Studio U | Venice, CAClass:

Our take: Within the Pilates method, there are a few different styles of teaching. I was classically trained in NYC, and usually am drawn more towards classical work where flow tends to be a focus. However, I thought it would be nice to mix it up, and try something more contemporary. I must admit that I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to Pilates classes, but was pleasantly surprised with my experience.  Debbie the teacher, also one of the owners, clearly has a good understanding of the body and she continually walked around the room making corrections when needed. And with her bubbly personality, it wasn’t a surprise to hear that she was a cheerleader in high school. The workout itself worked the whole body, including upper back opening exercises and thigh and butt burning exercises. Throughout the class Debbie was sure to cue us to engage our core. As long as you can follow instructions, you would be able to join the class. While it was challenging, nothing was too complicated. It was an interesting experiment for me as an instructor who teaches a different style. At times I wished there was more structure, and I found I wanted to move more, or be pushed a little harder. But overall it was a positive experience. For anyone who have never done Pilates, Debbie’s class would be a great one to try. Your body will be safe in her hands.

difficulty: (3) atmosphere: (4) likely to return:(3)

Reviewed by Kristen Matthews, a Los Angeles based Pilates instructor who teaches in Santa Monica and outlying neighborhoods.

Lung & Torso from the Bodies Exhibit

Robin Muskal has a Doctorate in clinical psychology and has trained and worked as a psychotherapist, body worker, and energy practitioner for l5 years. Robin works with individuals on a range of mental health and quality of life concerns. In the late 80’s, Robin began her yoga practice at the Kripalu Yoga Center and has spent many years since exploring different yoga, prana, and meditation methodologies. After stumbling on an Iyengar class, Robin felt ready to pursue this style of yoga and has recently begun the Yoga Teacher Preparation Course. She is thrilled to be in a place in her life to receive the benefits of Iyengar yoga and through the use of guided meditation, breathing exercises, cognitive behavioral interventions, body psychotherapy and other techniques, Robin can help her client’s to experience a balanced flow of energy in the body and mind. Robin has a private practice in Morristown, NJ. 

naked Home Village | ChinaProperty:

Overview: Owner Grant Horsfield happened upon a quite mountainside bamboo forest in Monganshan when he got lost on a bike trip in 2007. By 2009, he had opened a secluded LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified retreat, designed by his wife, architect Delphine Yip. Today, this award winning property welcomes guests in search of a healthy, sustainable vacation. Located 2 1/2 hours from Shanghai, naked Home Village was once inhabited by one family of nine. Upon arrival today, you'll appreciate their restored farmhouses and privacy afforded to each bungalow. People escape to naked to enjoy the peacefulness and to spend time in nature. Use this lush mountainscape to enjoy some solo mountain biking, swimming in a near by lake or hiking trails through the magnificent bamboo forests. If you are seeking a more cultural activity, spend time on a local tea plantation where you pick green tea in the morning and learn how to roast it. However you choose to spend your day, relax after your adventures with room service ordered to your liking (Chinese or Western food available) and a bottle of wine from your full stocked house bar. Just make sure you eat it at your outdoor dining table because with nothing around for miles, the stargazing is unbelievable.

Mountain Lake | Bamboo Bedroom | Outdoor dining

As adults, most of us are lucky if we get 6 good hours of sleep every night, (2 hours less than the average recommended amount). We all feel there are not enough hours in the day between work, family life and personal time, that when we lay down to sleep at night, the stress of it all keeps us awake. Maybe we had it right in kindergarten when we had naptime to keep us from getting cranky. What if you tried to cure your 4 o'clock lull with a power nap instead of an espresso?

The Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a study in 2010, which showed that during the day the brain becomes saturated with new information and your short-term memory can go into overload. If you take a mid-day nap, your short term memory can be restored as can you ability to take in new information. Not enough of a selling point for you? Then consider these, napping increases your alertness, sharpens your decision-making skills, ramps up your productivity, increases your sex drive, reduces risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. Plus, doesn't it feel so good not to be exhausted? To make sure you don't over do it, plan your naps for 20-30 minutes a day, find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed, (your car, your office with the door locked, the park on a nice day), and plan your caffeine intake accordingly. And, if napping during the week is not something you'll be able to pull off, then make time for it on the weekends. Trust us, your household will be a happier place!

 
Overall Wellness Round Up:

Breath Assess

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Healthy Chef Creations meal delivery

Written by Danielle E. Alvarez, an NYC based journalist who channels her healthier self on a daily basis.

