckland, New Zealand

Why It’s So Healthy:  This city has a great healthcare plan, lots of healthy things to do, and lots of sunshine.  Watersports are common in the city, particularly sailing. An estimated one in every three Aucklanders own a boat.

No.6 Minneapolis- St. Paul, USA

Why it’s so Healthy:  A large aspect to healthy cities are parks and they have parks for everything here; parks for biking, parks for walking, ball parks and parks for dogs. They have a lot of golf courses for the adults and many playgrounds for the kids. This appreciation of the outside has also led to the extensive use of bicycles among the population, making it one of the countries in the U.S. with the lowest pollution. It also has the highest overall rate of physical activity in a U.S. city. The city has a lot of farmer’s markets where residents can get unprocessed and fresh produce. The result is the lowest overall incidences of heart disease and diabetes compared to other U.S. cities.

No.5 Sydney, Australia

Why It’s So Healthy:  Sydney is blessed with abundant parkland and all-year-round good weather, and the government has done well in building many parks and trails where people can go out to exercise or just enjoy the fresh air- so much so that enjoying the outdoors is a proud part of Sydney culture. There are also many fitness gyms and sports facilities, which were opened to the public after the city’s hosting the 2000 Summer Olympics, to make sure the populations stays fit and healthy. Sydney also ranks high in education with learning not being limited to school and universities but a number of museums including several designed for children. Despite being a developed city, pollution in Sydney is also among the world’s lowest, thanks to their focus on the use of bicycles and constant planting and maintenance of trees.

No.4  Stockholm, Sweden

Why It’s So Healthy:  Stockholm is home to more than a hundred museums, one of the highest concentrations in the world, making it a great place for appreciating culture and the arts.  The city residents love to walk and prefer legging it over motorized transportation any day. Never mind if the location is a mile away, or if it’s snowing, or if there’s a frozen lake between them and the destination, they will try to walk it during winter and bike over to it during summer. The result is a population that is healthy and used to physical activity and an environment that is free from pollution. The fact that they have a six-mile urban park within the city does not hurt their air quality either. In 2010 the city was awarded the European Green Capital Award by the EU Commission.

No.3 Copenhagen, Denmark

Why It’s So Healthy:  Just like the residents of Helsinki and Stockholm, Copenhageners love to walk. Foot traffic accounts for 80 percent of all traffic in the Copenhagen city center. Those who prefer can also bike. It is estimated more than a third of all work trips in Copenhagen are carried out on a bike. The biking is not just for the locals, tourists are encouraged to join with “free token bikes” and there are more than 300km of designated bike lanes all over the city.  As soon as everything starts to freeze it turns several city squares into huge skating fields. The frozen parts of the city also make it easier for residents to skate around.

No.2 Tokyo, Japan

Why It’s So Healthy:  The city has one of the best transport systems in the world, also a system with one of the lowest gas emissions. Despite what has been said about Tokyo there are a lot of open green spaces still available where the young and old can stretch and exercise. The clean and tidy surroundings are also a plus. The Japanese culture assures a big family unit that is ready to take care of their own when the need arises. To some extent these ties extend to the local community where they live.  Despite their serious nature, Japanese also have an excellent sense of humor as shown in their manga (comics), anime (cartoons) and even their TV gameshows.

No.1 Hong Kong

Why It’s So Healthy:  With land in Hong Kong at a premium, Hong Kongers don’t have much space to go around in the city, but the island itself is surrounded by mountains, the ocean and other islands that make good locations for recreational activities. Their proximity to the ocean also assures they get fresh seafood daily as well as produce fresh off ships. Used to living in close quarters, Hong Kongers often socialize with family and their neighbors, close bonds in the community are not uncommon even in this profit-driven metropolis. The city also has a high number of registered doctors, close to 13,000 at the end of 2011. Many of them practice Traditional Chinese Medicine which not just focuses on the ailment but takes on a holistic approach and tackles what practice is causing the illness and how it can be prevented or avoided. Aside from advocating traditional medicine, many of these doctors also push the benefits of Tai-Chi and one can see young and old practicing the graceful, fluid moves of this ancient exercise in public squares in the city. Life expectancy (which we wrote about here) there is also one of the highest in the world at 82.5 years.

