EcoSalon | Conscious Culture and Fashion » exercise

6 Ways to Embrace Mother Nature

Andrea Newell — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:16:34 +0000

In case you needed further proof, here are six reasons why you should connect with nature.

In the past, the idea of women and nature bonding has often been relegated to new age mysticism and pagan forest rituals, but there are several psychological and healthful reasons why it’s good for women to embrace the outdoors. Here are six reasons to unplug, go for a walk, smell the flowers, hear the birds, and even dig in the dirt a little.

Breathe the Fresh Air and Stay Out of the Mall
Of course you can exercise in a gym and walk indoors, but exercising outside (ecotherapy) decreases levels of depression more than exercising indoors. Studies by the University of Essex show that 71 percent of participants said they were less depressed after walking outside in a green area, while 22 percent felt more stressed after walking through a mall, while only 45 percent felt less depressed afterward. 90 percent reported higher self-esteem after the green walk, while 44 percent felt their self-esteem was lower after window shopping. Maybe it was seeing all those size 4′s on plastic models.

Leave the Mirror at Home
A study in Ecopsychology claims that the more time women spend outside, the more positive their body images become. The study participants were involved in numerous outdoor activities, including camping and gardening, and the more time they spent doing them, the higher their self-esteem rose. Researcher Kari Hennigan suggested that when they were outside, women were less likely to be bombarded with media images of models and campaigns for weight loss. A University of St. Thomas study focused on the opposite effect, suggesting that women who spend an inordinate amount of time focusing on their appearance display little green behavior or planet-friendly habits. The less time women spend in nature, the less they pay attention to or care about it.

Feel the Salt Air, Look at that View
Colorado State researcher, Gretchen Nurse believes that women appreciate nature’s sensory gifts more than men, and seek out pungent flowers, vivid sunsets, wind rustled boughs, and crashing waves for their visceral effect. Psychology Today author Katherine Schrieber explains that, “Women are also extra likely to believe nature has inherent value – and that it shouldn’t be saved for, say, its useful natural resources.”

Go On, Stick Your Hands in the Dirt
Now that you’ve left the mall and are walking outside, try gardening. A Netherlands study asked two groups to participate in a stressful activity. Afterward, one group went inside and read a book for 30 minutes. The other group gardened for the same amount of time. Andrea Faber Taylor, Ph.D., a horticulture instructor and researcher in the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign believes that our ever-connected world is stressing us out, and gardening is the perfect way to unplug. The relative quiet and the mindless tasks of gardening help relaxation.

Listen to the Birds
In addition to the stimuli of being constantly connected, our society is getting louder as the number of people, cars and other power equipment increase. A study in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America suggests that bird song can offset unpleasant human noise. Of course it doesn’t mask traffic noise or your neighbor’s lawn mower completely, but results showed that people were happier when birds supplemented honking horns and diesel engines. Another study claims that bird songs, which are loudest in the mornings, help humans develop a consistent sleep cycle, having a positive effect on sleep.

Healing Powers
Our society is increasingly reliant on manufactured pharmaceuticals to cure all of our ills, despite their sometimes severe side effects. There are more chemicals in our food, in our clothing and in our homes. Many scoff at the idea of natural remedies, but studies show that some plants show promise and could have restorative properties. Graviola (leaves from the guanabana tree) has been proven to destroy certain cancer cells in the body, but premature hype and numerous scams caused the scientific community to denounce its effects and further research has been slowed due to the taint attached to it. There have been no large scale tests on humans, so there is no way to know if it could be a serious alternative to manufactured drugs and chemotherapy, but it would be nice if a natural cure could be found.

So…what are you waiting for? Go get some fresh air.

image credits: Trey Ratcliff, Dr. Pat, Andrew R. Whalley, Amarit Opassetthakul, Hamed Saber, John&Fish, saratf

The Insider’s Guide to Life: I’m Good at This

Sara Ost — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:35:24 +0000

ColumnBe you.

I am not an athletically inclined person. While I love hiking and yoga and dancing all up in da club now and again, I am resiliently unmotivated to “push” my body in ways that I deem boring or annoying. I do not thrill to bun-burning stair runs, whether they be in Santa Monica or on Lyon Street in San Francisco, although I’m clearly good at taking up residence near them (if only to snub them). I don’t enjoy running, I openly despise biking, and pilates, well, that branch of fitness seems like a great way to micro-manage everything good about yoga right out of it. I often marvel in detached wonderment at the many denizens of the Bay Area who love these things and love them hard, and then I judge their fleece vests.

