Archives for December 2010

Archive for December, 2010

BWP’S YEAR IN REVIEW: THE BEST BLOG POSTS OF 2010

Posted by Jenna Bergen on 12/26/2010 at 10:36AM | No Comments

I can’t believe that in only a few days we’ll be celebrating the arrival of 2011! The past 12 months have been quite eventful for BWP. Not only did Philadelphia magazine launch BeWellPhilly.com this year, but we also turned out some great content. I can’t wait to get started on next year’s blog, but before we start moving ahead, let’s take a moment to look back on all that has happened. Here are 10 of my favorite, and most popular, blog posts from 2010. I had fun putting this together, so I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading! READ MORE

WILL YOU WORK OUT ON CHRISTMAS DAY?

Local fitness pros share whether or not they'll break a sweat on December 25

Posted by Grace Dickinson on 12/20/2010 at 9:46AM | 2 Comments

To work out out or to not work out on Christmas Day? On one hand, lacing up those sneakers for an early, Christmas morning run can set the rest of the day off on the right foot (i.e., there’ll be less chance you’ll scarf down the chocolate goodies in your stocking before breakfast). And of course, burning a few extra calories before sitting down to a daylong feast equipped with mass amounts of eggnog and cookies can never be a bad idea. But between traveling to Grandma’s and opening presents with your loved ones, who has the time to work out? And besides, after the busy days leading up to Christmas, shouldn’t it be the one day you give your body a vacation?

Surprisingly, it’s a question that not even Philly fitness buffs can agree on. Here’s what they had to say: READ MORE

VIDEO: A TRAVEL-READY HOLIDAY WORKOUT

No matter where you land for the holidays, shake out the kinks, burn a few calories and bust away stress with this super-simple, total-body workout from Fusion's Gavin McKay

Posted by Gavin McKay on 12/20/2010 at 9:26AM | No Comments

Gavin McKay is the owner and creator of Fusion Cross-training with locations in Center City, Philadelphia and Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. He’ll be sharing his fitness tips and advice weekly on Be Well Philly.

3 GREAT GIFTS THAT DON’T COST A THING

Money-saving, heart-warming ideas from Wake Up Yoga's Corina Benner

Posted by Jenna Bergen on 12/19/2010 at 10:29AM | 2 Comments

A gift from the heart could end up being the best package under the tree.

Some of the most treasured items I’ve ever received weren’t found in a store, and they cost the giver not much more than some time and thought. This season, take a moment to create a gift that truly shows the recipient how much they mean to you. Not only will you save yourself the stress of paying off credit card bills in January, but the heart-warming, soul-satisfying return you’ll get both from making it—taking the time to do something meaningful requires you to slow down and really think about the people you love, which is good for your body on so many levels—and the look on your loved one’s face when they open it will make it feel like Christmas so much more than any gift from the mall ever could. READ MORE

ANTIOXIDANT-PACKED CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS

Holiday spirits with a healthy spin

Posted by Jenna Bergen on 12/17/2010 at 3:06PM | No Comments

An antioxidant-packed Pom-Ginger Martini.

Without a few holiday cheers here and there, the season wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Unfortunately, many of the drinks served at seasonal soirees carry a caloric sticker shock just as bad as the desserts. A chocolate martini rings in at 438 calories (and 20 grams of fat), a rum punch has more than 300 and a white Russian has 250.

So when I heard of local vegan blogger Kelly White Phillips‘ healthful twist on holiday spirits, I had to share them with you. READ MORE

JUSTIN BIEBER-PROOF YOUR BABY

Fear the day your child will listen to the likes of Justin Bieber? Start shaping his or her preference for good music early—really early

Posted by Anne Taulane on 12/16/2010 at 11:08AM | No Comments

No pregnant woman wants to draw more attention to her belly, but I’d make an exception with the Nuvo Ritmo Advanced Sound System. The device is essentially a speaker system for your growing bundle of joy, allowing the baby to listen along to the tunes playing on your iPod.