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Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!

Follow These Tips For Decreasing Alcohol Consumption:

UH ARCHITECTS, ARTISTS CREATING MINI-PAVILION FROM REUSED CUBICLES STRUCTURE TO BE INSTALLED AT HERMANN PARK IN AUG. AS PART OF UPCOMING CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Health Fitness Revolution is very proud to announce that one of our Board members Dijana Handanovic together with her classmates from the Architecture Graduate Department at UH is making an  impact in Houston’s Art and Architecture community.

This Revolution is about healthy lifestyle, not weight loss and dieting as you know it! Americans are the biggest consumer of weight loss products (80%) in the world, yet still lead the world in obesity and unhealthy lifestyle.  The percentage of American children and adolescents who are considered overweight or obese has tripled since 1970.

Several chronic conditions can be controlled and avoided with healthy lifestyle and exercise, including: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, infertility, hypertension, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, stress, and many more.

More than 70% of adults across the United States are already being diagnosed with a chronic disease and more than 75% of the nation’s healthcare cost being spent on managing and treating these conditions.  The treatment of the seven most common chronic diseases, coupled with productivity losses, costs the U.S. economy more than $1 trillion dollars annually.

Columbia University researchers project that there will be $48 – $66 billion added to current health care costs each year between now and 2030. Being overweight and obese is a real problem – 250 million Americans fall into this category and 360 000 Americans die every year from diseases directly related to obesity and unhealthy lifestyle.  Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the US. 1.8 billion people worldwide are overweight and obese, 65% of the world’s population live in countries where being overweight and obese kills more people than being underweight.Because of these alarming obesity rates, this generation of children will be the first to live shorter lives than their parents.

Worldwide, more than 40 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese.  Domestically, over 1/3 of American children are overweight or obese. 25% of US children spend 4 hours or more watching TV daily instead of being physically active.  Let’s socialize with our children in a physically friendly environment instead of socializing while eating food or watching TV.  Children are the future, let’s make sure they have a bright one! Health Fitness Revolution is in a WAR against obesity and unhealthy lifestyle (a positive and peaceful war).

Throughout history, wars have caused devastation and an enormous amount of pain and suffering.  One of the worst wars in recent history is WWII, when Germany, Japan, Italy and other axis countries were responsible for the death and torture of millions of people around the world.  Obesity and unhealthy lifestyle are the silent killers of today and will cause even more devastation if we don’t put an end to it right now. If we had stopped Hitler and Mussolini before their rise to power we could have probably avoided WWII. Let’s stop obesity and unhealthy lifestyle before it gets to epic proportions that become unmanageable and uncontrollable.

Maybe some of you think that I am being overly dramatic, but working with obese and unhealthy individuals for over 18 years has given me insight to the true devastation that unhealthy lifestyle can cause if not controlled in time. After running the biggest fitness facility in the world in the early 2000’s, and educating thousands of trainers and millions of people directly and indirectly, I am telling you that it is time to say “Wake up America! Wake up World! It’s time to get healthy and fit!” Doctors are not wizards. They don’t have a magic wand to heal you, they are human and they can only help you so much.  You have more control over your body than you think – you can control, manage, or completely avoid 60-70% of known chronic conditions with physical fitness, healthy nutrition, and mental balance.

In reality, Health Fitness Revolution is an unbelievable opportunity to change your life while you change the world. JOIN THE REVOLUTION!

It is very noble that our Mayor Annise Parker is organizing a bikeride, and while Health Fitness Revolution remains neutral to political sides,  we support ANY and ALL agendas that promote healthy lifestyle, physical fitness, social, spiritual and mental balance.  Health Fitness Revolution is of the opinion that politicians are a key solution to healthy lifestyle in the US- which is why we encourage all politicians to promote their campaign through events that encourage healthy lifestyle!  

Join Mayor Annise Parker and Bicyclists for Annise Parker Thursday for a short bike ride and special reception.

