exercise

-- This is guest blog written by Luke Douglas -- In addition to the typical nine-to-five schedule of most people who train in the evening and late afternoon, very few people are eager to rise and shine before dawn to hit the gym for the sheer joy of morning workouts. However, you might want to reconsider your daily routine and switch for the early bird philosophy, because kick-starting your day with physical activity might surprise you with all its perks! 1.    It’s a metabolism boost Any form of exercise is excellent for increasing your metabolism rate, but if you turn it into a morning ritual in addition to your delicious butter Coffee Blocks, your body will be able to get into the “up and running” mode much faster, allowing you much more energy for the rest of your daily challenges. 2.    You’ll burn more fat If you decide to rise early and start your routine even before breakfast, a Northumbria University study has shown...

It’s a sweat and be seen dynamic in the fitness world these days. People head to boutique studios in droves instead of local membership-style gyms. Stylized express-fitness classes are where it's at, and everybody wants a spot! Even my hunky Australian officemate who is the epitome of a guy's guy goes to SoulCycle and has a ClassPass acount. When he's off to a class, I get serious FOMO (fear of missing out). It's like he's going to a party I haven't been invited to...so strange. People don’t just show up to class…they show up wearing designer sportswear and the latest in tracking accessories. As a fitness trend expert, I’m thrilled to see this movement thrive, but I go crazy when I can’t sign up for a class because it's completely SOLD OUT! I'm given the option to add my name to the waitlist...that's already 17 people long. Nope. Not gonna do it. I shouldn't have to wait in a virtual line to work out. Sooooo I teamed up with Lucy Activewear to go BACK TO BASICS...

I spent my birthday at the Dream Hotel in Midtown NYC and it was rad. No, I wasn't hiding out or crying into my pillow about turning 36. Frankly, in my life there's no time for that. I'm a hustler and a dreamer, which means I'm constantly working to grow my company and my career as a TV host. I teamed up with Dream Hotels for a little staycation...to get away from my busy life but to also celebrate a new year of it. If you're looking to visit NYC or take a staycation yourself, keep reading for details about the GIVEAWAY I'm offering with Dream Hotels. But first, a quick look at my birthday evening. When I entered my room at the Dream Hotel Midtown, this was the first thing I saw: a framed picture of my 2 puggles, a bottle of champagne and a gluten-free birthday cake! I wasn't expecting this at all.  I was overjoyed and so touched that the staff at the hotel went to such great lengths to make me feel special. Plus, my 2 favorite guys in the world are my furballs,...

I’m all about outdoor workouts but lately it’s been TOO COLD. Check out my favorite winter workout that lets you skip the cold and will instantly heat up your muscles. It’s Pilates but a different kind of Pilates approach than you’re used to seeing at the gym. The workout is called Flex Pilates and it's taught at Flex Studios in New York City. Flex Pilates uses the Pilates reformer to combine classic Pilates and strength training for 55 minutes that don’t go by too quickly (sorry, clock watchers). Let’s just say you feel every minute of this workout because the motions are often pace-­controlled and require you to activate your core while pulling it up and in. Some moves happen slowly and some quick depending on how you’re using the reformer. To show you several of my favorite moves, I asked Jenn Seracuse, director and instructor at Flex Studios, to guide me through a session. As much as I love this workout, I’m not advanced enough to do it on my own....