Category: Health & Fitness

One of the things I learned in my wine education studies (and, hey, I’m officially WSET-2 certified with distinction now — woot!) was learning the basics of how to pair wine with food.

But, what about pairing wine with mood?

I know for me, often I’ll select a bottle of wine (or another beverage) based on not just what I’m eating, but also how I’m feeling.

Here are a few fun examples …

• Sunshine and smiles? Rosè time.
• Celebratory vibes after work? Give me bubbles.
• Cold and rainy night in? A big bold red to warm up with.
• Easy breezy weekend lunch? Mocktail, please.

I eat and work out intuitively and mindfully (asking myself and my body what I really want and need), and I find that a similar approach to choosing wine and other drinks really brings a lot of joy to my life.

And, I’m all about choosing joy when I can!

If you want to add a little beverage joy to your life, too, read on for some of my recent favorite drink and mood pairings!

Mood: Feeling fancy, but it’s a chilly weeknight and you don’t want to leave the house.

via GIPHY

Pairing: Los Vascos Cromas Gran Reserve Carménère 2019

Why we dig this pairing: Carmenère is a big, bold grape that just warms your soul. This bottle shows it off beautifully, too. There’s blackberry, plum and black cherry, plus hints of white pepper and herbaceous notes. The tannins are soft and silky, with a lovely acidity to balance it all. Which, is no surprise because Los Vascos wines are made with the same care as Bordeaux Grand Crus and are from Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). Yeah, fancy — but at about $20 a bottle (disclosure: we’re an affiliate of Vivino), it won’t break the bank.

Mood: When your Truly loving friends come over and you want to introduce them to something new.

via GIPHY

Pairing: Owl’s Brew Spiced Chai & Cranberry Boozy Tea

Why we dig this pairing: This fun and festive drink is (in our opinion) not only tastier than your usual hard seltzer, but it’s also made with good stuff like freshly brewed tea blends flavored with real fruit and botanicals. In flavors like Spiced Chai & Cranberry, Darjeeling Tea & Hibiscus Flowers, and White Tea, Raspberry, & Lemon, they’re never boring. We also cheers to Owl’s Brew being gluten-free, vegan, and female-owned!

Mood: You want to give back, but aren’t ready to go to a fancy fundraiser with a large crowd just yet.

via GIPHY

Pairing: A bottle from Humanity Wine Co.’s wine club

Why we dig this pairing: We recently were sent a shipment from Humanity Wine Co., and it was not only a great way to donate to a good cause, but it was also a fun way to try some new wines. You can see our full tasting experience and thoughts in our Insta story here, but they sent us four tasty bottles from family-owned wineries and boutique vineyards. And, the best part? The company donates 50 percent of its net revenue back to the philanthropy, so with each enjoyable sip, you are giving back to these amazing causes.

Oh, and if you’re looking for a fun game to play while tasting some of these wines, give SipperParty a try! It requires no previous wine knowledge and allows anyone willing to sip and rate to play via an app, plus the above goodies. Grab some buds and try it!

Mood: When you want a few beers, but don’t want to feel like you just had a few beers.

via GIPHY

Pairing: A can (or two) of Bravus.

What’s nice about Bravus is that it’s not a beer alternative — it actually is real beer, just with less than .5 percent ABV.  Using a proprietary brewing process, these taste like craft beer, but are vegan, dairy-free, low-cal, low-sugar, and gluten-reduced. Our fave was the IPA!

 

Mood: You want to sip something really good … but you’re at a tailgate.

via GIPHY

Pairing: Clean and cool NEFT

Made with just two ingredients (ancient, non-GMO rye grains farmed in lower Saxony and spring water from the Alps of Austria for those who are curious), NEFT is a premium sipping vodka that you can take anywhere — and it stays cold! Packaged in a portable and unbreakable barrel that closely resembles a small oil drum, it keeps cold for hours.

 

Mood: You want something fun to sip on, but you’re staying sober.

via GIPHY

Pairing: So. Many. Options!