Bicyclists will meet at Market Square Park Thursday, August 29, at 6:15 p.m. The Mayor will join supporters for a short bike ride along White Oak and Buffalo Bayous before adjourning to Niko Niko for a social hour, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Three members of the Bicyclists for Annise host committee, Michael Skelly, Neil Bremmer and Kathryn Baumeister, will kick off the bike ride.

Both events are open to all supporters and cyclists for a suggested donation of $25.00, which includes a complimentary beverage.

Bike Ride Kick-Off

Market Square Park

300 Travis Street
6:15pm

Social Hour

Niko Niko
301 Milam Street
7:30pm

Mayor Parker Health Allies

Mayor Parker would like to thank these Bicyclists for Annise Sponsors for helping organize the event:

Shellye Arnold
Kathryn Baumeister
Neil Bremmer
Tom Compson
Sheila Condon
Ben Cowan
Regina Garcia
Tom McCasland
Michael Skelly
Ally Smith
Anne Whitlock
Catherine Wilde
Bob Wright

Here are 10 reasons why public figures should be active, healthy, and fit:

• A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.  
• To set a good example to followers, fans, and constituents.
• To gain confidence and self esteem.
• To feel stronger and more alert.
• To become inspired– some of the best ideas come from being active.
• To influence people to live healthier lifestyles because they feel the benefits of it themselves.
• To reduce the stress of being in the public light.  Nothing better than a good workout to reduce cortisol levels in the body!
• To reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and many chronic ailments.
• To increase energy levels from grueling schedules.  Healthy nutrition and being active will increase energy levels and mood.
• To sleep better at night.  Working out ensures better rest during nighttime- studies have shown that active individuals enjoy more restful sleep.

*

Take control of yourself

and peace will be forever yours.

There is a moment of time

between stimulus and response where

you have an opportunity to control the outcome

 or be controlled by the outcome.

Take that time to consider what the

outcome of your response may be.

Ten-seconds of thought can save you

from ten days, weeks, months or years of anguish.

Take control.

Be-Aholic

Peter Remington

Prepare4More.info

What is I Know Somebody Houston? 

Imagine the power of me connecting all of my contacts to all of yours and then they all connect and on and on and on. That’s what IKSH is. It’s a fellowship, a network for the women of Houston to use their resources, their contacts to meet the needs of other women. It’s designed so that the members can use the power of the group to get what they need. A job, clients, ideas, services, friends.

That’s a great idea, is it your idea?

Yes, but sort of a group effort. I have a small book study group and one of the women in the group had lost her job. And she was without a job for about a year and was starting to feel desperate. And I told her that I thought if we could find a way to connect all of my contacts to hers and then to all of their and on and on, that she could find her job. And that’s how it came about. Because we all know somebody.

So, how does it work?

Well women join our facebook page or our website, and it’s all free and then they just post their need on the page. We have women looking for places to rent, veterinarians, plumbers, attorneys, jobs, employees, editors. There are women that have businesses that clean and or sell rugs; have products to sell; personal trainers; massage therapists.

What do you mean when you say post their need?

Once a woman joins our facebook group, they are a member of the group. They simply type a message on facebook while on the IKSH page and state what they are looking for. This morning some of the posts are “you are invited to an … event”  “a salon in Katy is looking for a full and part-time stylist” “I am looking to update my vacuum cleaner to a Dyson, suggestions?” “I need some help with an imminent domain problem with Harris County”.  Those are just a sampling of what happens in a normal day on the facebook page.

Have you been able to meet any of their needs?

YES! Before we even had our first event, I got a call at work from some guy. He wanted the Chronicle to do a story on him and his wife because  they needed a new air conditioner and could not afford one. He called because he thought that if the Chronicle ran a story on him someone would help him.

Initially I told him “well ,we don’t just run stories about people in need.” But I continued talking to him and listening and I just thought…”why not?” and I told him about the group, that I had just started it, but I would try. I went on our facebook page and posted it. Within 20 minutes one of the members said “I know somebody.” I gave her the guys information and he called me two days later. He said he wanted to thank me for finding someone to help him They came the day after he talked to me, installed the new air conditioner and his house was now cool and he and his wife were very happy.

