Osteoporosis is a big deal for women. But there’s more involved in keeping your bones strong and healthy than just eating plenty of calcium. Weight-bearing activity (exercise on your feet that works your bones and muscles against gravity) is crucial to building and maintaining optimal bone mass. Here’s why:

Bone density refers to your reserve of stored calcium. This is what determines the strength and health of your bones.
Bones are living tissue and need to be used to be strengthened.
The best time to start doing weight-bearing activities is during the teen and early adult years when bones are still growing. But it’s never too late to start!
The more bone density you have, the less negative impact there will be after menopause, when bone density begins to thin out with the loss of estrogen.
Higher bone density means stronger bones that are less susceptible to fracture or breakage.

So ladies, listen up: here are some activities you can incorporate into your lives to build up bone mass and stay strong.

For starters, lift things! No need to go overboard, but carry your groceries to the car and don’t be shy about picking up boxes. Just make sure you protect your back and do it safely.
Jogging is good for building bone, and so is walking uphill, but a regular walk around the block won’t do much for you.
Vigorous gardening and housecleaning – move a lot, stretch and lift heavy things!
Skip the elevator and climb stairs instead.
On your walks and hikes, wear a backpack. Fill it with water bottles and other things to add some weight, as this helps build bone.
Weightlifting is very good for your bones. There are weightlifting techniques that help build lean muscle mass, and plenty of bone while you’re at it. Here are tips to lift weights without bulking up.
For more active types, try jumping rope, team sports (basketball, hockey, soccer), and high impact aerobics.

Image: glitter feet

In my background as a yoga therapist, I can vouch for the fact that very often, physical pain is the result of emotional stress. Once the emotions are felt and released, the physical body responds and someone with years of chronic pain may suddenly find themselves pain-free once and for all.

The same mind-body theory applies to back pain, a common malady suffered by 55 million Americans. Dr. John Sarno, author of Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, suggests that 75% of back pain is emotionally related, particularly linked with repressed anger. This anger results in diminished blood and oxygen flow, causing muscle spasms and nerve dysfunction, i.e., pain. By admitting to the anger and working through it, the back pain will be relieved. Keep in mind that anger and stress amplify pain anyway, so there’s a lot to be gained by relaxing.

Of course, it’s important to maintain proper posture and strengthen your core muscles; these are the best preventions for back pain. Accidents and injuries may contribute to slipped disks and pinched nerves, causing pain, and these should not be ignored. But if you’ve been checked out physically and the pain won’t go away no matter how much stretching or massage you do, you’ve got nothing to lose by digging a little deeper into your psyche and smoothing the emotional kinks that may be showing up as pain in your back.

Image: vonSchnauzer

I’m always looking for ways to burn calories while living life off the elliptical.

A Swiss friend tells me her mother always did core exercises while driving. I’ve tried those crunches behind the wheel, as well as kegel tightening during pregnancy and stretching the burgeoning turkey neck with a series of juts and releases of my chin in slow traffic. The neck thing is a bit pathetic. I’m certain passersby think I’m a crazed soccer mom with a terrible tick.

Truth be told, I prefer lifestyle burning in the seclusion of my own house, including the kitchen, where I’m totally willing to work for food.

Here are a few ways to burn while your churn, spin, scrub and whisk. Get your kids into the act, as well, for family fun and fitness. Even Martha Stewart would agree the eco-kitchen workout is a good thing.

1. The Salad Spin Arm Rotation

We tend to get lazy relying on the prewashed lettuces at the market. My husband reminds me that’s how cases of salmonella have occurred from bags not really washed so well. Instead, wash it yourself, and spin in a good eco fiber spinner, such as the nifty bamboo bowl from Cooking. You will tone your biceps (say goodbye to that jiggly upper arm flab) and gain wrist strength from the crank or pull cord. Your reward will be a healthier salad with low calorie dressing. Opt for lettuce like arugula which takes extra effort to dry. Spin away, sexy mama!

2. Floor Scrub Cardio Boost

Get down on your hands and knees, you, and start scrubbing away the extra pounds that piled up while you were lazy using that mop. Benefits include having a floor clean enough to eat off of. And, you probably will just grab a bite from the fridge while you are on the floor, since you will be too exhausted to get up and eat lunch. I once heard a Weight Watchers leader (a nutritionist at Stanford) say scrubbing the kitchen floor is how she builds up her cardio endurance. Use a safe product, like Earth Friendly Floor Cleaner or BILO wax/polish to help get the job done, along with reusable towels instead of disposables.