Really good and interesting non-alcholic drinks used to be few and far between, but in the last few years the sober-curious market has cured that! We’ve recently had a number of mixers and drinks hit our office that are interesting, tasty, and totally complex. Which we love!

Curious Elixirs (disclosure: also an affiliate because we like these so much) are booze-free cocktails infused with adaptogens and complex flavors without being too sweet (hooray!). Created by world-class bartenders, herbalists and food scientists with quality ingredients, each blend targets its own goal, ranging from a pick-me-up to relaxation. In fun foodie flavors like Blood Orange Spritz Holy Basil + Gingseng and Juniper Cucumber Collins Lemon +Ashwagandha + Angelica, you won’t feel like you’re missing the party at all.

For wine drinkers, non-alcoholic Oddbird wine is like nothing we’ve had before (and in a good way). With the goal of creating world-class, traditionally crafted wines, these wines are sourced from the finest vineyards in France and Italy and are matured for up to 12 months before having alcohol removed using a unique method that preserves flavors. We found the Oddbird Low Intervention Organic White No. 1 — which is a natural white wine produced from the local grape varieties Vespaiola and Garganega — to be a little sweet with pear, honey crisp apple, honeycomb, and candied lemon, and the Oddbird Low Intervention Organic Red No. 1 — which is a natural red wine of Merlot and Pinot Noir — to have flavors of apple cinnamon, cranberry, and barely ripe blackberry. By far the most interesting NA wines we’ve had thus far!

For those looking for something a little bubbly and sweet, you can’t go wrong with Mingle Mocktails. Crafted from natural ingredients and free from chemical additives, you can get festive flavors like Cranberry Cosmo, Blackberry Hibiscus Bellini, Cucumber Melon Mojito, Moscow Mule and Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa. Offered in standard 750-ml bottles or 12-ounce cans, there’s a size for every occasion.

Some tasty options, right? Now all we need to know is: what’s YOUR mood? And what will you pair it with? –Jenn

One of our favorite fitness experts is Sean Vigue (remember the awesome workouts he’s done for us?). And, guess what?! He has a new book out!

Pilates for Athletes helps everyday people (no matter their sport or activity they love to do) reach their highest physical and mental levels and improve their conditioning, control, endurance, and more — all through Pilates.

Sean Vigue has taught thousands of classes around the world and has appeared in more than 2,000 health and fitness videos. He’s positive, he knows his stuff, and his workouts are FUN. Basically, he’s the best!

And, we’re super pumped that he’s letting us share an excerpt from his new book. Read on for the top 10 reasons why athletes should add Pilates into their training.

Top 10 Reasons Why Athletes Need Pilates Mat Training

By Sean Vigue

Pilates mat training is a bodyweight-only, total body conditioning program which features an exhaustive list of core centered exercises, sequenced together to elevate your mind, body, spirit and athletic ability. Only a Pilates (or yoga) mat is needed to participate. No weights. No machines. Just you and the mat.

Strictly speaking, there are not many workout programs that can deliver to an athlete the vast amount of benefits that Pilates mat can. It is a lifelong program for the well-rounded athlete to practice, absorb and enjoy. The benefits are almost too exhausting to list, and there is no end to the ways Pilates elevates your health, fitness, movement, speed, strength, control, balance, endurance, breath control, focus, power and flexibility.

That said, here are 10 of the top reasons why athletes need Pilates Mat Training.

1. Pilates constructs a strong, durable, flexible and balanced core.

Joseph Pilates referred to the core as your “powerhouse” and “girdle of strength”. It is the center and support of your body. The core is the structural foundation that connects the rest of the body together and develops stability, strength, and control. It begins at the base of the pelvic floor and runs upward to the bottom of the diaphragm, and consists of your abdominals, low back and glutes. Technically speaking, the core is made up of the rectus abdominis (the muscle people mean when they think “abs”), transverse abdominis (the deepest of the abdominal muscles which wraps around your sides and spine), erector spinae (a pair of muscles in your lower back), the internal and external obliques (the muscles located on the sides of your abdomen) and the glutes/bottom/butt (the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus).