I took the Ritmo out for a test drive when I was pregnant with my daughter Nora. Basically, you strap a stretchy, lightweight belt with four speakers embedded in it across your belly. Each of the speakers sits over a different quadrant of your tummy with the Ritmo control and your iPod stashed in pockets on either side. You control the volume for yourself on your iPod, and Ritmo’s Safe & Sound Technology adjusts the volume on the speaker so it’s not blowing out your baby’s delicate, newly formed eardrums. READ MORE

BWP BOOK CLUB: LONG MAY YOU RUN

What we thought of local runner Chris Cooper's new book

Posted by Jane Morley on 12/15/2010 at 11:43AM | 3 Comments

Reading Chester County author and runner Chris Cooper’s Long May You Run (Touchstone, 2010) is like chatting with a wiser, more experienced older brother—who happens to know a ton about running (Cooper is a sub-three-hour marathoner whose running resume includes winning several road races and finishing the Boston Marathon. He also blogs about running at Writing on the Run). READ MORE

THE DANGEROUS HOLIMONTH

Don't let December turn into a monthlong health and fitness break

Posted by Gavin McKay on 12/13/2010 at 11:47AM | No Comments

You don't have to eat perfectly or work out daily, but a little holiday maintenance will help avoid having to start all over again January 1st.

Holidays are designated days of relaxation and are a great time to enjoy family, friends and celebrate life. However, it’s important to remember it’s a holiday—or, if you’re lucky, a long holiweekend, which you can look forward to and get some extra rest and mental space from your routines—but you need to be careful not to check out of your healthy lifestyle for a week or more. Most anti-fitness breaks start with a holiweek that snowballs into a holimonth or holiyear.

If you normally use the holidays as an excuse for unhealthy choices, remember Newton’s first law: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion until acted upon. What is true for physics is interestingly quite true for human behaviors as well. When you workout, isn’t it easier to also eat healthy? And when you are working out several times a week, doesn’t it feel almost easier to just stick with the routine and hit the gym again the next day? However, when you’ve fallen off healthy eating and preparing healthy food, it can seem like such a chore to make a healthy home-cooked meal one night. This is true of almost any similar positive behavior, such as reading, meditating, cooking, or making time for those you love. When you’re doing it, it feels easier and enjoyable, but when you aren’t, it feels like a huge effort to start it up again. READ MORE

JUST OPENED: BODY CYCLE STUDIO

A Spin-only space opens on Chestnut

Posted by Jenna Bergen on 12/13/2010 at 10:26AM | 2 Comments

Body Cycle Studio // Photography by Ashlee Mintz

Indoor cyclists now have a space to call their own. Longtime Sporting Club cycling instructor Russell Carter opened a Spin-only studio, Body Cycle, on Chestnut Street earlier this month. A floor below Symmetry Dance, the single-room space feels refined and classy, more yoga studio than Spin room thanks to the wood floors and floor-to-ceiling windows. Though tiny (come dressed, there aren’t showers or a locker room), the space packs 20 bikes comfortably and the mirrors allow you to check your form from any angle. The Keiser bikes, which use magnetic resistance rather than chains, are smooth and quiet. “They are a little more forgiving on the joints than other types,” says Carter. READ MORE

SWEETGREEN OPENS IN ARDMORE!

An eco-friendly eatery comes to Suburban Square this Wednesday

Posted by Jenna Bergen on 12/10/2010 at 4:47PM | No Comments

Salad fixings at Sweetgreen's new Ardmore location

Sweetgreen, an eco-friendly eatery that’s had success in the D.C. and Maryland area, will open its first Philly location in Ardmore’s Suburban Square on Wednesday, December 15. “Sweetgreen is centered around the idea of sustainability and that starts with the food,” says co-owner, Nicolas Jammet, who opened D.C.’s first Sweetgreen in August of 2007 with co-founders Nathaniel Ru and Jonathan Neman after the trio dreamt up the concept during their senior year at Georgetown University. “We’ve built a big network of farmers and organic sources in D.C. A couple of months ago, we started researching local farms in the Philly area and we decided to partner with Fair Food Philly.” In addition to lots of local veggies, all packaging is compostable and the healthy food spot uses organic ingredients whenever possible, including free-range, hormone-free chicken. “The whole idea is that everything is nutritious and healthy,” says Jammet. “We have some different salad toppings, like our spicy quinoa, and a lot of our dressings are made with a half-yogurt base so they’re lower in fat but still creamy. There are no preservatives and a lot of the food is grown within 100 miles.” READ MORE