3. Refrigerator Wipe Down Lunges

You don’t have to bend over backwards to clean the shelves of your refrigerator, but you can do some nice lunges removing the compartments and getting them as spanking clean as this Energy Star appliance from the Eco Fridge company. Your friends will envy your sense of order and your shapely thighs. You can also stretch the calves and toe muscles reaching those higher shelves. When you’re done, eat an orange. You deserve it.

4. Washing and Drying by Hand

I remember so well doing dishes by hand in my college apartment sans a dishwasher. I was so slim. Wait, I also ran about four miles a day. Anyway, the old wipe-on, wipe-off saves lots of water and energy and gets that heart pumping. Heck, you can work up quite a lather scrubbing those pots, sister! Whistle while you work and burn even more C’s. Try using a green dishsoap, like the fragrant Nancy Boy, and organic flour sack towels for wiping like this set from Williams-Sonoma.

5. Hunt and Gather and Make From Scratch Marathon

Try following Martha’s example of making an entire meal by scratch, from the harvesting of organic veggies and fruit from your yard (think slow simmering casseroles in the crock pot or homemade pies) to the kneading of your bread and preparation of your own delicious pasta or free range meat dish. It’s a lot of work but you never heard those pioneer women kvetch, did ya? Invite the kids to help because they love to cook and need exercise, too.

Ecstasy without the drugs ““ that’s ecstatic dance. It describes the way I love to move, flailing my whole body around in wild abandon, shaking out all my knots and aches, loosening my spine, and seeking a very natural high.

I feel safe enough to move like this at dance jams promoting ecstatic dance, like 5 Rhythms, Soul Motion and high vibration summer music festivals.

Ecstatic dance is nothing like dancing in a club. There’s no alcohol, no cigarettes, and best of all, no meat market vibe. Nobody’s there for a fashion show or to show off their sexy new moves ““ it’s about dancing how you feel in that moment and shaking out all your stress in the process. And trust me, it feels good. They don’t call it ecstatic for nothing.

And how does this tie into ecological issues, you wonder? A nightclub in London that opened last year on Earth Day installed an energy-generating dance floor where the bouncing of the dancers would create about 60% of the clubs electrical needs. Sure, that’s a nightclub, and you’d probably never catch me there, but the idea is a brilliant one! Living well, expressing yourself, and doing it green – that’s what eco is all about.

Image: Mike Baird

Lights, treadmills, fans, air conditioning. Unless you pump iron at the Venice Beach outdoor gym
chances are you’re burning as many kilowatts as calories. Here’s how to green your fitness routine.

Does your health club have recycle bins near the sports drink vending machines?

If not, contact your city hall to see what steps must be taken to arrange for pick up or if the health club must hire a private firm. Meet with the owner or manager of the club to share your findings.

Are the lights connected to motions sensors?

Surf the web to show the management how easy it is to find motion sensors.

Can a water filter be installed on the fountain?

Water filters are a great way to rid water of metals and improve taste. Install one in your health club bubbler and you’ll be doing your part to discourage vending machine use.

Bring along a refillable aluminum water container, like a SIGG or Klean Kanteen, PBA-Free plastic ones such as Nalgene or Camelbak to landfill bottle buildup.

Namaste green

The Green Yoga Association offers a checklist to help health clubs and yoga studios go green such as choosing a yoga mat that’s been produced without PVC or latex (using bamboo or hemp) and earth-friendly mat cleaners like Happy Yoga Mat Wash. Opt for sustainable workout clothing such as organic cotton yoga pants and bamboo sports bras, and print schedules, flyers, and other promotional materials on tree-free or recycled paper.

Green cardio

If you love the StepMill or StairMaster, try playing Rocky and find a few flights of stairs. You’ll reduce your carbon footprint by making some of your own. While the motions are similar, real steps will have you utilizing different muscles each time you vary your stride and width.

If you love the treadmill, take a stab at venturing outside. What might have seemed daunting in 2008 could be just the push you need to break out of your comfort zone and make 2009 the year to try new things.

