Gear: Green Fitness For Earth Day

Today is Earth Day, and this sunny New York weather is perfect for celebrating the planet. My roomie and I got up for an early morning walk through Prospect Park, which was a nice break from our typical run. The daffodils, the sunlight, the dozens of puppies and dogs at play... Hopefully everyone will get a chance to get outside today, and what better way to appreciate the great outdoors than to walk, run or bike through your nearest local park or nature preserve. If indoor fitness is more your speed, you can still do your part for the environment. Check out the selection of yoga mats, rubber tubing, exercise balls and more at Natural Fitness. This company uses materials like natural rubber, hemp and bamboo to construct its products, and they also plant a tree for each item they sell. Now you can nurture the earth from inside your home, gym or studio, as well.

News: Mind Over Matter

You know you are what you eat, but did you realize the same holds true for what you think? That’s the message delivered by a recent Harvard University Department of Psychology study: After a group of housekeepers learned the number of calories burned while cleaning they began to shed pounds and gain muscle faster than fellow workers who were unaware of the fitness gains. All of this came without a change in routine, just attitude.

Finally, a reason to rejoice over that growing list of household chores!

From dusting to gardening to rearranging furniture, any type of housework, home repair, yard work, or cleaning can help you reach your fitness and weight goals. For example, in an hour the average 150-pound woman can burn up to 292 calories by raking leaves; up to 238 calories by vacuuming; or up to 170 calories while lightly cleaning. Do your shutters need re-painting? Put in a solid 60 minutes, and you’ll walk away 304 calories lighter and with another home improvement project checked off the list. Just remember, for maximum results it’s important to view the activities as exercise, not just housework.

Gear: Tip-Top Treadmill

A treadmill's a treadmill... usually. But recently I got to try a new model, the FreeMotion Fitness Incline Trainer, and I was blown away. Most traditional treadmills can be adjusted to work at an incline of up to 15-degrees. However, the front end of this model can be raised to an extraordinary 30-degrees. What does this increased range mean? An elevated calorie burn at lower speeds, not to mention a chance to train for steep hikes and do walking lunges without the deep knee bend. The machine is fitness center grade, but perfect for home use, too.

Travel: Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek resort has three focuses—Family, Service and Luxury—all of which show up in the cute village, plush hotels and easy to navigate mountain. The Colorado haven, just moments from Vail, offers an extensive ski and snowboard school for beginners of all ages and features a number of terrain parks and intersecting runs right for all abilities. What’s more, aside from holiday weekends, you’ll rarely be stuck in a lift line (this destination is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets) and most slopes are groomed nightly, which means the only uneven terrain you’ll encounter are the carefully sculpted moguls.

After a long day on the slopes, the newly renovated and expanded Allegria Spa, at the Park Hyatt, is a necessary stop. With dozens of treatments and an offering of soaking pools, rain showers and steam rooms, the mountain-themed 30,000 square foot facility ushers in relaxation and relief for sore muscles. (I had a traditional Shiatsu massage from a therapist there named Jerry, and it was truly one of the most heavenly hours.) For dining, Beano’s mountain cabin can’t be beat. A snowcat-drawn sleigh will deposit you and yours deep in the woods at this Western-cuisine standout. (Or, if you feel like roughing it like my friends and I, you can snowshoe in from the Beaver Creek Nordic Sports Center.) Chef Steve Topple prepares fish, vegetables and exotic game in delicious new ways. Take for example the crowd favorite of this past weekend: Elk Wellington, in which the tender meat was wrapped in a pastry crust and served with a huckleberry sauce and sweet potato puree.

As the Beaver Creek tagline explains, this is not exactly roughing it.

News: Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships

I’ve always thought of snowshoeing as a nice leisurely hike through the woods, so imagine my surprise upon arriving at the Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships, held in McCoy Park among the slopes of Beaver Creek, and realizing that a number of my fellow competitors were planning to run the entire race. The race, which is held as a tribute to a local competitor and soldier lost in Afganistan, begins with all the entrants departing as a pack then then quickly splinters into a 5k run/walk or a 10k endurance challenge.

I chose to walk most of the 5k (with a few surprisingly simple sprints along the way, thanks to the Atlas "Run" snowshoes I was wearing) but it was so inspiring to be passed by a number of athletes, red-faced from the cold, as they raced their way to the finish line. As graceful as the competitors appeared, the race and unusual conditions weren’t without a few minor snafus. The first- and second-place winners in the men’s division entered into a bit of folly on the way to the finish line, falling/colliding on the final sprint and eventually ending with Greg Krause coming in first (with a time of 49 minutes and 51 seconds) with Josiah Middaugh right on his heels.

