8 Healthy Sodas

"Healthy" Soda?

We've said it before and will probably say it a hundred times more: Soda is toxic stuff. Not only is most of it full of diabetes-inducing high-fructose corn syrup, but drinking too much of the bubbly stuff has also been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It contains genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) andphosphates, preservatives that have been linked to kidney disease and accelerated aging. Obviously, not something you want as part of a regular diet. But at some point, we all crave something fizzy, and that's no reason to reach for a toxic can of kidney-killing GMO water.

We looked high and low for healthy soda alternatives, free of the worst offenders in traditional sodas, such as GMOs or artificial caramel coloring that can be contaminated with carcinogens. Nor do any of our healthy sodas come bottled in cans, which are normally lined with hormone-disrupting bisphenol A. Some do contain cane sugar, a less-processed sugar that still should be consumed in moderation, and others are flavored with other sweeteners to avoid, but they're all far better alternatives to what's lurking in most soda cans. Next time a soda craving strikes, try one of these eight healthy sodas.

Steaz Sparkling Green Tea

Put down the Diet Coke! If you need an afternoon caffeine fix, grab a Steaz Green Tea soda instead. In addition to the fact that green tea is loaded with antioxidants, this no-cal soda alternative is sweetened with stevia and erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol. It's also fortified with vitamin B12, which helps improve your mood, your energy levels, and mental fog.

Reed's Light Extra Ginger Brew

Ginger ale, or ginger beer depending on who you're talking to, is a fantastic home remedy for nausea, upset stomachs, and even sore muscles, but 99 percent of what the big companies pass off as ginger ale contains tons of sugar and little to no real ginger. Not so with Reed's ginger brews, which contain the most ginger of any brand out there. And the company has just introduced a new "light" variety that, at just 55 calories per bottle, is sweetened with honey and stevia.


Virgil's Root Beer

Also from the purists at Reed's, Virgil's Root Beer is root beer made the way nature intended, by brewing a combination of herbs and spices naturally, rather than concocting a chemistry experiment of artificial flavorings, dyes, and additives. The ingredients list reads like the gatherings of a world traveler—anise from Spain, vanilla from Madagascar, molasses from the U.S., and balsam oil from Peru—and will get you off that artificial canned stuff forever. However, good as it is, this soda won't win you any favors with your waistline. At 160 calories per serving and 42 grams (g) of sugar, make it a weekly indulgence.

Bionade

This German brand may be hard to find, but it's worth it if you can get it. A naturally fermented drink made from malt and water, just like beer, this nonalcoholic soda has just 60 calories and 14 g of sugar per bottle, and it's certified organic. The sodas come in decidedly grown-up flavors like elderberry, lychee, ginger-orange, and herb, all invented by a former beer brewer. The sodas are so popular in Europe the company even rejected a takeover by Coca-Cola.

Oogave

Oogave is one of few certified-organic soda brands out there, and the line includes an honest-to-goodness organic cola alternative for people who love Coke or Pepsi. The company also has other cool flavors like strawberry-rhubarb and mandarin-key lime, the best organic alternative to Sprite or 7-Up. All the company's sodas contain half the sugar (24 g) that conventional sodas and other cane-sugar-sweetened sodas do. Plus, none of their products exceeds 100 calories per bottle.

GT's Enlightened Organic Raw Kombucha

Not technically a soda, we had to throw in kombucha simply because it's so good and so good for you. Kombucha is tea that's been fermented with a probiotic culture, similar to the way vinegar is made, and the end product is low in sugar and full of healthy bacteria that aid digestion and even ward off infections. Fizzy like a soft drink, kombucha is much less sweet; these products contain just 4 g of sugar per bottle and only 60 calories. Try the slightly tart original kombucha or the fruitier citrus or ginger flavors.