Chumbe Island | TanzaniaProperty:

Overview: Chumbe Island Coral Park, an award-winning nature reserve with 7 Eco-bungalows, was developed by Sibylle Riedmiller in 1991 to preserve one of the last coral reefs in Zanzibar. The property, designed with both privacy, (only 14 guests can be on the island at one time) and the feeling of living in the open, sits steps from the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean. You'll be treated royally by the staff as your all-inclusive stay includes the national park fees, ranger services for guided hikes, snorkeling trips, coffee and tea delivered to your bungalow at sunrise and all meals. Dine by candlelight at night listening to the sounds of nature. While no menu is provided, the cooks will note your dietary restrictions and provide you with an array of dishes to sample, vegetarian options included. Enjoy your time on the island with a book or searching for all the endangered animals, which can be found during dawn and dusk. Leave feeling good as your money not only afforded you an island getaway, but was also well spent on ecotourism education and research that Chumbe Island conducts jointly with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Dar es Salaam.

Island Transportation | Eco-Bungalow | Reef Sancutary

Maha Yoga | L.A.Class:

Our take: Maha Yoga is a favorite for many westsiders in Los Angeles and I have avoided coming here for years. I had heard it’s a total scene, a place where celebs go, the place to see and be seen. So when a friend asked me to join her the other day, I finally said yes to see what all the buzz was about. I prepared myself for the loud music and went in with an open mind. What I wasn’t prepared for though were the multiple conversations going on around me throughout the entire hour and a half. Nor could I get over the fact that half the class was doing whatever they wanted and not following what Tom was saying (Maybe it was the music. It was so loud you could barely hear him). Wow, I had stepped into a circus. However, Tom didn’t bat an eye once at frenetic energy and disregard for his instruction, so it became clear to me that this was the norm. Toward the end of the class, there was finally some peaceful quiet, and in the moment of appreciating it, someone’s iPhone rang. While this class was not for me, my friend enjoyed it and so did the other 50+ people in the room. You’ll will definitely sweat and probably feel sore the next day. If that’s what you're looking for in your yoga class, then it’s definitely worth checking out. Just make sure you are not a beginner and have some knowledge of yoga asana, as there is minimal direction.

difficulty:  (4) atmosphere: (3) likely to return:(1)

Reviewed by Kristen Matthews, a Los Angeles based Pilates instructor who teaches in Santa Monica and outlying neighborhoods.

Sounds like The Carpenters had it right in 1973 even if they weren't aware of all the amazing health benefits of breaking out into song. If you sing in public or in the shower, then you already know how fun and uplifting it can be. While the mental effects may be obvious, the physical ones are truly a free internal workout.  

Open your mouth, breathe into that belly and sing at the top of your lungs! The energy vibrations you create while singing provide copious amounts of oxygen to the blood system lowering your blood pressure. You enhance your memory and stimulate new parts of the brain while learning new lyrics and melodies. And as your endorphins increase, your stress levels decrease because deep breathing slows your heart rate and allows anxiety to float away. Singing can be a great way to live a healthy life, but what if you're overcoming an illness? According to Dr. Oz, the benefits of singing have helped cancer survivors and people recovering from strokes. Karaoke anyone?

 
Overall Wellness Round Up:

Breath Assess

Emotional Impact

Environmental Influence

Heart-Healthy

Mental Effect 

Nutritional Value 

Beyond Barre | NYCClass:

Our take: Having spent so much time working out in boutique yoga and fitness studios, it was startling to be in a gym environment again. Thankfully, Studio 2 turned out to be a Beyond Barre haven equipped with the many required props—the ballet barre, GlideBoards, 2 lb. free weights, and balls. If I had been overwhelmed, the easy instruction quickly eliminated my too-many-props worries. The class was organized thoughtfully, paying close attention to distinct muscle groups and using repetitious movements to target them. After a few rounds of stretches and jumping jacks, we moved to free weights and arm exercises, followed by a heart-pumping sequence on the GlideBoard, legwork at the barre, and an abdominal series. It felt somewhat like an old school aerobic class, making the upbeat mix of oldies all that more appropriate. Most importantly though, the class was fun. I spent many moments laughing at myself, and although I rarely felt overly fatigued, just a few hours later, my body was already sore.

difficulty:  (3) atmosphere: (2) likely to return:(4)

Reviewed by Danielle E. Alvarez, an NYC based journalist who channels her healthier self on a daily basis.