All of this explains why, despite growing up in Washington State where outdoor recreational opportunities abound, I have never skied. Telling people this invariably gets one of two responses: “But you’re so NorCal!” and “But you’re so NorCal!” Turns out, I’m actually not so NorCal, and when a couple of friends invited me to go skiing in Tahoe this holiday weekend, I decided it was high time to address this deficiency.

This is the part of the column where things get real. Standing in line at REI the night before the trip, laden with a rent check’s worth of gear, I wasn’t just apprehensive – I was fully resigned to the stone certainty that I would be terrible at this, and go home with my uncoordinated tail between my legs. Self, better hang on to the receipt, I told myself. I was scared. I opted for two days of beginner snowboarding lessons to offset the impending humiliation as much as I could, and I was relieved to find that the High Camp bunny hill at Squaw was satisfactorily out of eyesight of the other runs where my peers without athletic neuroses looked to be flinging themselves willingly at rocks and trees and each other.

I had the entire storyline signed, sealed and sent to press: Never Particularly Athletic, Clumsy City Girl Begged Not to Return by Ski Instructor.

And then something funny happened. No, not the first day where I crashed my way down the bunny slope all afternoon. All of five minutes into day two, I got my legs. And it turns out, to my disbelief and delight: They’re good legs. Really good. I’m…good at this. Yes, Self, you can go faster. Yep, you can finish the run first, and get on that lift and do it again. You can even stop (most of the time).

It was a memorable weekend, and not just because I spent significantly less time on my backside than I’d anticipated. I was with good friends and made new friends, too. The last night, in a big dinner mashup of multiple entrees (including a “salad off”) with our party and another group of friends who were there, will go down as one of the funniest meals of my life. Let’s just say anesthesiologists have some quality stories. Highly recommend.

All weekend, my friends had been trying to help me come up with this week’s column topic. “What about ways that ski resorts are going green?” Cheng. “How about green ski products?” Michelle. “Getting out into nature?” Jeff. All good, but in the end – or rather, at the top – I had my topic. Cliche, but true: There’s nothing like being fully immersed in the present moment, using your body, to experience the proverbial epiphany. Sliding off the lift for the third or fourth time on that beautiful day, banking to look at sparkling Lake Tahoe, I had mine. The confidence that comes with taking joy in oneself, whether that’s keeping your own company or reaching out to someone else or achieving something new (such as not falling down the slope). As perfectionists, as activists, as go-getters, as people who generally strive to do well, better, best, we can get so caught up in grading ourselves, we forget to delight in simply being ourselves. To give ourselves an A for showing up, because that’s the real test to be aced.

This weekend I remembered that when it comes to me being me, I’m good at this. And so are you.

This is the third in your editor’s new column for 2011, The Insider’s Guide to Life, exploring topics such as media, culture, sex, politics, and style. If she’s got the strength for it, there will be more to come. Cheers and spellcheck!

Image: jurvetson

10 Natural Aphrodisiacs for a Cold Winter’s Night

Katherine Butler — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:05:02 +0000

The snow is flying and the fog is rolling in, so there’s no better time for getting comfortable between the sheets. But just because you’ve trekked inside with mini-icicles hanging from your eyebrows doesn’t mean you can’t heat things up at home. And there are many ways you can bring sexy back without turning to Viagra and unfortunate candle wax issues. Check out these ten tips to keep your libido cooking until spring. (Note: As with all medications, seek the advice of a professional before taking any supplements.)

Peppermint Peppermint contains menthol, which acts as a stimulant. For women, this is a good thing. As one source writes, “The scent [of peppermint] acts to stimulate the physical senses and if applied on the skin produces a cooling and exciting sensation which makes the erogenous zones in women more receptive to sexual pleasure.” Sexy has never been so cool.

Cornstarch Planet Green reports that painting your naked body with corn starch is super erotic. (Who knew?) They note that, “Just the initial sensation of cornstarch dropping on the skin mimics the sensation of liquid silk.”