Hot Lips Soda

Made to "worship the magnificent fruits and berries" of the Pacific Northwest, this fruit soda is another winner, with the brand's lineup even changing with the seasons based on what's locally available—apples and pears in the fall and raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and other berries in spring and summer. Some of the fruits are even organic. The company takes fruit, cooks it, adds water and cane sugar then bottles it, with much of the fiber-rich pulp intact, and carbonates it. Unlike a lot of so-called natural sodas, Hot Lips sodas contain organic lemon juice as a preservative, rather than ascorbic or citric acid, both of which can be derived from genetically modified corn and soy. For the healthiest Hot Lips drinks, grab the cranberry or pear sodas, neither of which has any added sugar.
Cranberry: 155 calories; Pear: 122 calories

Fizzy Lizzy

All Fizzy Lizzy sodas are nothing more than carbonated water combined with actual fruit juice, with a little vitamin C added for extra nutrition. The makers don't add sugar of any kind, so all the sugars in their sodas are naturally occurring. For the lowest-calorie options, go with the cranberry soda—just 100 calories per bottle and 22 g of sugars—or the grapefruit—also 100 calories with 25 g of sugar. Or give their award-winning pineapple soda a try, maybe mixed with some coconut water for a faux piña colada.

The Best Off-Day Workout

Say “om” on your off days: Practicing yoga just twice a week could improve your lung function, according to a new study review from Texas State University-San Marcos.

In one study, men who practiced yoga 90 minutes a day for 10 weeks increased their ventilatory capacity (the ability to move air in and out of your lungs) by 32 percent compared to those who stayed sedentary.

Why that matters: Lots of guys are tight in the muscles and tissue surrounding the ribs—and that’s not a good recipe for aerobic workouts. But over time, yoga may increase that flexibility, and in turn improve your performance in other athletic arenas. The more you practice, the more benefits you’ll see, the researchers note.

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. You should be able to tickle the backs of your heels with your hands. Place your arms on the floor alongside your body, palms down. As you inhale, lift your hips off the floor and press them upward. Keep your knees directly over your heels. For an added shoulder stretch, slide your arms under your body, interlace your fingers, and press the backs of your arms into the floor as you lift your hips. Hold for 45 seconds. Exhale when you lower your hips. Repeat 3 times.

Optional exercise.... PlaySquash =)

Gymspiration Techniques That WORK

Sometimes it’s all you can do to drag yourself to the gym—let alone give your workout your all. That’s where your mind and imagination come in—at least for Mindy Kaling.

The hilarious actress shared her gymspiration strategy with website Refinery29 recently: “My go-to is someone murdered my gorgeous, perfect, sweetheart husband, who looks like Michael Fassbender, and I then have to get in shape to murder him/her with my bear [sic] hands. Sometimes the murderer is hot too, and I have to sleep with them before I kill them. Like Tom Hardy or something. Use it!” Hey, whatever works, right?

Thing That Boosts Your Happiness

Need a happiness boost? Get out of town! No, seriously. The further you are from home, the happier your tweets tend to be, according to a new study from the University of Vermont.

Researchers analyzed 37 million geolocated tweets from 180,000 people in the United States during 2011 (meaning the tweets included GPS information). From those tweets, they were able to determine where each user spent most of their time and how far they typically traveled throughout the year. Researchers noticed that people used fewer negative words (like “hate,” “can’t’,” “damn,” and “never”) and more positive words (like “new,” “great,” “beach,” and “restaurant”) the farther they were from home. Pretty awesome, right?

Sure, the occasional vacay can boost your mood and give you more exciting things to tweet about, but frequent flyers saw an even bigger benefit: People who cast a wider travel net tended to be happier tweeters overall when compared to those who generally stayed in their bubble, says lead study author Christopher Danforth, PhD, associate professor in the department of mathematics and statistics at the University of Vermont.

So why does packing up and leaving give you such a happiness rush? “When we get out of the monotony, our mood changes,” says Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD, author of A Happy You. “We see things in a different way, we appreciate [things] more. It provides us with a different perspective.” Not to mention that travel usually frees you from at least a few responsibilities. Whether it’s zoning out from work while on vacation or forgetting about household duties while at a work conference, you’re able to hone in on certain things rather than constantly multitasking, says Lombardo.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a jetsetter to reap the benefits. Just try these simple tweaks to change your scenery and amp up your happiness—no airline tickets required:

Get outside
It’s no island getaway, but even a walk around the block can get you in the vacation state of mind. “The research overwhelmingly shows that when we’re outside, we’re happier,” says Lombardo. Add to that the stress-busting and confidence-boosting benefits that come with it. Plus, you move more when you’re on vacation, so adding more activity to your day can help you achieve the similar zen you get from hiking around a resort, says Lombardo.