Day 1 -

• 9 am - Joule Raw
• 12 pm - Edamame Hummus
• 3 pm - Joule Green
• 5 pm - Joule Citrus
• 7 pm - Spaghetti Squash
• 8 pm - Detox Brownie

While the late delivery and less then stellar customer service had me wondering about the company, once the goods were stocked in my fridge I was looking forward to my morning start. After an early round of BariMACRO, I popped the top on my first 18oz raw juice of the day. While I have no idea what was in the yellow tinged drink, I detected a bit of anise and turmeric, both of which are great for digestion. At noon, not exactly hungry, but sticking to the planned schedule, I broke open the Edamame hummus. Delicious! This is a great twist on a staple in my house. I can't wait to make it for my next dinner party. The green juice of the day was mild compared to others I've tried, but was heavily spiced with fennel among other things. The 5pm citrus juice had me flashing back to my horrific master cleanse experience due the cayenne/lemon combo, but since it was only one juice a day, I didn't mind it. My dinner for the evening was pesto spaghetti squash. Again, another common dish is my house, but the pesto gave it nice flavoring. At this point there was no need for me to try the detox brownie, but being an admitted chocoholic, I couldn't leave it behind. While the bar contained cacao, buckwheat flour and maple syrup it didn't taste like chocolate or a brownie. My normal diet does not contain caffeine and I had about 2 weeks to cut out the sugar that had been shocking my system, so there were no negative side affects from my first day of cleansing. We'll see what day two brings.        

Day's winner: Edamame Hummus    Weight Loss: 0.7lbs

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Day 2 - Hummm.. I seem to have woken up with a winter cold! It seems to be going around right now so we'll see how my cleanse can figure in and hopefully kick it quick!

• 9 am - Joule Raw
• 12 pm - No Nightshade Curry Stew
• 3 pm - Joule Green
• 5 pm - Joule Citrus
• 7 pm - Beet & Brown Rice Salad
• 8 pm - Detox Brownie

I slept in a bit this morning and woke up with a very dry throat. I'm not sure if this is due to my cold or the fact that I have yet to set up my humidifier. Either way, I was only able to drink 3/4 of my morning Raw juice and chose to hydrate with about 20oz of water to complete breakfast. I don't feel much like exercising today, so I'm going to take it easy, rest and conserve my energy. My noon lunch was eaten about 1:30pm due to my late start, but I was thankful that the yam & carrot dish could be heated up. It's important in the wintertime and when battling a cold to help your body in it's healing process by eating warm food (warm in temperature and spice). I was only interested in about 1/2 of the afternoon's green juice and settled under a blanket on the couch with a huge mug of hot herbal tea, which is a pre approved add-in item. I will have to save my 5pm Citrus for another day as adding any more water to my system would cause me to float away! The beet salad was like nothing I've tasted before. It wasn't as 'beety' as you would assume and the consistency can be best compared to the wasabi you get with your sushi. While I probably wouldn't try and make this for myself, it wasn't bad at all. I have been peeing red for the last day though.          

Day's winner: No Nightshade Curry Stew     Weight Loss: 0.8lbs

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Day 3 -

• 9 am - Joule Raw
• 12 pm - Root Ginger Soup
• 3 pm - Joule Green
• 5 pm - Joule Citrus
• 7 pm - North African Kale Soup
• 8 pm - Detox Brownie

I awoke feeling much better this morning. I don't know if it was the cleanse, rest, herbal tea of cloves of garlic I swallowed mid-day, but it seems to be working! So, I decided to start strong and head to my favorite rebounding class, BariBOUNCE, to see if I could sweat the rest of the illness out. Hydrating with the raw juice afterwards was great, even though I'm partial to a green juice in the morning. Looking forward to my afternoon of hot soup, I was sad to see the last of the root ginger go. It had the thickness of a butternut squash soup, but the ginger was an amazing fresh touch. Again my 3pm juice turned into hot herbal tea and the cayenne in the 5pm citrus had me smelling again! While the broth in my evening's North African Kale Soup was a bit thin, the pieces of kale, carrot, onion, and chickpeas did make for a tasty alternative to the typical vegetarian bean soup I usually eat. Overall I'm very fond of the food that Joulebody has provided and do not feel hungry in the least. Unfortunately due to my cold I have 2 'left over' juices. But that's fine; I'll happily drink them tomorrow as I start to introduce other foods back into my system.     

Day's winner: Root Ginger Soup   Weight Loss: 1.2lbs