March 2nd will usher in the next such event at Beaver Creek, named the Snowshoe Shuffle. The race, which is expected to attract up to 1,000 snowshoers, is held to benefit and raise awareness for breast cancer. The course, which is again split into 5k and 10k sections, draws a number of survivors and their loved ones, and event sponsors hope this year's challenge will be the largest snowshoe race on record.

(At right, me in race mode with my "coach," Nate Goldberg, of the Beaver Creek Nordic Sports Center.)

Gear: Atlas Snowshoes

Growing up, my parents had some of those huge wooden snowshoes made of wood and rawhide hung in the family room as decoration. Oh, how the times have changed. Snowshoes have gotten consistently lighter, sleeker and more durable, thanks in large part to Atlas Snowshoes, a company based in Seattle (and run under the K2 parent-company), which holds 19 patents for its products. Made of aluminum, stainless steel and durable plastic, among other materials, the latest models feature easy-to-cinch bindings, bouncy footbeds and sometimes even heel lift bars, which can be raised on steep ascents to avoid calf cramping. I recently tried two pairs, the Elektra 12, a women-specific pair (pictured left) perfect for snowy strolls and steep ascents and the Run, a super-lightweight unisex model designed for winer jogging and racing. Both were effective at breaking trail, staying atop the fresh powder and stopping slippage when traversing up and down the mountains.

News: The Quicksilver Natural Selection: All-Mountain Freestyle Invitational at Jackson Hole

I’m on day three of my stay in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the snow has been falling almost non-stop, much to the delight of the 17 freestyle riders gathered here for the first-annual Quicksilver Natural Selection competition. The snowboarders, hand selected by pro-rider 25-year-old Travis Rice, who’s a resident here in Jackson, represent the best of the best in the freestyle circuit. Two steep courses have been set up, allowing riders to really show their stuff on the mountains, not just do a series of tricks on a half-pipe. None of the guys are allowed to test out the runs before the competition, adding an element of surprise to each ride. The four-person team of judges, headed by “the father of big air” Tom Burt, will watch from the sidelines and with the help of high-tech camera crews befitting of an action film. When the competition will take place is anyone’s guess: The weather will be the determinant—good visibility is clearly a must—but sources say tomorrow, Saturday, may be day one of two. In the meantime, the whole mix of snowboarders, gear experts, judges and media are amassed here in a whirlwind of fun and mountain air. Just last night we witnessed phase one of the competition, a mechanical bull riding competition at the Jackson Hole Playhouse, where the riders rode a different kind of beast in hopes of getting the best time, and therefore a choice of competition lineup positioning. The winner? Mark Carter, a stocky snowboarder from nearby Ten Sleep, Wyoming, population 770. (Photo of Travis Rice, on the bull)

Gear: Icebreaker Merino Wool

First things first, let me just say that I’m a big believer in this “merino wool revolution.” I’ve been wearing my Icebreaker long underwear and mid-layers all week and have stayed warm, dry and stink-free. What a nice change from synthetics. These garments, which are made of wool originating in New Zealand, have been put to the test as I learn to snowboard here in Jackson Hole, WY, and pass they have. I’ve never had to readjust the fit, despite the dozens of tumbles I’ve taken, and the fabric feels soft against my skin. The under-layers feel thin but they provide just the right amount of protection from the cold. I wore the Conquest Hoodie (shown right) as a mid-layer, and it functioned so well during the day, I decided to wear it out last night, too, for a night of mechanical bull riding. (No, I didn’t get on. See the above post for a recap of who did.) The company is very eco-friendly and, after recently opening their first U.S. store in Portland, they have plans to expand across the country.

Travel: Park City, Utah

This morning I conquered one of my fears—downhill skiing, a sport I haven't attempted in at least a dozen years, probably more. I tested the runs at The Canyons Resort in Park City, UT, a ski area that really rocks for beginners and advanced skiers alike. Whereas most ski areas offer beginner runs only at the bottom of the mountain, with the views and fancy gondolas and trams reserved for the more challenging runs, at The Canyons has easy and hard runs all over the mountain, which means skiers of all levels to share the best parts of the peak.

I was fitted for a pair of 4FRNT skis, outfitted in some comfy, cute gear from Powderhorn—all of which has Western, snow-chic flair—and enrolled in ski school. My instructor, Stefan, had me gliding down the mountain in no time, teaching me to connect turns, conquer steep slopes and stop on a dime. For me, it was a good lesson in more than just skiing. I also realized that it's never too late to learn something new.

Gear: Lululemon Athletica

I'm obsessed with my recent Lululemon Athletica purchases. To read why, click here.