A weak core leaves the athlete open to injuries, compromised endurance and becoming easily fatigued from failing posture. Pilates core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips, glutes and abdomen to work together, leading to improved balance, stability and body control. Every sport from basketball to tennis to throwing darts depends on force radiating from your center (core) outwards into the limbs.

2. Pilates builds a strong, balanced and resilient body.

Athletes of all ages and fitness levels have been incorporating Pilates into their training for improved overall strength, balance and resistance to injury. This is because it is difficult to find a more comprehensive and effective program than a regular Pilates mat practice. Pilates helps athletes improve their everchanging movement patterns with progressive destabilization, meaning the further you journey into your workouts, the more the exercises will work to challenge and force your body to adapt and improve. Once your body adapts you acquire a higher level of skill.

Each exercise is equally balanced on both sides of the body to counteract the imbalances seen in sports such as tennis, golf or baseball, where the dominant side is favored and strengthened while the other side weakens and atrophies. Pilates works to fix muscular imbalances and bring symmetry to the body, bringing with it optimal physical achievement.

3. Pilates improves mobility and ease of movement.

Pilates exercises emphasize healthy, flowing and correct movement. Is your body mobile? How capable are you of moving your body quickly without strain? Are you able to move freely through the day without tightness and discomfort in your body? How well do you move as an athlete? Is your mobility helping or hurting your athletic skill?

How well you move your body through multiple planes of movement determines your athletic success. Pilates training moves your body through every angle and plane of movement while focusing on building strength and flexibility in your core. Having a body which can easily adapt to the unpredictable demands of a sport—quick changes of direction in tennis, explosive speed in hockey, driving to the basket in basketball — will give you a huge edge over your opponents and prolong your career.

4. Pilates improves overall flexibility.

Joseph Pilates once said, “True flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed.” For this reason, Pilates doesn’t increase flexibility (defined as the range of motion in a joint or group of joints and moving them through a full range of motion) just based on the popular “hot spots” of the body, such as the hamstrings and low back. Rather, Pilates works through constant flows and movements which stretch, lengthen and expand the whole body.

Where many workouts isolate muscles and compress the body and spine, Pilates does just the opposite: every Pilates exercise is designed to lengthen and expand your body through a myriad of flows and angles. It is flowing, dynamic movement which stretches and strengthens the muscles simultaneously. You will smoothly and gracefully flow from one threshold to the next, moving your body with precision and control through as full a range of motion as possible.

5. Pilates is a great tool for rehabbing your body during injury and fixing problems associated with muscular imbalance.

Pilates mat practice is low impact on the joints, making it the ideal exercise when rehabbing your body and recovering from an injury. You can also structure your Pilates workouts to your individual needs — there is no one-size-fits-all approach to Pilates. You are in control of your training, not the exercises. They exist to serve you and your specific physical, mental and conditioning needs.

6. Pilates mat only uses your bodyweight, so you can train anywhere and anytime.

Efficient and easily adaptable to your current training program, Pilates can fit into the busiest of schedules. No weights, equipment or machines of any kind means you can rely exclusively on the greatest gym you will ever have: your body.

Your workouts can last from 10 to 60 minutes depending on how much strength, flexibility and focus you need at that moment, and you can train every day, mixing up your workouts so you are consistently hitting new areas.

7. Pilates provides an everchanging, never-ending supply of exercises and sequences to keep you constantly challenged.

Athletes needs to be challenged to force their bodies to adapt and improve. Pilates training is a journey of progressive destabilization with every workout. The exercises become more challenging and integrative as you progress, and with each new exercise, you integrate new parts of your body into the movements. Once the exercise becomes too “easy”, we add a movement which forces your body to adapt and improve in real time. No matter what the athlete needs, Pilates can supply it.

8. Pilates builds and reinforces proper posture and alignment.

Having proper body alignment — how the head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles relate and line up with each other — improves your posture and reduces the stress and strain on the spine. Standing, sitting and moving with proper postural alignment will decrease strain on your muscles and ligaments and increase your ability to flow with more efficiency and precision. For athletes, the foundation of control begins with good posture. From this foundation comes the big movements such as jumping, tackling, swinging, throwing, catching and sprinting … but if your body is not aligned correctly, these movements will be compromised and weak.

