Healthy Helpers
These items help you increase physical activity and get the
most out of workouts. The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services’ new guidelines say adults should do at least
2.5
hours a week of moderately intense physical activity.
DON’T LET IT SLIP
The practice of yoga has been around for
thousands of years so it's kind of hard to improve
upon. Yet Yoga Stick-e socks manage to do so. The
comfortable sweat-absorbing material and sticky
pads on the bottom allow you to hold tricky poses
without slipping.
$20;yogastickysocks.com
NO-TANGLE WORKOUTS
Working out to music is both motivating and
invigorating. Why detract from that by getting
tangled up in the headphone wires of your iPod?
The new iMuffs by Wi-Gear use the same Bluetooth
technology behind hands-free cell phones to power
comfortable cordless headphones. Simply plug the
MB210 unit into your iPod and you can pause,
change volume, and skip songs right from the
headphones. $130; wi-gear.com
healthy you
W EIGHT LOSS
ALL IN THE WRIST
Heart rate monitors used to be too large
and expensive for more casual athletes.
Suunto is changing that with its new
t-Series for Women, which is smaller,
softer, and more comfortable. Our pick—
the t3c—simplifies heart rate training by
using your age, weight, and real-time
heart rate during a workout to produce
a training effect (TE) number between
1 and 5. If you’ve stayed close to a TE of
1 or 2 during your workout, you know
you’ve been easy on yourself. If you
consistently finish a workout in the 4 or
5 range, you know you need to back off
more often. About $130; amazon.com
BACK ON THE BIKE
Those with bad backs know how painful the hunched-over
position on a bicycle can be. Make your return to biking with
the Diamondback 90oSr, a recumbent stationary bicycle with
an easy step-through (rather than step-over) design that is
gentle on bum backs. For a stationary bike, it’s competitively
priced yet doesn’t skimp on features and fitness programs.
About $800; diamondbackfitness.com
1 2 2
JANUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
HAULING WAIST
With car keys, ID, and phone jangling around in your
pockets, it’s no wonder you feel (and sound) like an
old-fashioned tinker making the neighborhood rounds.
Silence and secure these items during workouts with a
SPIbelt, an elastic belt and pouch combo that goes
around your waist and doesn’t bounce or shift no
matter how quickly you walk or run.
$20; spibelt.com