Workouts

It may be time to press pause on fitness DVDs for good. While pumping it up at home may be more comfortable than in a room of sweaty strangers, a recent study from Oregon State University suggests that the $250 million a year industry can be damaging to psychological health. After examining 10 popular exercise DVDs, researchers found they projected unrealistic expectations in terms of verbal communication and imagery. For example, a majority of the instructors were thin females in revealing workout gear, spotlighting a model-esque appearance over an average healthy body. And while 25% of instructor language was deemed...

There’s a moment in each one of my hot yoga classes, usually as I contort my body into some Cirque du Soleil-like pose, where I think “why exactly am I doing this to myself?” While other diehards appear to down-dog and deep breathe in style, I often feel as if one more chaturanga might actually kill me in a pool of my own perspiration. The ancient Indian practice has repeated benefits for flexibility, strength building, and overall peace of mind, which likely get most devotees in the door. But what are the lesser-known perks to saying Namaste? Read on, because...

Life can often be compared to the ever-dreaded stair workout: Some fitness-goers prefer to plunge forward without looking back at the previous step, soldiering on in an attempt to achieve the body they crave.  Others may begin and quickly regret the choice to partake in such a workout, receiving a screaming reminder through their burning thighs, rapid breathing, and pounding heart.  And the last crowd may avoid the stairs altogether, instead preferring to please their sweet tooth during a Netflix binge (..because digesting a molten lava cake occasionally counts as cardio, right?)  And depending on the person, a daily routine...