Ditch your usual hangout
It’s no coincidence that people tended to tweet the words restaurant, café, lunch, and dinner when they were farther from home. When you travel, you’re constantly hitting up new and exciting spots, so try the same technique in your city, says Lombardo. Even if it ends up only being so-so, heading somewhere new breaks up your routine and can help you avoid falling into a stay-at-home rut.

Do something spontaneous
Remember that time you took salsa lessons in Mexico or went horseback riding on the beach? We’re willing to bet you can do those same kinds of things in your own town. Sign up for something you would never normally do at home, says Lombardo. The thrill of trying something new will give you the same rush you get on vacation.

Plan your next getaway
Even if you can’t take a day off until 2014, it’s still a good idea to start thinking about your next trip. “Studies have found that just planning a vacation increases our happiness,” says Lombardo. Start a Pinterest board of “Vacation Wish Lists” and take a 10-minute break once a week to browse through resorts. Not only will you be happier, but you’ll be super prepared when the time comes to actually book a trip.

Do some redecorating
When a vacation just isn’t in the cards, change the scenery on your desk instead. Print out pictures from your last trip, or get some inexpensive prints of spots you’d love to visit. Then, post them around your office or set them as the background on your computer. “Research shows that just looking at a picture of nature can make us happier,” says Lombardo. Remembering a fond vacation also has a similar effect, she says.

Get social—even when you’re local
If you weren’t too surprised by this study, it’s probably because you’re guilty of the same Twitter behavior. After all, who doesn’t love to humblebrag when you’re sipping a pina colada on the beach and complain when you’re stuck in traffic on the way to work? But tweaking your Twitter habits can have an awesome effect on your mood. “You don’t have to be away from home to start tweeting about cool things going on in your life,” says Lombardo. “Start taking pictures not just when you’re at the beach, but when you’re walking down the street. Challenge yourself to Instagram more when you’re home”—rather than just when you’re on vacation. Chances are you’ll see a boost in your mood and your follower.

10 Nutrition Secrets

Barack Obama is on a diet. So is Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, and the entire cast of Glee. In fact, from Chris Rock to Kid Rock to The Rock, everyone you can name is on a diet.

And so are you.

How can I be so sure? Because a “diet” isn’t something you go on and go off of, like a prescription. A diet is what you eat, day in and day out, whether you planned to eat that way or not. So when people ask me what kind of “diet” they should follow, I always tell them to follow the one they’re already on—the way you like to eat is the way you should eat

If you want to make big changes to your health, forget about following somebody else’s diet. Just make a bunch of little changes to the diet you’re already following, it’s the best way to get results.

Nutritional tweaks you can make that will improve the way you look and feel—fast and forever!


1. Drink a second cup of coffee.

It might lower your risk of adult-onset diabetes, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.


2. Keep serving dishes off the table.

Researchers have found that when people are served individual plates, as opposed to empty plates with a platter of food in the middle of the table, they eat up to 35 percent less!


3. Think before you drink.

The average person drinks more than 400 calories a day—double what he or she used to—and alone gets around 10 teaspoons of added sugar every single day from soft drinks. Swap out sweetened teas and sodas for no-cal drinks and you could lose up to 40 pounds in a single year!


4. Practice total recall.

British scientists found that people who thought about their last meal before snacking ate 30 percent fewer calories that those who didn't stop to think. The theory: Remembering what you had for lunch might remind you of how satiating the food was, which then makes you less likely to binge on your afternoon snack.


5. Eat protein at every meal.

Dieters who eat the most protein tend to lose more weight while feeling less deprived than those who eat the least protein. It appears that protein is the best nutrient for jumpstarting your metabolism, squashing your appetite, and helping you eat less at subsequent meals.


6. Choose whole-grain bread.

Eating whole grains (versus refined-grain or white bread) has been linked to lower risks of cancer and heart disease.


7. Think fish.

Consuming two 4- to 6-ounce servings of oily fish a week will sharpen your mind. Among the best: salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and trout. They're high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's. Study participants who had high blood levels of DHA also performed better on noverbal reasoning tests and showed better mental flexibility, working memory, and vocabulary than those with lower levels.