Good posture, working in tandem with a strong core, helps stabilize the body and support the athlete’s need for speed, power, rotational force and quick changes of direction. Pilates will help reinforce good posture and alignment during every phase of your sport.

9. Pilates improves your ability to breathe.

Too often, we breathe in a shallow method, draining our energy and focus and crippling our posture. Deep Pilates breathing strengthens the core and lifts our bodies into a strong, aligned posture.

Pilates teaches deep lateral thoracic breathing, which draws the breath upward out of the low belly and bring it into the sides and the low back. This style of breathing drenches the lungs and muscles in oxygen and increases your ability to bring in and process the breath with efficiency. It helps you take advantage of every breath cycle, drawing fresh oxygen into the lungs and squeezing every atom of breath out, filling and emptying the lungs with every breath.

Improving your ability to breathe will drastically increase your athletic performance and abilities. Effective breathing requires thoracic mobility, core strength and a pliable diaphragm for pumping the breath in and out of the lungs. An athlete who is utilizing their full breathing potential will experience increased energy, more blood flow, sharper focus, and improvement when facing stressful and unpredictable situations. Pilates also teaches the athlete how to breathe into the movement, which helps the exercises flow smoother through the full range of motion and with more control. Deeper breathing and increased awareness of the breath translates into better form and power with swings, jumps, sprints, changes of directions and throws. Connect your breath with movement and decrease the wear and tear while elevating your ability to move — a win-win-win.

10. Pilates increase your explosive speed and power.

The Pilates combo of deep, expanded breathing, a stronger core, improved flexibility in the entire body, increased strength and efficient movement combine to create a body which can move quicker, faster and with more force behind it. It’s pretty straightforward: the looser and more in control you are of your body, the faster your speed and more functional your strength.

Whether it means moving quicker with more precision when rolling out for a football pass, maneuvering around the defense en route to the goal in hockey, or planting, jumping and spiking the ball in volleyball with explosive power, Pilates provides the tools to do it.

Bottom line: the benefits of Pilates are powerful and transcend all sports. Every breath you take and every move you make enhances your physical and mental performance, combining to create a deep-rooted love of bettering yourself each and every day. In this, Pilates is a constant and dedicated companion. Try it!

Excerpted  from Pilates for Athletes with permission from Hatherleigh Press.

A huge thanks to Sean for letting us share this gem of an excerpt! Be sure to pick up his latest book here! —Jenn

 

More Awesome Posts by Sean Vigue

If I had a dime for every time, over the past two years, someone asked me for advice on working from home … well, I wouldn’t need to work from home anymore, because I’ve fielded this question a lot.

And it’s fair! After all, I’ve been doing the remote work thing, full time, non-stop, and for countless clients (including my work here at FBG) since 2007. I’ve learned a thing or two … or maybe twenty.

And one of the most important things I’ve learned is that, wow, I do not like to sit all day. But I also don’t like to stand all day. Call me Goldilocks. Basically, I like to move around when I can, which means that normally, if I’m on the phone, I’m generally pacing around my house.

Or, at least I was … until everyone started using Zoom and suddenly, instead finding myself with a few minutes to stretch my legs while chatting, I was chained even more tightly to my desk. Sure, I could move from sitting to standing, and of course I try to take regular breaks to stretch, but still, my body craved movement.

And the latest addition to my home office provides a way to do just that.

I received a FlexiSpot All-in-One Desk Bike (with a desktop) to review in late December (not sponsored! Although I’m sure grateful for the opportunity to check it out!), and while I was excited to try it out, I was also a little bit nervous. My husband, who shares the office with me, wasn’t super thrilled about adding another piece of furniture to the space. And while I knew I’d like the ability to move my body without stepping away from my screen, I wasn’t sure how much coordination typing while pedaling would require. Hey, I’ve fallen off a stationary bike before, and that was without trying to do any brainy tasks on top of spinning, you know?