Once you’re gained a little confidence sign up for a local road race and see if you can shave a few seconds off your time. No race to be found? Create one of your own and support a cause that you believe in. Be sure to log on to The Greenteam a community for race events, runners, and folks who simply give a damn. Greenteam members (it’s free to join) have access to eco-friendly race listings and nutrition and training tips.

Earth friendly running shoes

They’re starting to pick up speed, albeit slowly. Check out the the Cascadia 3, made with all natural ingredients, and The Tranceâ„¢ 8 with BioMoGo, which had a biodegradable sole.

When you’re ready to treat yourself to a new pair of shoes, log on to Recycled Runners to find a new home for your old friends. Click on to your state to find a drop spot.

Race in place

Not up for venturing out yet? That’s ok. Reduce your transportation footprint by working out at home with a DVD. No more falling behind in class – simply pause and rewind until you’re in your comfort zone, from belly dancing and Body Bar to Bosu and Ballet.

Image: Celso Flores

It was always a good idea; now it’s finally been done. Just in time for January fitness resolutions, sing up for the gym that’s partially powered by your workout. (It’s okay to admit that this conjures up images of hamsters on the treadmill, generating energy for the world to go round.) But rodent making the rounds it’s not. The Green Microgym in Portland, Oregon, has set the new standard for eco-fitness, indoors.

The gym is outfitted with Team Dynamo and Spin bikes set up to generate electricity, as well as extensive solar panels that help to offset the gym’s carbon track print. Treadmills use 30% less power than standard models, all lights are compact fluorescents, and the floors are made of recycled rubber and eco-friendly cork.

If you’re nowhere near Portland, all is not lost. What I like best on Green Microgym’s eco list is that personal trainers sometimes take their clients outside to exercise. Don’t forget the original solar-powered gym: the great outdoors.

Image: iconocast

When you think of eco-travel, visiting the world’s biggest cities is not usually what springs to mind. You might think of volunteering on an organic farm, camping in a yurt or tipi in the Welsh valleys, or staying in an eco-lodge in Australia’s Daintree rainforest. But a weekend trip to New York, Paris or Melbourne? Not so much.

It’s time for a rethink because visiting a city can actually be one of the most environmentally-friendly travel options around. The sheer fact that every site of interest is condensed into a geographically confined space makes it easier for tourists to get around without resorting to driving. Cities are more likely to have reliable public transport systems to let you zip around between the various points of interest – but if you are staying in the center of town you might get away without using that, either.

It depends how you get there, of course – there’s no kidding yourself that catching a budget flight for a two-day city break is anything other than a major eco-sin. But large cities are better connected by inter-city train networks than the surrounding countryside.

There are plenty of opportunities for city tourists to get out and explore, from the traditional walking tour to mass street skates. The great thing is that you are not only reducing the load on the environment but you are also staying fit, meeting people and hopefully having fun!

1. Walking

When I visit a new city, I always like to walk the streets to get a sense of the city’s size, layout and vibe. Some of my most interesting travel experiences have come from the random and the serendipitous, taking the time to walk from A to B via C rather than zipping around in the most efficient manner. Most cities also have organized walking tours – London Walks, Big Onion Walking Tours in New York, and so on – and there is usually information available at tourist information offices.

2. Running

Holidays for me tend to go hand in hand with nice restaurant meals and too much wine, so it’s a nice antidote to take some exercise. Running is one of the easiest ways to stay fit when you’re away from homes because it’s low maintenance – all you need is a pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothing. Like walking, I’ve found running a great way to explore a new city and see it from a perspective where I am randomly exploring and not expecting anything particular. You can plot walking or running routes on WalkJogRun.net, either as a planning tool before you go or after the event, to see how far you’ve been. There are also guided running tours in many US cities, including New York, San Diego, Charleston, Washington D.C. and Chicago.

3. Cycling

My most memorable travel experiences often involve physical activity in a stunning location – somehow I feel so much more fully present in the scene if I’m doing something rather than just observing it. It was 12 years ago now and I’ve been to many more exotic places since then, but I still remember renting a bicycle at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, riding along the bay, over the Golden Gate Bridge and down to Sausalito for lunch, taking the ferry back to the starting point. Tourist offices or city websites should be able to help you find the best cycle routes – in London, for example, the Journey Planner website for public transport lets you pick cycling options and it automatically configures the quietest streets and takes account of one-way streets. If you don’t want to do it yourself, there are also more formal bicycle tours, such as Bike-A-Round in Paris.