Cinnamon Cinnamon has been known to increase sex drive over time. It can lower high blood sugar which “restricts the blood flow to the penis.” This can’t help but be a good thing for sex. Just be sure to only add a dash or two – large amounts of cinnamon may be toxic.

Ginseng Ginseng has been a popular aphrodisiac in China for centuries. Some claim it can boost sex drive and increase libido. It can also improve blood flow.

Exercise

Even moderate exercise will get the blood flowing to all the necessary parts. And as experts note, it will make you feel better about yourself, which is always a good thing for promoting sex.

Avocados Not only do avocados have a sensuous texture, they contain Vitamin E. As one source reports, Vitamin E can heighten your orgasm.

Alcohol (In Moderation) Discovery Health reports that “by reducing anxiety and stress one drink can help get you in the mood for sex.” But if you get drunk? You’re heading more for sleepy time.

Ginkgo Biloba This is thought to increase blood flow to the sexual organs. Even better? It can enhance orgasms.

Chocolate As Planet Green points out, chocolate is “believed to be a natural source of phenyl ethylamine (PEA), the same feel-good chemical that the body naturally produces during those first moments of falling in love.”

Saw Palmetto This is said to “nourish” the prostate gland and enhance the production of testosterone. Who knew palm trees could be so sassy?

Images: andre5, jylcat, fstorr, cteteris, trasel, mikebaird, threelayercake, picsbypop, mccheek, scubadive67, homeredwarprice

Can’t Sleep? 20 Natural Tips to Stop Tossing & Turning

Mike Sowden — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:46:32 +0000

For some, bedtime is a nightly battle of tossing, turning and exhausted frustration; believe me, I’ve been there myself. As with any of life’s imbalances, there’s usually an underlying reason for insomnia and although stress and tension are usually the root cause, there are natural solutions to help you get the rest you deserve. Try some of these ideas and see which ones work for you.

Before going to bed, stretch out.

The day’s tensions are held in your body, so a gentle, relaxing stretching session. Even a brief one can do you a world of good.

Wear comfortable clothing – or none!

You might be surprised to find that going to sleep in your birthday suit helps you get more relaxed. Or, simply changing the type of PJ’s you wear can work wonders. If you’ve been sticking to cotton or flannel, try bamboo, which breathes well.

Skip the bedtime TV show.

I know a lot of people that like to fall asleep to the TV, and if that works for you, great. But if you find yourself wired after watching Colbert or the midnight sci-fi flick, take the hint and turn off the tube. With all those flashing images, TV stimulates the brain and that’s the last thing you need if you’re trying to sleep.

Unplug electrical appliances in your bedroom at night.

The subtle electrical hum might just be enough to keep you awake, not to mention digital numbers or standby lights. If you use an alarm to wake up, keep it at least 3 feet from your bed.

Keep your workspace separate from your bedroom.

Using your laptop in bed, or even having your desk right next to your bed will keep stress and sleep intertwined – not a good combination. If you can, remove clutter your sleeping space and make it harmonious and beautiful. Perhaps some beautiful art or make an altar of special objects – anything but the office supplies!

Snack smart.

Is it too health-nut of me to remind you not to drink coffee or eat sugary snacks before bedtime? Hey, even a few bites of dark chocolate were enough to keep me up an extra few hours one night recently, so watch what you eat in the evening. Good choices are nuts, cheese, and nut butters.

Is your mattress uncomfortable?

Are you using the right pillow? Make sure your sleeping situation is exactly right for you. If you’re tossing and turning on a regular basis, it’s probably time for a different mattress.

Keep oxygen circulating in your bedroom.

If you don’t like to leave your windows open, at least crack them or use a small, circulating fan. The white noise might help you sleep better, too.

Aromatherapy

Try aromatherapy to help you relax and sleep. Some great essential oil choices are lavender, ylang ylang, clary sage, vanilla and more. Saffron Rouge, our favorite online beauty and personal care shop, has a wonderful selection of organic essential oils and – our editor’s favorite – a roll-on herbal Sleep formula containing lavender.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain that regulates sleep cycles and synthetic melatonin pills are a gentle, over-the-counter option for helping you get to sleep. There are a few contraindications and potential side-effects, so do your research before taking it, but in general melatonin is considered a very mild and helpful supplement.

