Happy Earth Day, PGX'ers!

Join us in staying active and celebrating Earth Day.

PGX is always encouraging you to get outdoors and stay active. We also love the Earth (as we're sure you do too!). So, we thought, why not combine our love of the planet with a little bit of exercise and fun!

We've found some great activities listed by Earth Day Canada that we think you'll enjoy. Although, several of them already took place over the weekend, there are still many for you to partake in today in a neighbourhood near you. Plus, now you'll know where to look for next year!

Find an Earth Day activity near you here.

Did you know?

• Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 in the United States as an environmental awareness event.
• Earth Day is the largest and most celebrated international environmental event.
  
• Over 170 countries participate in Earth Day activities, ranging from events to projects addressing local environmental issues.
• 1990 was the first International Earth Day.
• Over 6 million Canadians partake in Earth Day activities, joining more than 1 billion people worldwide.

Resource: Earth Day Canada

Image soure: Tumblr

Avoid injury and get ready to hit the slopes!

Don't let the fear of aches and pains stop you from enjoying a fabulous and fun winter pastime...

In the dark and dreary wet weather of winter, one of the bright spots of the season is the snow-covered slopes of a ski hill! I love to ski and what's better is that skiing is a fun way to get some exercise. What is not fun is having sore muscles and sustaining possible injuries. Alpine sports take more than just some guts and sliding down a mountain.

If you're not a young and sprightly teenager anymore or a part of the particular demographic that can avoid sore muscles from a day on the slopes, you're going to want to do some pre-ski preparations! It's true that skiing is skill based; the more you practice and understand technique, the less likely you will hurt yourself. However, if you haven't been skiing for years, don't worry! You can still take measures to avoid sore, achy muscles!

Tip #1: Stretch

One important measure to take in order to avoid injury would be to stretch. In an interview, Robert Forster, physical therapist to 42 Olympic medallists and founder of Phase IV Scientific Health and Performance Center, said, “Connective tissue shortens with time. We stretch to maintain good alignment of the bones.”

Stretch before you ski to warm up and loosen your muscles for a more relaxed ski. Forster also suggests a stretch after skiing to return muscles to their normal size.

Tip #2: Aerobics

Aerobics is an important part of fitness. If you give yourself a good aerobic base before skiing, you will have stronger muscles and be able to better avoid those pesky injuries.

Tip #3: Ski Lessons

If you're new to skiing, treat yourself to a lesson. It's better to learn the proper techniques and minimize your risk for overworked muscles. If you are propelling and stopping yourself with the wrong motion, you risk tiring sooner and straining your muscles.

For more tips and explanations and even simple "get in ski-shape" plans, read The Vancouver Sun's article, Pre-ski fitness can protect against post-ski problems. Enjoy your winter sports safely this year!

Image Source: Goofy Skiing

Discover the Top 10 Workouts for Fall!

Get out of the gym and into shape!

Autumn is here and with this season, comes colder weather; and with the colder weather often comes heartier appetites and occasions for comfort food. I know that I have to make even more of a conscious effort to eat well, exercise and not to become a winter couch critter! But does the chilly weather mean I have to go the gym?

Just because summer is over, doesn't mean you have to workout indoors! It's true that when the rain and cold weather comes, it's not as appealing to go outside but I think these fun outdoor fitness activities might change your mind!

Fox News shares their Top 10 Fall Workouts that will help keep you in shape and having so much fun not matter how many layers you may need to put on! 

My personal favourite on that list is Ultimate Frisbee. Although...I wouldn't mind raking a huge pile of leaves and jumping in! Get outside and enjoy the fall colours and crisp air. Just remember to bundle up!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Image source: egotvonline.com

Not a fan of the gym? Be bold and try running!

PGX'ers! Get outdoors and enjoy those fall colours! Let's talk running form!

"Go running? Me? Are you kidding?! I can't run for my life! That's okay, I'll pass on that outdoor jog. I'll just find some other, less painful fitness routine to follow."

Does that quote sound familiar to you? I know those sentiments very well. In fact, I've expressed them myself when I've talked about running before. But now, I'm starting to change my tune. My cousin has recently discovered her love of running and has dedicated time for a run around Madrid everyday! She should be commended; she has inspired me to consider running... outside.

Before I strap on my shoes and start jogging, I want to make sure I avoid the novice mistakes that can lead to injuries! Check out this great infographic on running form (see below for infographic source)! But don't worry if you can't follow these tips perfectly. Running is about practice and the more you run, the better you become. Each person has their own personal ideal running form and quite often, make unconscious changes to their movements for a more efficient and comfortable run. You can learn more about Finding Your Ideal Running Form in this New York Times article.

Enjoy, stay fit, go beyond your comfort zone and happy running!

Infographic source: SuperSkinnyMe.com article How to Run: Perfect Running Form

What an absolutely fabulous way to get excited and motivated for a 5K run!

I like to think of myself as being a fairly active person; I go on runs, ride my bike every so often, and play on a field hockey team. However, I have yet to run in an official race or run of any kind - and to be completely honest, I've never really had much motivation to do so. Until now!

The other day (while perusing Pinterest), I came across the most fun loving picture of a girl covered head to toe in what can only be described as vibrant colours, complete with the caption "The happiest 5K on the planet. The Color Run" (see right!). Needless to say, I was instantly intrigued.

So, I decided to do some research and I discovered, not only one, but two different runs that infuse your race experience with fabulous colour: The Color Run and the Color Me Rad 5K. Both races seem to only have a few rules: start the race off in a white T-shirt; have fun while you run; and end the race covered in colour! Sounds like a great way to be healthy and have fun to me!

If you're preparing for a race, get that extra bit of fuel when training with PGX SatisFast - it mixes great with smoothies!

Have you ever run a colour run? What'd you think? Tell us about it in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Image source: Pinterest