8. Put your fork down when you chew.

Or take a sip of water between each bite—eating slowly can boost levels of two hormones that make you feel fuller, Greek researchers found.


9. Sip green tea.

It might help you build a strong skeleton, say researchers in China, and help protect you from broken bones when you're older. And one study found that it helps fight bad breath, too.


10. Work out before lunch or dinner.

Doing so will make the meals you eat right afterward more filling, according to British researchers—meaning you'll eat fewer calories throughout the day.

The 7 Laws of Leanness

LAW #1: Lean People Don’t Diet

What? Of course lean people diet! They’re just magically better at denying themselves than the rest of us are, right?

No. In reality, studies show that the number one predictor of future weight gain is being on a diet right now. Part of the reason is that restricting calories reduces strength, bone density, and muscle mass—and muscle is your body’s number-one calorie burner. So by dieting, you’re actually setting yourself up to gain more weight than ever. And a recent study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicineshowed that tracking your diet in a food journal can actually boost your stress levels, which in turn increases your level of a hormone called cortisol, and cortisol is linked to—you guessed it—weight gain.

FAT-FIGHTING FIBER: Get 25 grams of fiber a day—the amount in about 3 servings of fruits and vegetables—and you can boost fat burn up to 30 percent.


LAW #2: Lean People Don’t Go Fat-Free

A European study tracked nearly 90,000 people for several years and discovered that participants who tried to eat “low fat” had the same risk of being overweight as those who ate whatever they wanted.

Fat doesn’t make you fat, period. Indeed, you need fat in your diet to help you process certain nutrients, like vitamins A, D, and E, for example. And many “fat-free” foods are loaded with sugar, and therefore have even more calories than their full-fat cousins. Even the American Heart Association says that fat-free labels lead to higher consumption of unhealthy sweets. Fat keeps you full and satisfied. Fat-free will send you running back to the fridge in an hour, hungry for more.

LAW #3: Lean People Sit Down to Eat

In fact, the more you sit down and enjoy your food, the leaner you’re going to be. Punishing yourself only makes you fat!

Greek researchers recently reported that eating more slowly and savoring your meal can boost levels of two hormones that make you feel fuller. And researchers at Cornell University found that when people sat down at the table with already full plates of food, they consumed up to 35 percent less than they did when eating family-style—that is, by passing serving dishes around the table.


LAW #4: Lean People Know What They’re Going to Eat Next

Planning your responses to hunger may help you shed pounds faster, say Dutch researchers. They posed their subjects questions like “If you’re hungry at 4 p.m., then . . . what?” Those who had an answer (“I’ll snack on some almonds”) were more successful at losing weight than those who didn’t have an answer.


LAW #5: Lean People Eat Protein

In a recent European study, people who ate moderately high levels of protein were twice as likely to lose weight and keep it off as those who didn’t eat much protein.

A New England Journal of Medicine study looked at a variety of eating plans and discovered that eating a diet high in protein and low in refined starches (like white bread) was the most effective for weight loss. Protein works on two levels: First, you burn more calories to digest it. Second, because your body has to work harder to digest a Big Mac than, say, a Ho Ho, you stay fuller longer.


LAW #6: Lean People Move Around

I don’t mean climbing Kilimanjaro, breaking the tape at the Boston Marathon, or spending 24 hours at 24 Hour Fitness. I mean going for a short bike ride (20 minutes burns 200 calories), taking a leisurely walk (145 calories every 51 minutes), wrestling with your kids (another 100 calories smoked in 22 minutes), or fishing (there’s 150 calories gone in an hour—even more if you actually catch something).

Simply put, fit people stay fit by having fun. Scientists have a name for how you burn calories just enjoying yourself. It’s called NEAT: non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Sounds complicated, like something only policy wonks at a global warming summit are qualified to discuss. But it’s pretty simple: Pick a few activities that you enjoy, from tossing a stick for your dog to bowling with your best friend, and just do them more often. The average person makes 200 decisions every day that affect his or her weight. If you choose the fun option more often than not, you’ll see results.