Listen to relaxing music

Try ocean sounds or a meditation podcast, but make sure your stereo doesn’t stay on all night with lights and electrical feedback to keep you awake!

Tea

Try the old standard for nighttime relaxation: chamomile tea. If that’s too wimpy for you, check out the recipe for EcoSalon’s Sweet Dream Elixir. If you consume dairy, a glass of plain old warm milk can help, as well.

Save shower or bath time for your evening ritual.

The warmth and the water will help you relax, unwind and wash away the stresses of your day. This is especially effective if you use some of those essential oils in your bath.

Valerian root

This is a well known drowsiness-inducing herb. It is generally considered safe, with few side-effects, but as with any supplement, do some research and chat with your health care practitioner before deciding if it’s the right remedy for you.

Kava

The Hawaiian kava root is also well known for its relaxing properties. I tried it a few times when I was living on Maui and I can tell you that it does have a soothing, relaxing effect without any major hangover or side effects. But kava root is not the ideal herb for everyone. Do some research before trying it, and get pure kava powder.

Wear a sleep mask.

We sleep best in total darkness, and those little slivers of light from the streetlamp outside your window or the bright numbers of your digital alarm clock are enough to be a distraction. Simply slip on a mask and enter your own dark cocoon.

Save bedtime for relaxing activities.

You’ve turned off the TV, now what? Read a book (but not a thriller!) or journal just before going to bed. Or, try a little yoga.

Write your worries or your to-do list.

If your mind is racing, grab a notebook and write everything down. Write write write until you’re out of things to write about, until you’re tired, even bored – then you’ll be able to shut your eyes and sleep.

Use a pleasantly scented dream pillow.

It sounds strange, but German scientists found that certain smells help us dream better, while other, unpleasant smells play a part in disturbing our dreams.

Slow, deep breathing.

Before you go to bed, do some deep breathing – this will help relax you. Anytime you notice your mind has drifted away from your breath, gently bring it back. Or do this meditation lying down in bed and you’re sure to fall fast asleep.

Each week here at EcoSalon, the editors choose a post from the archives that we think you’ll love. The original post can be found here.

Images: Raul A., j/f/photos, helgasm, Aaron Escobar, buidl-lemmy, avlxyz, bedzine, Bohman, bitmask, kanko, krikit, ClatieK, nhhsp, fabaudrey, michael reuter, OUCHcharley, craftycrafty, tranchis, kaibara87, lepiaf.geo, Stephen Mitchell

Can’t Sleep? 20 Natural Tips to Stop Tossing & Turning

Sarah Irani — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:10:51 +0000

Before going to bed, stretch out.

The day’s tensions are held in your body, so a gentle, relaxing stretching session. Even a brief one can do you a world of good.

Wear comfortable clothing – or none!

Skip the bedtime TV show.

Unplug electrical appliances in your bedroom at night.

The subtle electrical hum might just be enough to keep you awake, not to mention digital numbers or standby lights. If you use an alarm to wake up, keep it at least 3 feet from your bed.

Keep your workspace separate from your bedroom.

Snack smart.

Is your mattress uncomfortable?

Are you using the right pillow? Make sure your sleeping situation is exactly right for you. If you’re tossing and turning on a regular basis, it’s probably time for a different mattress.

Keep oxygen circulating in your bedroom.

If you don’t like to leave your windows open, at least crack them or use a small, circulating fan. The white noise might help you sleep better, too.

Aromatherapy

Try aromatherapy to help you relax and sleep. Some good essential oil choices are lavender, ylang ylang, jasmine or sandalwood. Nectar Essences has a misting spray – appropriately called Sleep – made of relaxing flower essences and essential oils.

Melatonin

Listen to relaxing music

Try ocean sounds or a meditation podcast, but make sure your stereo doesn’t stay on all night with lights and electrical feedback to keep you awake!

Tea

Save shower or bath time for your evening ritual.

The warmth and the water will help you relax, unwind and wash away the stresses of your day. This is especially effective if you use some of those essential oils in your bath.

Valerian root

Kava

Wear a sleep mask.

Save bedtime for relaxing activities.

You’ve turned off the TV, now what? Read a book (but not a thriller!) or journal just before going to bed. Or, try a little yoga.

Write your worries or your to-do list.