Fortunately, both concerns were rendered pretty much moot right off the bat. The bike takes up less space than we’d imagined, and when I’m done getting in my daily miles, I roll it over to the side of my desk, where it tucks away pretty neatly.

And, as for typing, my high school keyboarding teacher, Miss B., would be proud. (I know, I know, keyboarding class outs me as a woman of a certain age here. I’m fine with that! Middle age is awesome!) My typing isn’t quite as speedy as it is when I’m seated or standing, but it’s still steady — and accurate. I do find that I prefer to sit or stand when I’m working on a story that requires really deep, creative thinking. Still, for easier or more straightforward tasks, like answering emails or reading, I can cover a lot of theoretical ground while knocking out my deadlines!

So how much cycling am I really doing? I’ve made a point to start out slowly to make sure I don’t cause any overuse injuries (and to reduce the likelihood of it seeming like, you know, hard work, which might dampen my enthusiasm), and still, over the course of January, I logged over 200 miles! Hitting 10 to 15 miles a day on any given workday is a cinch; even at a truly leisurely pace, that’s accomplished within an hour or so. I try to vary my resistance a bit, and while I don’t pay too much attention to my speed, every once in a while, before I take a break, I’ll do short sprint to get my heart rate up or hit the next distance milestone.

One note on this: the bike tracks trip and total mileage, time, speed, RPMs, and calories on its own display, and it doesn’t pair with an app or watch or anything. Personally, that’s a pro in my book — I have enough things that are connected for tracking, and if I want to use the bike for a legit workout that I want to show up on Strava, I’ll start it manually on my watch, you know? But, for my ambitious step counters, you should know that my watch does not automatically count my spinning as any steps. It doesn’t bother me, but I realize some people feel more strongly about capturing that data.

The other thing that’s so cool about this particular bike with the attached desktop is that it easily rolls anywhere in my house. For most tasks, I still like to set up in my office with my dual monitors, my ergonomic keyboard, and all my reference materials nearby. (In writing this, I’m beginning to realize I’m a little particular. Hmm.) But, hey, who doesn’t like to shake things up once in a while? I’ve rolled my desk bike into the living room on occasion to work from my laptop with a slightly different view, and let me tell you, it sure beats working from a hunched over position on the couch.

Now, although I haven’t used my FlexiSpot desk bike for any serious workouts, on a few occasions I have worked up a little sweat — and I realize that might be a little more of an issue (especially here in Florida) in the summer. Fortunately, most people I meet with by video have zero problem with me looking a little disheveled; if anything, it’s led to them asking more about my experience with the desk bike! Still, if you’re someone who needs to look polished and professional during the day, you might need to plan your desk bike use around important meetings, so keep that in mind if you’re considering an upgrade like this.

Seriously, y’all, I thought this would probably be pretty cool, but it’s absolutely smashed my expectations. On the days when I make good use of it (which, at this point, is most work days), my mood is better, and since my body tends to feel better with consistent, gentle movement, it’s even helped with some of my knee and back pain (although that’s specific to my experience with osteoarthritis and low back sprain — I’m not suggesting it as a cure for anyone else’s issues!). I might’ve worried about how I’d work this into my days, and whether I’d stick with it, but now I’m more worried about what I would do if it were taken away.

Got questions? Want to share how you’ve upgraded your home office? Let’s hear it! —Kristen

What has wine done for me lately?

via GIPHY

A whole heck of a lot! Since getting my WSET-2 from American Wine School, I’ve started working a few hours a week at Underdog Wine Co. in Kansas City, Mo. (p.s. it was recently named one of the best 50 wine shops in the U.S. by Wine Enthusiast!) and have been doing some freelance writing for SOMM TV Online Magazine (which, if you like wine or food, it’s a must-get streaming service!). It’s been AWESOME.

And, here on FBG, I’ve also been sent some new wines to try — and let me just tell you, that new job duty does not suck.

