To be more active and zen!
For New Year, I’m determined to love the new me more — I’m gifting myself the gift of outdoors and coming back indoors to a zen home!
I suffer from seasonal weight during the fall and winter months, and especially during the holiday season. I tend to gain approximately five to ten pounds on average between October and February.
It’s so important to stay healthy, as we’re heading into the winter months. Now that the temperature is dropping and winter is here, I generally eat more and move less. There is little or no time for exercise, and there is an abundance of time watching TV and snacking especially during the holidays, which result in weight gain.
I try my best to keep away the holiday pounds by getting out more, and enjoying the fresh air! My best friend invited me to hike with her and her sister this holiday season. I now have a new found love for an outdoor lifestyle, such as hiking at Bear Mountain, NY, for starters. The fall and winter seasons are a wonderful time to hike when temperatures are cool and crisp. It feels like such a great sense of accomplishment upon the successful completion of our hike. I’m more energetic, enthusiastic and find myself smiling from cheek to cheek all day and all night long. I feel my body burning calories even after dinner, while resting on my sofa.
I prefer doing cardio (ie., biking, jogging or hiking) before lunch or dinner, because I burn more calories than if I were to do it after a meal. It’s such a great opportunity to soak in the fresh, clean air and enjoy the outdoors, before hearty holiday meal with friends and family.
According to WebMD, hiking is good for the body and mind, because it’s a great cardio workout. It can lower the risk of heart disease, improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels, improve bone density, build muscle strength, improve balance, control weight and boost your mood. Hiking can be a romantic activity, fun for the entire family and kids, and a wonderful activity for getting a group of friends together.
Of course, you can’t just go out and hike or jog in any outfit. You want to stay warm and dry, and protect your ankles and feet. It’s very important to have the right gear for all outdoor activities — biking, hiking or jogging during cold months. If you’re looking for stretchy jeans, tights, jackets, headphones, hiking or running shoes and boots, please read further. Also, the holidays are near, so if you’re looking for gift guide ideas, below are some must-haves for a comfortable, fun-filled safe outdoor adventure and holiday season:
Look for comfortable, fashionable and safe gear for hiking enthusiasts. Windweave Insulated Jackets are ideal for hiking in the fall and winter, because it keeps your temperature regulated as you build heat on the ascent and dump heat on the way down. The fabric is very lightweight with ventilation, and it’s water repellent, perfect for weather projection. I also love its hiking and running shoes that protect my feet. I love the Terrex Free Hiker Shoe with Trail Running DNA is a combination of a hiking and trail running shoe. This is for ultimate hiking adventures, because it’s great for gradual elevation and longer distances in all types of terrain.
Kids need the proper gear too. I especially love Bearpaw’s Kids’ Kelly Boot which is affordable and great for outdoorsy kids. It’s waterproof, made of wool blend lining and sheepskin footbed, so it keeps their feet warm and dry. If you’re looking for warm, water proof, snow proof and slip proof boots for your little ones, and don’t want to break the bank, then this is a must try.
Double Wall Insulated Hydration Bottles are great for travels, hiking, camping, biking and the gym, because it comes with a charger and detachable waterproof blue tooth speaker. This waterproof and sand proof bottle keeps liquids cool or hot for hours. Its internal rechargeable lithium ion battery in the speaker plays for up to eight hours on one charge. Feel free to use speaker with bottle or separately. It has speakerphone capability with digital echo canceling and talk-end button.
Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones, such as Jabra Elite 85h, are ideal for those who want only the best wireless calls and music experience. This works great on both Androids and iPhones, and it’s water resistant. When you’re on a flight, and this will block out all that unwanted background noise. Whether you’re hiking, camping, jogging or on a long flight — you’re protected with 36 hours of battery life on a single charge, or fast charging of 5 battery hours in just 15 minutes. The Elite Active 45e is great if you want wireless music and calls. These earbuds are great for active lifestyles, as they come with a two year sweat and dust warranty. They enable you to hear the ambient noise around you while biking, hiking, or running. This is very important especially for those who are in the heavy populated areas, so users can hear pedestrians and traffic for safety reasons.
4 Way Stretch Contour jeans by Liverpool are so incredibly comfortable, that you can wear them to go hiking, shopping or running errands. These top quality jeans are soft and stretchy, and will smooth you in all the right places — perfect for curvy or voluptuous women. They really do shape your body and enables freedom of movement, which is ideal for active people too.
Women of all sizes and shapes should be able to wear clothes that feel as if they were custom made. Measure & Made takes the guesswork out of shopping. Thanks to FITLOGIC®, a special patented sizing system that not only takes into account your size and your unique shape. Finally, you never have to think about what size you are, because all you need is your Measure & Made size and shape number to build your wardrobe. Measure & Made carry triple the sizes vs. traditional brands to offer perfect fit, and they guarantee you will fit it with its 30 day money back guarantee for fit and product satisfaction.
Organic and natural bedding such as organic sheet sets, organic blankets by nest Bedding is affordable. Whether you’re an athlete, a busy parent or a hard working single individual, you want to come back to a zen home. Sleep is a must for good health and to stay sharp. Sleeping on a quality mattress has been proven to aid both physical and mental health. The FLIP Mattress helps reduce stress, ease back pain, and improves concentration. For those who are not in the know — nest Bedding is not just for humans, as it also pampers your pets.
Kids Furniture for both bedding and activities are very important too. Babies need to sleep all day and night, and wake up very two hours to be fed. Kids between 5 and 12 need approximately 9 to 11 hours of sleep. When your body (kids and grown-ups) doesn’t get enough rest, you’ll feel tired, cranky, and won’t be unable to think clearly and function efficiently. Delta Children is renowned for top quality children’s furniture for both sleep and play. They test above and beyond the standards for safety, so we can be rest assured our little ones are safe and sound.
Ruby Love enables women to be active, even when they have their period. Founder Crystal Etienne feels that periods should never stop women from “doing, being and going.” All of its products can be worn with or without a tampon or menstrual cup, as they’re designed to stop leaks. Thanks to Ruby Love’s maximum absorption, protection against leaks and stains, period days can be like any other day. So, go ahead and swim, bike, hike, jog — be brave and wear white on the day of your period!