Wedding season is here and so are bachelorette parties!

But if traditional calorie-laden cocktail parties don’t sound your idea of a good time, fly in the face of tradition by celebrating your bachelorette party in a fun, healthy way instead. Here are a few ways to bond with your girlfriends while burning calories along the way.

Bride Patrol: Plan a weekend skiing or snowboarding! Have some customized shirts made and dress the bride in all white. Or have a scavenger hunt on the mountain. 

Bridal Boot Camp: Get wedding photo ready and fabulously fit in time for your big day. Boot camps are a great way for you and your wedding party to look and feel great on your wedding day, plus you might even create some workout buddy’s long after the big day!

Girlfriend Sleep Over: The night before your wedding can be stressful but not if you have a girls’ spa night at home! Enjoy spa treatments together and pop on your favorite movie, then go to bed early and wake up refreshed. In the morning go for a walk and return to a healthy breakfast with fresh fruit, egg white omelet’s and green tea.

Runaway Bride: Ready, set, go! Plan a running weekend with a 5k, or run of your choice. To recover, spoil yourselves for the rest of the weekend with pedicures, manicures, massages, and spa treatments.

What do you have planned for your bachelorette party? Tell us in the comments section below.

Image source: Fit Sugar

Summer is coming!

It’s that warm and wonderful time of year when we bare a little more – and it’s the perfect time to pamper ourselves with a refreshing all-natural body scrub!

You can buy body scrubs at the store, or you can make your own for a fraction of the cost, using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Here are three easy, fun body scrub recipes you can make at home!

Homemade Body Scrub Recipes

Beach Body Scrub

This scrumptious scrub, from Martha Stewart, can be made at the beach or at home. In a small jar, add 6 drops of sweet orange and 4 drops of jasmine essential oils to 1 cup coarse sea salt; shake to combine. Then, in a plastic pail, combine the scented salts with 4 tablespoons jojoba, olive, or camellia oil and 2 handfuls very wet sand. After you use the scrub, rinse your body clean in the waves!

Lemon-Brown Sugar Body Scrub

This easy recipe from Organic Authority combines brown sugar, grapeseed oil, and lemon peel to both soften your skin and invigorate your senses.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coarse brown sugar (to gently exfoliate without drying)

• 1 cup grapeseed oil (to moisturize)

• 1/4 cup grated lemon peel (to invigorate your senses)

Directions

1. Mix together all ingredients.

2. Gently rub on your body in a circular motion. Concentrate on rough areas like elbows, knees and heels.

3. Rinse with water.

DIY Scrub Recipe

This do-it-yourself recipe, via Free Beauty Tips, let’s you pick your favorite ingredients to make your own scrub. You can make as much or as little as you like by combining; 2 parts salt or sugar + 1 part beauty oil + essential oil = basic body scrub!

These recipes are great for pampering yourself or put them in a pretty glass jar for a perfect summer gift!

Image source: West Lake Village  

Look out personal trainers, here comes Gymbot!

Gymbot is a personal trainer that is designed to live with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Created by Massimo Battaglia, Gymbot will whip you into shape by encouraging you to do physical activity just like a real trainer. Not only will Gymbot perform the exercises with you but it will also give you advice on your diet.

Battaglia’s creation is programmed to get you off the couch to correct laziness and bad habits. It comes with a 3D video camera and microphone to measure your heart rate, and blood pressure. Sure the robot would probably come with a high price tag, but think of all the money you’ll save on medical bills caused by being overweight!

Source: http://www.givingshape.it

PGX wants you to find your healthy balance!

We've found 5 simple steps to achieve work-life balance...

Does your schedule sound something like this: work, work, drive to work, emails, chores, groceries...?

It can be a lot to juggle and we can easily lose sight of our priorities. Without a good work-life balance, you may find yourself experiencing a lot of stress and headed towards burnout. Whatever you do, take a moment to find that balance and learn to make that a priority.

Need some tips? Wellness Matters and BC Living share Five Simple Tps for Better Work-life Balance.

Happy Thursday!

Image source: typefocus.com

How to train for a 5K run!

Even if you're new to running, you can finish your first 5K with 7 weeks of training. 

Running is an inexpensive way to get in shape and improve your health. All you need to get going is comfortable weather-appropriate clothes and a good pair of running shoes and socks. 

Created by Olympian Jeff Galloway this 5K training schedule is great for beginners (PDF opens in new window) or anyone who wants to run - or walk - a 5K.  Starting off on week one, a runner runs for 15 seconds and then walks for 45 seconds. As the training progresses, you can slowly increase the amount of time running and reduce the amount of time walking.  If you're strictly a walker, you always walk. 

Always remember to stretch after each run/walk to help with muscle recovery.  Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. Consult your doctor before you start your training if you have any concerns.