Use a pleasantly scented dream pillow.

It sounds strange, but German scientists found that certain smells help us dream better, while other, unpleasant smells play a part in disturbing our dreams.

Slow, deep breathing.

Each week here at EcoSalon, the editors choose a post from the archives that we think you’ll love. The original post can be found here.

Images: Raul A., j/f/photos, helgasm, Aaron Escobar, buidl-lemmy, avlxyz, bedzine, Bohman, bitmask, kanko, krikit, ClatieK, nhhsp, fabaudrey, OUCHcharley, craftycrafty, tranchis, kaibara87, lepiaf.geo, Stephen Mitchell

Bikram Challenged: I Smell a Mat

Luanne Bradley — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:01:18 +0000

Strike a pose? Sure. Unleash enough sweat to fill a small Dough Boy? Hey, if it reduces that fleshy upper thigh mass, I’m in. Tolerate a melange of putrid stench for 90-minutes? Hmm. That’s where this ever blossoming lotus needs to draw the line.

I recently returned to heated yoga after a three-year hiatus and was quickly reminded of why I’m so Bikram challenged. I have an acute sense of smell, not just strong mind you, but someone known by authorities as a woman who can detect a fire two counties away. Five minutes into the grueling repetition of nearly impossible contortions, I inhaled the unpleasant aroma of a moldy bathroom towel. Unfair! It was all downward dog from there.

Next came the rank cologne of stinky male body odor (I’m not sexist but my keen animal sensor knows Martians emit far fouler scents than Venetians).

But the coup de grace: Freshly applied Wella Balsam conditioner. The signature chemical properties of the popular hair product truly put me over the edge, conjuring memories of my days as a cubby reporter interviewing a 6-foot bulimic in the Chicago North Shore whose hair was shellacked with Wella. I have the inexplicable urge to gag the moment I whiff that stuff, and it is seriously inappropriate to vomit in Bikram because it introduces a smell which could take years to eradicate from the hallowed hot haven of enlightenment.

Yes, I shed three pounds the week I was Bikram-bound, despite my friend Denise’s argument that “you don’t lose weight doing it.” And it can be said, I was a proud human pretzel during the class, too, glad I could still resemble a bendable Barbie, crouching lower than Shawty (and slowly standing back up while my knees creaked) and wrapping one profusely sweating leg around the other leg, evoking the image of the buff master in white trunks on the poster in the front room.

Still, I can’t get past the smells. As I lumbered to my car in the cold of night, feet slippery in flip-flops with soaked hair greased back like a scary landlady clad in a floral moo moo, I too was a smell for sore nostrils, like a Barbie abandoned in the bathtub for a few days, plastic absorbing that bathroom bacteria, reminiscent of that moldy towel I had to tolerate during class. I was never so happy to take a shower.

The next day I returned to a tap dancing class after a two-year hiatus and was instantly reminded of the reason I had left. That awful, clattering noise!

Image: Ron Sombilon Gallery

A Light Workout

Scott Adelson — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:15:04 +0000

Some of my best friends enjoy going to the gym. They say they get a charge out of a good workout, a buzz from a good schvitz. I have to admit, though, I never was much of a gym rat. I mean, take a walk or ride a bike and go somewhere, do something. Exercise, to me, should be a value-add. Running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike seems kind of, well, like going nowhere.

That caveat aside, from where I sit (emphasis on “sit”), someone’s finally come up with a way to make workouts do some work. A company called ReRev is retrofitting cardio gym equipment to turn the kinetic motion of your aerobic workout into DC (direct current) power that feeds back into a building’s electrical system. The current is fed into a ReRev box where it’s converted into utility-grade AC (alternating current), the form of electricity our homes and businesses know and love. That’s free – working up a sweat aside – electricity with no maintenance required.

According to ReRev, the system can turn a typical 30-minute workout into 50 watt hours of clean electricity. That’s enough to power a laptop for an hour, charge your cell phone six times, or power a compact fluorescent light (CFL) for two and a half hours.

The system is installed at a growing number of facilities across the country, including venues at a bunch of universities, such as Florida, Kentucky, Chico State in Northen California, and Drexel in Philadelphia (pictured above). In fact, your gym could be ideal for a ReRev system, depending on its workout volume and amount of equipment.

