workouts

Peak 20 Natasha Linton Mix

Last weekend I was a lucky girl, sitting front row at Mara Hoffman's fashion show during Swim Week in Miami. Gawking at all that swimwear made me want to jump in the pool and that's why this post is all about swim-action-fashion! Water is 12x more resistant than air, which means you'll work your muscles harder while submerged. It's a cooler way to sculpt than hitting the pavement for an unbearably sweaty run, especially during a heat wave like the one we're getting right now in NYC. Check out my latest swim trends & tips before you take a dip, and enter the Bikini Bottom Giveaway at the end of this post.

SWIM FASHION THAT MAKES A STATEMENT & STAYS ON:

Go for a casual and comfortable 1-piece with a tribal art flair. This was my favorite design from Mara Hoffman's fashion show at Swim Week Miami. It's the perfect suit for paddle boarding, windsurfing or even taking an aqua arobics class. It's undeniably cute with no risk of wardrobe malfunction. Check...

- This is a guest post by Erica Chapman -

FINALLY, we’ve gotten to that point in the year where you’d actually rather exercise outside than in a gym. The weather practically begs you to come sweat outdoors!  But personally, I’m tired of my jog-around-the-neighborhood routine. That’s why I was psyched to try out Nicola Yvette’s new “Pilates Bootcamp” on the Hudson river.  If you tend to think of pilates as the easy-breezy cousin of yoga, let Nicola prove you wrong while you enjoy the waterfront breeze!

I asked Nicola, a former dancer-turned-yoga/aerobics/spin/weight training/pilates instructor (whew!) for the nitty gritty on her class, and her thoughts on the best fitness fashion out there. Read the interview below.

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Hey Nicola!  So, you have quite a varied fitness background.  Given your multi-discipline knowledge, what particularly makes you love pilates?

Nicola Yvette:  I began ballet at the age of four. My...

Sometimes schlepping to the gym feels like...schlepping to the gym. When it feels like that, don't go! Whether you're rushed or just dragging from a long day, give yourself a break with a workout that's time efficient and gym-free. You're going to need the perfect workout DVD, which like the perfect man, can be hard to find. But you deserve it so I went ahead and flexed my matchmaking muscles for you. Take a look...you might find your DVD soulmate!

ARE YOU WHAT THEY CALL A YOGI? GOT ANY TIGHT SPOTS?

Your DVD soulmate:  Shiva Rea A.M. Energy

About the workout: This workout DVD is like the bible of vinyasa flow yoga because you're constantly transitioning from one pose to the next, activating and stretching your limbs and core in both beginner and advanced moves. The experience is more than slightly spiritual in a relaxing heat-your-muscles-up kind of way. It's great if you love yoga, need a mood-boosting AM workout, and/or crave a new...

- This is a guest post by Erica Chapman -

Just as I was about to get started on the project of downloading and checking out celebrity trainer Key Son’s new fitness app, Hot Factor, I got pulled out of town for a work assignment. And then another. And then I took a long weekend away. By the time I actually had a moment to open it up, I really wished I had done it sooner! It’s absolutely the perfect thing to have on hand while you’re on the road and missing your regular fitness program. And thus, the sudden inspiration for this TOP 5 post. 

When you find yourself stuck in a convention center hotel for the night with no gym in sight, no safe place to jog outside and no time to track down the closest yoga studio, you'll be happy you packed these...

TOP 5 FITNESS TRAVEL ACCESSORIES (for busy women on the go):

1. Hot Factor iPhone/iPad Fitness Training App for Women ($2.99)

Created by celebrity fitness trainer, Key...

Guess who's gonna be a tan little climber??? THIS GIRL!!!

A rock climbing wall and a beautiful sundeck is NOT what you call slumming it when you head to the gym. It's been around for ages (okay, maybe not that long) and it's not like it's a secret, but I've finally joined The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers.

If you're looking to join one of the most expansive and sunlit gyms in Manhattan, this is the place. To be quite honest, it's really more of a health club. But it sounds so boring to call it that when it doesn't quite feel like that. I mean, do Usher and Justin Bieber casually drop in to work out and play basketball at a "health club"? Nooooooo. The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers is way trendier than your typical health club but you can still get a mani-pedi at the Spa, take swim lessons in a lane and chill in a jacuzzi. The cherry on top is that you can subject yourself to triathlon training from the best of the best (Full Throttle Team Champions). Just ask...