LAW #7: Lean People Watch Less TV

Instead of calling it the boob tube, maybe we should call it the man-boob tube. About 18 percent of people who watch less than two hours of TV a day have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more—the cutoff line for obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But of those who watch more than four hours of TV a day, nearly 30 percent have a BMI that high, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Look, I like TV. But all things in moderation: In a study at the University of Vermont, overweight participants who cut their daily TV time in half (from an average of 5 hours to 2.5 hours) burned an extra 119 calories a day. And a recent study of people who successfully lost weight found that 63 percent of them watched less than 10 hours of TV a week. Want more? A study in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine reported that lean people have an average of 2.6 television sets in their homes. Overweight people have an average of 3.4. Finally, researchers in Australia recently discovered that every hour in front of the television trims 22 minutes from your life. Yikes!

Thanks for reading!

Sport-Bra definitions, women MUST know.

If your breasts could talk, they’d probably tell you that they’re not thrilled when they see you lacing up your running shoes. In fact,breast pain is an issue for almost one in three marathon runners, according to a new study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. And the bigger your cup size, the more likely you are to be plagued with boob pain.

Researchers surveyed 1,285 female runners at the 2012 London Marathon Registration. The survey asked women about their exercise habits and workout intensity, as well as their medical history and how often they experienced breast pain. They found that 32 percent of women reported breast pain, but that number was strongly linked to the size of a woman’s bust. Pain was a problem for one in four women with A cups, but it was an issue for half of all women with a cup size of F or larger.

The big bummer: Working out is often to blame. Half of the women with breast pain said it was brought on by moderate exercise, and 64 percent said their girls hurt during vigorous exercise. Since nine out of 10 runners reported wearing sports bras while training, it’s not a total lack of support that’s the problem. According to experts, the real issue is that women aren’t getting the right support.

“Just because women are wearing sports bras doesn’t mean they’re wearing an appropriately fitting, supportive sports bra,” says lead study author Nicola Brown, PhD, lecturer in health and exercise at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, London.

To keep your breasts happy and healthy, try these expert-approved tips:

Get proper support all day—not just at the gym
While you don’t need to don a sports bra to run errands, you should still make sure your everyday bras give you the appropriate amount of support. “A lot of women probably don’t realize how active they are during their normal daily routine,” says study coauthor Joanna Scurr, PhD, head of the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth in London. “All types of activity can cause considerable breast movement, and ultimately our research has shown it’s the movement of the breast that can lead to pain.” Head to a department store or lingerie shop and meet with a bra-fitting specialist to find the right style and size for your bust.

Make sure your bra meets these expert standards
Pay attention to these five crucial bra-fitting points from the Research Group in Breast Health. They apply to both your sports bras and your everyday options:
• Band: It should be snug enough so it doesn’t slide around when you move but not so tight that it digs in or feels uncomfortable.
• Cup: If it has individual cups, your breasts should be contained in them, not spilling out in any direction. If the cups are puckering, you may need to go down a cup size.
• Underwire: If it has underwire, it should follow the natural crease of the breast rather than resting on it or digging in. If the underwire is resting farther down on your ribcage (where you’re a little narrower) the band might be too small.
• Front: The lower edge of your bra between the cups should lay flat against the body and not gape away from your chest. If the front is not laying flat, you may need to go up a cup size.
• Straps: They should provide support without digging into the skin. Your main support should come from a snug band, not super-tight straps.

Take your bra for a test drive
Once you’ve found a sports bra that seems to keep everything in place, make sure to test the support before you buy it. You could run laps around the store—or you could try this much subtler trick from Scurr: Do a few star jumps in the dressing room. Start with your feet together and your body squatted down with your hands on the floor. Then jump up while spreading you arms and legs out, like a star. This causes the same breast movement that occurs during running, says Scurr, so it’s an accurate way to gauge the fit. Another tip: Stretch your arms above your head and from side to side. “Your band should stay where it is when you put your arms up,” says Scurr.

Watch what you eat and drink
Some research has shown that a high-fat diet or excessive caffeine intake may contribute to breast pain in some people, says Dixie Mills, MD, breast surgeon at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates. So if you’re feeling particularly sore, try cutting back on these to see if it makes a difference. Some experts also advise an anti-inflammatory diet—think tons of fresh fruits and veggies and limiting processed foods—to minimize pain from inflammation, says Mills. The bottom line: A healthier diet may help buffer against the breast tenderness, so eat clean if you’re experiencing soreness. And if you know you’re prone to pain around your period, take an over-the-counter pain reliever before a big workout, says Mills.