And if you’re interested, the ReRev site has a nifty form you can fill out about your gym master (Is that what they’re called? I wouldn’t even know).

Study Reveals 5 Minutes of ‘Green Exercise’ Boosts Mental Health

Susan Chaityn Lebovits — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:52:18 +0000

You many not get abs of steel, but according to a new study recently published in The Journal Environmental Science & Technology, your mood and sense of personal well being can be lifted after five minutes of “Green Exercise.”

Green exercise, the Journal explains, is activity in the presence of nature. The study reveals that every green environment provides an important health service; being outdoors improves both self-esteem and mood, and that the presence of water generates even greater positive effects.

The research used meta-analysis methodology (a statistical technique that reviews quantitative research) to analyze 10 U.K. studies involving 1252 participants. Ten studies undertaken by the University of Essex over the past six years were selected for inclusion. Detailed research questions related to physical activities (duration and intensity), types of green places, and participant characteristics (age, sex, health status) were used.

Among the activities observed were cycling, gardening, walking, fishing, boating, and horseback riding in various environments such as the countryside and farmland, forest and woodland, urban green, and near water.

The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to quantify changes in mood, and measurements were taken immediately pre and post-activity or intervention. The study was created by Jo Barton and Jules Pretty from the Interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex in the U.K.

Their findings suggest that attention should be given to developing the use of green exercise as a therapeutic intervention (green care), that planners and architects should improve access to green space (green design), and that children should be given opportunities to learn in outdoor settings (green education). Employers, they say, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest Green Space to improve mental health, which may in turn affect productivity.

So the next time you need a boost, look for a park, a few trees, a pond, or even a Green Roof and take five.

Image: mariachily

The City Girl’s Guide to Urban Hiking

Anna Brones — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:36:53 +0000

Soot, screeching sirens and forbidding skyscrapers; is this your definition of the big city? Think again. The urban landscape might seem like the epicenter of everything that’s wrong with the world, but in fact cities are where some of the most interesting components of the green movement are currently taking place.

With everything from urban farms and electric cars, large cities are surprisingly livable, and now there’s another trend on the rise: urban hiking. Living the city life has long been equated with staying indoors and neglecting to feed our human need for spending time in nature, but the onslaught of urban hiking tours is showing us that it is in fact possible to get outside, be active and explore new places in the process.

What is Urban Hiking?

Forget the days of mindlessly jumping in a taxi to go from point A to point B. Urban hiking is all about planning, executing and enjoying the journey, another great example of slow travel. According to the Urban Dictionary, urban hiking is “the exploration of diverse urban environments on foot.” Conservation and travel groups alike promote urban hiking, as it not only gets people outdoors and active, but also allows them to explore the ins and outs of urban landscapes.

Choose a Theme

The key to a great urban hike is planning. Pick a theme to your hike so you can choose specific points of interest to visit. This allows you to explore a certain aspect of the city you’re in and makes it easier to plan an itinerary. Here are some possible themes to consider:

Local food – Find three restaurants or cafes that all focus on serving local food and plan for an appetizer at each.
Markets – Markets abound in big cities – Paris and San Francisco in particular come to mind – and offer everything from local foods to crafts. Pick out a few you want to explore and track your route.
Parks – For a more natural experience, explore the green spaces that your urban environment has to offer. Choose a few within a walkable distance and pack a picnic item for each.
Architecture – Explore the designs and spaces that make the city that you’re in unique. Cities like Los Angeles have already started offering architecture-inspired guided urban hikes.
Art galleries - If you want a chicer urban hike, give it an art theme. Many cities offer an Art Walk on a certain night of the month. This is a great chance to plan a quick and easy urban hike itinerary. Plot out some of your favorite galleries that you want to check out and end the evening with a glass of wine at a local bistro.

Planning your route

Easy tools like Google’s pedometer will help you track how far you will be walking. Plan realistically; if you’re going with a group of friends, you’ll go at a slower pace than you expect. Assume you’ll cover about one or two miles per hour. A great day trip could be 5 or 6 miles with several stopping points incorporated, keeping you active but also ensuring that the day is enjoyable.

Be sure to bring

Just because you’re in the city doesn’t mean you can throw traditional hiking rules of thumb out the window. Carry a bottle of water and some healthy organic nuts or dried fruit to snack on.