That really made what I am doing valid. We really helped someone. I did not know either of these people. All I did was connect them. That’s what I do, I connect people.

How do you get members?

Word of mouth. That is part of the concept. Once a woman becomes a member of the group she can invite her friends to join the group.

So what are your goals? Where do you want to end up with this thing?

Ahhh good question. Right now, we are working towards 5,000 then 10,00,0 then 100,000 members. Once we do that we will move onto other cities, to Dallas, Austin, Chicago, LA. We want to have an IKS in every major metropolitan city in the US. Then the world.

Our intention is to garner sponsors. Companies and organizations that are seeking the demographic we have. As we build the numbers we are getting closer and closer to obtaining sponsors.

We also want to establish a scholarship fund. I want to help single mothers educate their kids. I want a scholarship based on need. Not the athletic skills of the student or their grades or their extra curricular activities. Just need. I have a daughter and am a single mother and I don’t want my daughter taking out student  loans to go to school. But it’s expensive. And I don’t have the kind of funds needed. She was an ok student in High School. And she was a pretty good athlete. But not a full ride scholarship to a D1 school athlete. I want to help other women like me. Main stream single mothers.

We would like to establish a foundation to help other problem areas. A couple of our members work with women that were caught up in human trafficking. We would like to establish some sort of aid for those women.

We have women interested in creating non-profits to aid high school students through the college application process among others.

We also just started I Know Somebody Houston, Men. We have not even had our first meeting but I can feel the men are going to be as big as the women’s side, maybe even bigger. My experience with men’s groups is that they take a bit longer to build, but men are much more loyal and work harder within their groups.

How have you been able to do all this in a year?

It’s the board. There are some incredible women involved.  I am very proud of the diversity we have on our board as well as the hard working women involved. They see the vision I have and add to it, embellish it and work extremely hard to make everything happen. They are professional and smart and fun.

Who is your target audience?

Women. (laughs) Most of the women in IKSH are jugglers. There are women that have a full-time day job, like myself and V. President, Diana Garaghty, and are also working a business of their own; an entrepreneurial endeavor. There are women who work full time and go to school, like board members, Christy McIntrye and Christina Garaghty. There are a lot of women entrepreneurs, such as Phyllis Bailey, Lisa Renee, Aisha Khan-Akoojee and Markita Samuels.  Students, business owners, employees, mothers. We have had a few women seek us out because they work from their homes and are a bit isolated.

So what is the average attendance at an IKSH meeting?

Sadly, about 45.  And the room should be full.

What kind of education do you have?

Our very first speaker was Joy Sewing, Houston Chronicle Fashion and Beauty writer. We also had a talk on Marketing yourself and doing what you love by Sarah Gish. Deepi Sidhu is a stylist and personal shopper, she gave tips about shopping and going from the office to evening wear. Coming up we have restaurateur Monica Pope, Kim Davis and Rawfully Organic Co-op founder Kristina Carillo-Bucaram. I am excited about both of these women as well as some we are still tying up details with.

What are your challenges?

What isn’t? (laughs again) Currently our priorities are to build our brand. We are working on a logo, then the website and getting the word out using different mediums. We also are tackling our growth and moving the women from the facebook page to the website and ultimately to the meetings.

The meetings are where the magic really happens. Our last couple of meetings were powerful. In May our speaker was Women’s Insite, a web magazine, developer Kathryn Crawford Wheat. She has this incredible story of resilience and taking risks. There were a few tears shed in the audience during her talk. To celebrate our first year on June 6, we invited some of our past speakers to give tips on networking.  Seven professionals had 3 minutes each to share some quick tips and instructions about networking.  By providing informative and relatable speakers, the connection in the room is incredible. We all experience it.

That is the ultimate goal. To connect the women to each other. Our message is that you are not alone. You do not have to go through or do anything alone. Starting a new business? The women in IKSH will help you. Need a job? The women will help. Going back to work after having a baby? The women in the group will help you find a nanny, support you emotionally and more.