Read on for some of the bottles I’ve tried that have had me feeling like a heart-eyed smiley face emoji with each and every sip.

Wine Folly Wine Club Through Wine Access

I’ve loved Wine Folly for a long time, so trying a shipment from the Wine Folly Wine Club via Wine Access was a no brainer when we got the offer.

Every other month the wine club will send you four bottles with an educational focus in mind (cost is $120, plus tax and shipping for each shipment). Our focus was on warm climate wines, with super tasty and not-easy-to-get bottles from producers in Spain, South Africa, California, and Australia. In addition to the bottles, it came with detailed tasting notes and basic info on how a warm climate influences a wine and which varietals thrive in higher temps.

How were the wines you ask? SO GOOD. I had some friends over to taste them all (always a good time), and although we each had our favorites, there wasn’t one we didn’t like or wouldn’t drink. And, it’s always fun to taste things side by side to see the differences between the varietals and regions. (Don’t wanna open all four bottles at once? You could totally do these one bottle a night at a time — or consider investing in a Coravin, so that you don’t have to uncork the whole bottle.)

I’m a wine nerd at heart, so I really enjoyed the educational component of the Wine Folly Wine Club, but Wine Access has a number of other interesting clubs at a variety of other price points and themes, too, including the Sunset Mag Wine Club that features wines from the West Coast and the Michelin Guide that is curated in tandem with sommeliers from Michelin-starred restaurants. (See all clubs here.) Wine Access also sells wines by the bottle — with a lovely collection from around the world that aren’t exactly found everyday at your grocery store.

Literally Anything from Unico Zelo

Apparently, there’s not a Unico Zelo wine from Australia that I don’t love.

Because in the last couple of months I’ve had Sea Foam: a deliciously salty and fruity Pet Nat made from Fiano and Vermentino.

The perfectly balanced River Sand (Fiano) that’s a fab mix of lemon, nectarine, and grilled almond:

Esoterico, which is a zippy little skin-contact (orange wine) blend of Fiano, Zibbibo, Moscato Giallo, Gewurtztraminer, and Greco that’s tastes of mango, nectarine, and spice with lots of minerality racing through (don’t mind the kitchen reno in the background):

I can’t forget Fresh A.F. either, which is tastes as fun as its name. A mix of Nero d’Avola and Zibibbo, it’s light, fresh, and juicy as … well, you know.

And, I love them ALL. Truffle Hound is the next one on my list to try, but, let’s be honest: If I see a bottle of Unico Zelo that I haven’t tried yet, I’m buying it. (And, at $25-$35 a bottle, they definitely feel special, but not so special that I horde them for the birth of a child or other major event.)

Adobe Road Winery

Last, but certainly not least, are two wines Adobe Road Winery sent me, which are not playing around.

Started by former professional race car driver Kevin Buckler and his wife Debra Buckler in 2002, Adobe Road Winery sources its grapes from some of the most historic and finest family-owned vineyards in Sonoma and Napa Counties in Cali.

To be honest, I don’t drink a lot of Cali Chard on the reg, but the 2019 Chardonnay Petaluma Gap, Sangiacomo Vineyards, Roberts Road ($31), was just lovely. With ripe peaches and nectarine plus plenty of acid to give it a bright freshness, it is oaked, but not overly so. Think baking spice and a creamy mouthful that’s full-bodied but not too heavy.

Then there’s CARBON, which is, let’s say, not shy. A dark, inky blend of 48 percent Petite Sirah, 26 percent Malbec, 22 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4 percent Petit Verdot, the bottle design itself is as heavy as its mouthfeel (seriously, you could use this bottle as a dumbbell in a pinch). You get aromas of black cherries, licorice, and rich toasted oak that lead to flavors of ripe plum and crushed blackberries with a little violet and plenty of incorporated tannins that give you a crazy long finish. Again, not a timid wine and not something I’d drink every night (especially at $85 a bottle), but it’s definitely delicious for those times when you’re in the mood for something that’s gonna really come after ya.

What wines have you drank lately that are giving you good vibes? Share that love in the comments! —Jenn