If you’re planning on making stop off at a cafe, bring your reusable thermos or mug. And just in case you come across a to-die-for item in an unknown corner boutique, make sure you’ve got a reusable bag on hand.

Resources

If you’re looking for urban hiking suggestions, tourism websites are a great place to start, and many have suggested routes if you don’t want to plan your own. Guidebooks that have walking tour routes are also a great resource.

But remember, the best part about urban hikes are that you can tailor them to explore all the things that you’re interested in, so don’t be afraid to break out of the box!

Do you have a favorite urban hike? Tell us about it!

Image: brartist

What It Takes to Burn Off 5 Fast Food Meals (and a Latte)

Katherine Butler — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:00:43 +0000

The holidays are behind us, and that means one thing – dreams of sugarplums dancing in our heads have turned to nightmares of cellulite chasing our posteriors. Because even the best eater is going to sample a homemade white chocolate chip mocha cookie when it’s offered piping hot from the stove, right? (This is me, raising my hand.) And the best eater might even have another cookie – or six. Who’s to say?

And besides all the awesome baked goods we may or may not have consumed over the holidays, there are also the quick dinners we might have grabbed between shopping and wrapping and generally trying not to go insane. And maybe, just maybe, this food arrived to you through a drive through window with grease seeping through its paper bag – a paper bag you later threw away in an anonymous dumpster on the side of the road. Perhaps?

But not to worry! We’ve got a quick guide to a quick way to burn off the bad stuff. Every wonder how many crunches it takes to burn off a Big Mac from McDonald’s? Or how many miles you have to run to burn off a large French fries from Wendy’s?

First, everyone burns calories in a different way. In other words, a 120 pound woman with 17% body fat isn’t going to burn the same amount of calories as a 250 pound man with 30% body fat. It all varies according to weight, size and metabolism. So for the purposes of this article, we figured in statistics for the average sized American woman – which is 5’4″, 140 pounds, and a size 14.

Here’s a look at our average Jane eating our favorite fast food wonders, and how she pays for them. (Not that we green Janes ever eat fast food…)

Burger King Bacon Double Cheeseburger

620 calories and 28 grams of fat. Get out your bathing suit and hop in the pool for some swimming. Like the back stroke? You’ll just have to swim 2.18 hours of the back stroke to burn off the 620 calories. We suggest a wet suit and nose plugs.

McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets

Six pieces have 290 calories and 17 grams of fat. Sounds like a lot, right? Easy enough to fix: a few hours of vigorous sex will burn that off! Just 9.06 hours in bed will take care of those six McNuggets. Up for it?

Thirsty? Before you reach for a Starbuck’s Mocha, Low Fat Milk, Venti, here’s a thought.

At 446 calories and 20 grams of fat, you can burn that all off with just one simple exercise. Consider climbing some hills for just one hour – while carrying a 21-42 pound load. That’s about a bushel of apples. We suggest not eating one on the way up – one Red Delicious apple will add 127 calories to your count.

Want a Chocolate Softie from Wendys?

One large Frosty Dairy Dessert in Chocolate from Wendys is 540 calories and 91 grams of fat. Participating in one hour of your place of worship - i.e. kneeling, walking, and praying – will burn 32 calories. You just have to marathon it by completing 16.8 straight hours at church.

Carl’s Jr Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich

690 calories and 36 grams of fat. Like working on your home? Just 2.17 hours of roofing will burn off your crispy sandwich. If that’s not motivation to get your home in order, I don’t know what is.

IHOP Pancakes with Syrup

110 calories and 3 grams of fat per dessert pancake, and 230 calories and 58 grams of fat per two ounces of syrup. So if you layer up the pancakes, you’re looking at about 790 calories. But no worries. If you bicycle like a rabid hamster – or, roughly 20 mph – you can burn it off in 45 minutes. And possibly win the Tour De France. Look out, Lance Armstrong!

CORRECTION:

Note: please excuse our inadvertent errors and typos. IHOP syrup has 58 grams of carbs, not fat. A large Wendy’s shake has 13g of fat.

Further reading: Calorie Counts frequently off for fast food

Images: mikebaird, thefoodpornographer, milkintheclock, lyberty, foodfacts, mooshee85, foodbeast