You can hire bicycles in most major cities in the world and many European cities – including Paris, Lyon, Brussels, Vienna, Barcelona – even have free bicycle hire schemes run by the city and subsidized by advertising. There are banks of bikes at metro stations that you can rent out using a credit card. The schemes have been very successful – though since you can return the bikes to any metro station, they reportedly have a problem with them congregating at the bottom of hills!

4. Inline skating (rollerblading)

Now on to my personal favourite. Inline skating, or rollerblading, is great in parks and on cycle paths along rivers and beaches, but it is also a great way to explore a city. It goes without saying that you should have mastery over your skates and stopping abilities if you plan to go on the roads or sidewalks, but you should also double-check the local laws. In some countries inline skaters are classed under the same law as bicycles, meaning it’s illegal to skate on the sidewalk, while in other countries it’s the opposite and you must stick to the sidewalk. In the U.K., it’s a gray area and you can arguably do both.

Skating is particularly popular in France and French cities tend to have lovely wide sidewalks – it’s common to see skaters all over cities such as Paris and Bordeaux, simply using their skates to get from A to B. (The French even have cops on skates though understandably not in areas where the crooks can escape onto a vast expanse of grassy lawn). Even better, the road along the Seine in the center of Paris is closed to cars on Sundays, making it paradise for skaters, cyclists and joggers with fabulous scenic views of the city. As with walking, running and cycling, there are specialist tour companies operating skating tours of cities, such as Skate-A-Round in Paris and Amsterdam.

There are also free mass street skates in major cities all over the world, which are great fun if you’re a competent skater and can stop on a hill and deal with bad surfaces. One of the biggest and best is the Paris Roller every Friday night – the event regularly attracts 10,000 people and is marshalled by the police so there’s no chance of being hit by a car. London has a beginner skate on Sunday afternoons and an advanced skate on Friday nights, plus an intermediate skate on Wednesday nights in summer. London also has costumed skates for Christmas, Easter and Halloween. There are also regular weekly or monthly street skates of varying sizes around the world, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Munich, Nice, Copenhagen, New York, Miami, Sydney and Melbourne.

Image: mudpig

Keeping up with the Joneses may entail more than you think. As our neighbors get a little fatter, we allow ourselves to get a little fatter, too. At least, that’s what the latest research shows. After studying obesity data from the last 6 decades, two British economic experts concluded that obesity is socially contagious simply because of the way people perceive their status in society. As being overweight becomes more common and less of a stigma, people are less likely to care about maintaining a normal and healthy weight.

It sounds like an odd phenomenon, but when the researchers studied European women, they found that their perception of being overweight was based not only on their individual Body Mass Index, but on weight comparisons with other people. So the heavier your family and friends, the less likely you are to worry about the extra weight yourself.

Image: trekkyandy

The fitness drink market is officially saturated. It started in the ’60s with Gatorade, invented by the coach of the Florida Gators football team in an effort to keep them properly hydrated in the extreme heat. Now there’s Powerade, Propel, Fit N’ Lit, Skinny Water, Vitamin Water, and the list keeps flowing, many with added sugar, sodium, food coloring and preservatives.

Now hitting the shelves is ZICO pure coconut water. An all natural, 60-calorie alternative. ZICO contains the five essential electrolytes, magnesium, and more. One box of ZICO has more potassium than a banana (15 times more than most sports drinks) to prevent cramping and promote recovery. And ZICO’s coconut water comes from young coconuts – before they’ve developed the white meat that contains the fat of mature coconuts. Other natural ZICO flavors include Passion Fruit and Mango.

If you’re looking for a post workout treat, here’s a smoothie recipe:

1 cup mixed berries

1 ripe banana

1 scoop vegetarian protein powder

1 ZICO natural

Mix all ingredients together in a blender using fresh or frozen fruit. Yields approximately 16 oz.

Find a store near you.

Note: this is a post by Kate Carter, one of our pals at the fabulous Divine Caroline.