Keep exercising
It may sound counterintuitive since workouts can be the cause of discomfort, but staying fit can protect against breast pain in the long run. The study authors are currently working on two new studies that show an association between higher activity levels and lower levels of breast pain. So amp up your fitness routine to reap the benefits—just make sure you’re wearing a super-supportive bra first.


Moving Comfort Juno Bra, $56, movingcomfort.com
This super-supportive pick goes up to size 40DD and is great for high impact exercise. Plus, there’s a hook-and-clasp closure in the back to ensure a perfect fit.


CW-X VersatX Supprot Bra, $65, paragonsports.com
This sports bra packs a hidden punch with interior webbing within each cup to cut down on bounce. And with no underwire or compression, it’s a comfy yet supportive fit.


Champion Seamless Dazzle Sports Bra, $36, champion.com
The contoured cups in this no-fuss pick give the perfect amount of support for lower-impact exercise—like jogging.

The Simple Way to Eat Fit?

Would that cheeseburger be nearly as tempting if you knew you’d have to log 33 minutes on the treadmill to burn off all of the calories it contains? Didn’t think so. So it’s not exactly shocking that, when menus list how much exercise you’d have to do to work off each food, people order lower-calorie options, according to a recent study.

For the experiment, researchers from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth randomly assigned a group of people aged 18-30 to one of three groups: one that ordered off of a menu without calorie counts, one that ordered off of a menu with calorie counts, and one that ordered off of a menu that listed how many minutes of brisk walking would be necessary to burn the food calories. Other than the calorie/exercise labels, the menus were exactly the same.

Listing calories on the menu didn’t lead people to order lighter options—but listing the minutes of brisk walking necessary did.

The next time you go to a restaurant, you probably won’t see the exercise equivalents for each dish—but you can still use a similar motivational strategy to curb junk food urges. The next time you hear a donut or a slice of pizza calling your name, consult this handy guide—and see if you even want it afterward =)

5 GREAT GADGETS FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

BioLite Portable Grill
We loved the BioLite CampStove when it came out late last year—the genius device lets you burn twigs and other forest debris to heat up water, while also generating electricity to charge your mobile tech. This cool new attachment converts the Stove to a full-on grill, via a sleek, easily cleaned stainless steel attachment. It fits snugly over the stove’s opening, and you can grill several burgers and once. To add more fuel, just open the round lid and drop in your additional sticks. CampStove sold separately. ($60; biolitestove.com)


Serfas Stem Clamp Bag System
Saddle bags aren’t for every cyclist—they may not be roomy enough and their awkward triangular-ish geometry sometimes won’t accommodate big square items like cell phones and wallets. Tube-mounted bags, on the other hand, can get in the way and abrade your legs. Instead, opt for Serfas’ new Stem Clamp bag system—their bags bolt securely to the top of your stem, keeping everything in sight and readily detachable via quick release mounts. Serfas offers a range of sizes, including cell-phone only packs with water-proof or water-resistant housings, up to the large case shown here, which has ample room inside as well as a smartphone sleeve to provide continuous access to a cycling or mapping apps while riding.($20-$50; serfas.com)


LifeFactory 22 oz Glass Bottle
Wait, they make glass water bottles? You’d think such throwbacks would be extinct by now, with all the cutting-edge metals and plastics out there. But then again, those cutting-edge metals and plastics can make your water taste awfully metallic or plastic, can’t they? Give one of LifeFactory’s awesome bottles a chance. The sturdy, dishwasher-safe bottles have rubber coating to absorb bumps, wide mouths so you can stuff ice in there, and a material that’s perfectly free of BPA or anything that can affect the flavor of your beverage. The bottles come with either a conventional twist top or a flip-cap—though the latter isn’t leak-proof, so don’t stuff it sideways into your backpack. ($25; lifefactory.com)