For years, I’ve felt obligated to say I like yoga. Who doesn’t like it? It’s the cool thing to do. Soul-enriching exercise. Stretchy pants. Hollywood endorsements. Hip and calm. But after enrolling in three different classes and enduring hours that felt like years, I am stopping my lies: I hate yoga.

I hate the way the teachers speak in breathy whispers. I want them to speak up, because when I’m in the downward dog position, I’m distracted by others’ unseemly body parts encroaching on my personal space.

I know I’m supposed to lose myself in yoga class, taking on a blank, yet peaceful state of mind. I try to forget about work-related stress, the grocery list, and that mole on my leg that might look funny enough to schedule a trip to the dermatologist. But then I start obsessing about how and when I’m going to get everything done, and worries about my mole turn into nightmarish daydreams about chemotherapy and dying from skin cancer. Now how is yoga going to help me with that?

Not only do my worries surface in yoga class, they become amplified by the fact that I’m cheating on some stretch that feels terrible and doesn’t seem to burn any calories anyway. My watch becomes my enemy, and the minutes pass as slowly as the teacher whispers.

“Hurry up!” I want to scream. But the teacher, oblivious to my panicked anxiety, closes her eyes and groans, “ooohhhhmmmm.” And that is when I know””for sure””that I am in the wrong place.

I’ve taken yoga classes at independent, artsy centers and at large gyms. I’ve taken prenatal yoga, beginner’s yoga, and intermediate yoga. I’ve bought a mat, comfortable pants, and contemplated purchasing a tape. But despite the scenery changes and the yoga-infused consumerism, I always find myself back at the starting line.

During the first yoga class I ever took, I passed gas during a breathing exercise. The teacher at the “Healing Arts Center” immediately commended my body’s natural reaction, but instead of soaking in the praise, I got a case of the giggles that did not stop for the rest of the hour-long class. The teacher’s praise turned into reproachful glances and then angry stares as it became clear that I was not mature enough to handle yoga or a fart.

I missed the next class because of a genuine scheduling conflict, but when I returned the following week, I felt my classmates’ assuming looks: they thought I’d been too embarrassed to come back. To add to my discomfort, we started on the breathing exercises again””popping our stomachs out and back in with great vigor””and I got the giggles once more, because all I could think about was how funny farts are. The teacher asked if I needed to take some time to gather myself, and my answer was “no.” I knew no amount of gathering could make the situation less humorous.

The biggest mistake I’ve ever made, as far as yoga is concerned, is enrolling in a prenatal yoga class while I was working a demanding job and moving houses. I was pregnant with my first””and only””child, and if I had to do it over again, I would choose instead to go see movies, read novels, and do all those other things you don’t get to do once you have a baby. I want those wasted hours back, darn it!

My classmates loved the end of each session, when the teacher would brew some kind of spicy tea and read “birth stories” that previous students wrote after having their babies. The ethos of the class was such that epidurals (and in some cases, doctors and hospitals) were evils to be avoided at all costs. I sipped the tea and listened to tales about the “ring of fire” and looked at my watch and thought I might never escape. I began to think of that teacher as Ms. Torture, because she seemed to want me to endure the worst pain on the face of the earth with no medicinal help.

Just hours after I decided to come clean about yoga, I received an email from my brother, who lives in Siberia and manages two silver mines. He announced to my family that he was enrolled in a yoga class in the city of Khabarovsk, and his email read: “I’m learning to speak in a soft, peaceful singsong. Next I’m going to start sewing my own clothes and drinking tea from tree bark.”

So my skeptical, sarcastic brother is making fun of his yoga classes, too. But””and this is shocking””he is taking them. In Siberia.

As yoga goes mainstream and spreads to all corners of the world, I’m going to stick to my guns. No more yoga for me. Maybe one day, when I’m old and frail and can’t touch my toes, I’ll wish I had gotten into it. But for now, I’ll stick with running””an activity that really is good for my heart””and soul.

Friendly shout-out time! Divine Caroline: There’s a new place where real voices rule. Where people can write and publish stories about anything that matters to them. It’s called Divine Caroline and it’s full of words and wisdom just the way you like them – dripping with honesty. What do we talk about? Style, home, food, relationships, travel, changemakers and much more. You can submit a story if you want or just see what everyone else has to say. Yes, it’s free! Hope to see you soon at Divine Caroline.

Top Image: Shayan (USA)