Crumpler Kashgar Outpost Large Camera Bag
This nicely padded 5.5-liter bag is big enough for a DSLR, several lenses, and plenty of accessories—and its easily accessible internal sleeve will also swallow up your iPad for the road. A smart combination of Velcro, snaps, and zips keeps your gear secure yet accessible. The durable material is water resistant, but if you get caught in a downpour just crack out the stowable rain housing—its elastic structure will wrap your bag snugly and won’t catch on fences and other protrusions while you’re dashing through town in the wet. Another great back from this Australian manufacturer. ($175; crumpler.com)

Alite Mayfly Chair
Camp chairs are usually the first thing discarded when trying to streamline your packing. But this lightweight (1.4 pounds), compact chair will likely be the first thing you pack from now on. It assembles easily using tent-pole-like bungee within the metal frame and smart color-coding so you can sync up all the connection points quickly. The durable sling chair can support up to 250 pounds. Best part: use it as a three-legged chair or a two-legged rocker! ($100, alitedesigns.com)

8 Best Functional Fitness Props

Sandbags
Dumbbells are predictable because the weight is evenly distributed, but the weight in sandbags is fluid, which challenges your balance and stability, says Josh Henkin, CSCS, CEO of Ultimate Sandbag Training.

How to play: Try the Squat-To-Arc Press: Hold the sandbag over one shoulder with both hands, then lower into a squat. As you stand up, lift the bag straight up above your head. Then lower the sandbag from over your head onto the opposite shoulder, and perform a second squat. Continue alternating sides. You can increase the pace or duration or alter your grip to challenge yourself.

ViPR
Short for Vitality, Performance, and Re-conditioning, you can do almost anything with this rubber-based cylinder.

How to play: With a firm grip on both handles, lift and swing the ViPr up and around your head in a complete circle. Repeat and reverse.

Battling Ropes
Because battling ropes require momentum to stay in the air and off the floor, they set the pace of your workout for you.

How to play: Find a partner, and grab opposite ends of two parallel ropes. Then imitate a drummer's motion, alternating which hand goes up and down. For a challenge, increase the speed and shuffle back and forth together while you both continue "drumming".

D-Ball
D-Balls are weighted medicine balls that have a gel-like center, a textured grip, and no bounce.

How to play: Lift it, throw it, or hold it while you squat or lunge.

Weighted Speed Rope
Weighing in at 0.75 pounds, which is heavier than a typical jump rope, a weighted speed rope works your arms, legs, and heart.

How to play: Synchronize your jumps to upbeat music, jump forward and backward, jump side-to-side, or make up your own combinations. Increase your speed to boost the intensity.

The Power Wheel
This 14-inch wheel directly enhances core strength, says Jon Hinds, founder of Monkey Bar Gymnasiums.

How to play: Slip your feet into the stirrups or hold the handles and crawl or try to roll forward and backward in any direction.

Jungle Gym XTSuspension trainers use your body weight and integrate your core in every exercise to create stability through your body, says Henkin. But unlike typical suspension trainers, this one has two anchor points so you can adjust it for a wide or narrow grip. Vary the length to increase or decrease your angle to the ground, which will change the difficulty level of the exercise.

How to play: One of Henkin's favorite moves: the Body Saw. With the loops adjusted so they fall at calf height, put both feet in the stirrups (your toes should face the ground). Then rest your forearms on the ground so they're parallel to each other and your elbows are in line with your shoulders. Brace your core, and lift up off your knees so your body forms a straight line from head to toe. Then change the angle of your elbows to bring your whole body backward (away from your hands). Pause, then bring your body forward until your shoulders are over your elbows again. Continue "sawing" back and forth, increasing your range of motion to make it more difficult.

Tractor Tire
If you've noticed a humongo tire lying around your gym, take advantage of it. They're pretty heavy—usually between 100 and 200 pounds or more, depending on the size.

How to play: David Jack, a performance coach and the director of Teamworks Fitness, recommends doing a tire flip: With feet shoulder width apart, stand half an arm's length away from a tire set on its side. Then, bend your knees and waist to grab the bottom of the tire with both hands. From this crouched position, come up on your toes and lean forward so your chest rests against the tire as you explosively lift from the legs (not your back) to raise the tire up off the ground. In one fluid movement, bring your knee up under the tire to help hoist it up into an upright position and over so it falls onto its other side. Tip: Wear training gloves to avoid scraping your knuckles on the ground—especially when the tire rests on an uneven surface.