Sweaty Bands — Lifestyle

Guest Blogger Rachel Voris, proud mom and Beachbody coach!
Summer bodies are made in the winter, so let’s dive in! We’ve all heard, “drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water” each day... But where does that come from? Honestly, there’s no exact science behind this recommendation. It’s just a fair guideline because it’s an easy formula for people to remember. A better rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. So, for example, if you’re 150 pounds, divide 150 in half, and you should be drinking a minimum of 75 ounces of water each day, and MORE if you’re exercising! If you’re less than 128, make sure to get that 64-ounces in at the bare minimum. Not a water drinker? Here are some tips to get you guzzlin’... (1) Use a straw! It goes down SO much easier with a straw. You don’t even have to pick up your cup. Just... keep... sipping! Before you know it, you’re at the bottom, and it’s time to fill’r up! (2) Track it! That’s right, there’s an app for keeping you on track with your water intake! Check out “WaterMinder” on the iPhone, or “Water Your Body” on Android. Or if you’re not a big app person, make a tally mark in your planner for every cup you drink, or set an alert on your phone, or watch, reminding you to drink every half-hour. (3) Shop for a cool cup! A new pair of sneakers gets you excited to workout, right? So a new water bottle will get you motivated to drink! Shop around... just like shoes, there’s a right “fit” for everyone. Personally, I like a 25-ounce bottle or cup with a straw.... Just fill it up 4-5 times, sip sip sip, and you’re body will be thanking you! (4) Add some flavor. It’s all the rage right now at restaurants, salons... everywhere you go, you find cucumber water, strawberry water, all kinds of combinations. Step aside, lemons... how about some watermelon-mint infused water? Talk about refreshing! Pick your favorite fruits, veggies, even spices... Toss them in, and enjoy! (For more delicious and healthy beverage ideas, check out our other post, Summer Hydration!) (5) Consider it an appetizer. Not only will this help you stay hydrated, but it could help you lose weight too! People who drink water before meals, and between cocktails, generally end up consuming less calories since they’re filling up on H2O. So, before you put anything in your mouth, make it a point to drink a tall glass of water first. Also, between courses, drink up again! Out on the town for a night out with your girlfriends?... Get a glass down in between cocktails. (I promise this will make you feel better in the morning too!) Now, go fill up that cup! And remember, every body is different, so test out these tips and tricks, and challenge yourself to drink more. As you do, take note of how much YOUR body needs to feel and look its best. CHEERS to a happy, healthy and well-hydrated body, hair, skin and even nails!


About the Author
Rachel Voris is a phenomenal mama and a rockin' Beachbody coach who loves to wear Sweaty Bands! Her strength and daily commitment to fitness inspire us every single day. Check our her instagram to connect with her!

Traditionally, heart disease has been considered one that affects men primarily, but the reality is heart disease affects men and women in the same proportions. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. February is heart month, so what better time could there be to shower yourself with love and commit to a more heart-healthy lifestyle? Here are some ways you can show your heart the love this month! FOOD Although most of us know we should eat healthier, we convince ourselves we are too busy to invest the time required in planning and preparing healthy meals. It’s time to change that mind-set. There are thousands of delicious, heart-healthy recipes out there you can prepare quickly and easily. Our heart-healthy Caprese salad recipe, for example, takes only five minutes to make and will no doubt become a favorite for lunch. A quick online search will provide thousands of heart-healthy recipes for you to explore. Try adding one or two into your cooking rotation each week. You’ll see eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore and probably find some new favorite foods. EXERCISE Exercise is another area where most of us know what we should be doing but fall short in the execution. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise five times per week to improve cardiovascular health. Many of us get caught up in thinking we have to join an expensive gym or go for a five-mile run for our workout to count as exercise. In reality, exercise is anything that makes you move your body and burns calories. If you’re not ready to sign up for a gym membership, search for ways you can add extra movement to your daily routine. You could dance around the house while vacuuming. Make a couple of extra trips up and down the stairs when you’re doing laundry. Anything activity adding extra movement to your life will be good for your heart. HEALTHY HABITS Habits such as smoking and drinking excessively can increase your risk of complications from heart disease, especially if you have any other conditions, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. To protect your heart, you should stop smoking and drink alcohol only in moderation. For women, it is recommended to have no more than one drink per day. Once you change an unhealthy habit such as smoking, your body immediately begins the process of healing any damage inflicted. Give yourself the gift of health this Valentine’s Day and take steps to eliminate any of these damaging habits from your life. SLEEP Sleep is another critical factor in maintaining good heart health. Sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality can lead to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, fatigue and metabolic problems. Getting the right amount of high-quality sleep is essential to your overall health and is a key factor in keeping your heart healthy. If you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep, you should try reducing your caffeine intake and establishing an evening routine that includes going to bed at the same time every night and eliminates the use of any electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets and television close to bedtime. It’s important we demonstrate some self-love by taking extra good care of ourselves as women. Practicing good heart health habits will ensure you have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life! Also, check out our red bands this month and wear red for heart month!

About the Author: LaToya is an advocate for healthy living. She enjoys cooking up tasty, nutritious recipes and regularly practices yoga and Pilates. As a writer for eHealth Informer, she loves sharing her knowledge and inspiring others to live healthier lifestyles.

1. Tell us briefly about how Sweaty Bands started. Sweaty Bands was born out of pure frustration! While teaching class one morning my headband once again slipped off the back of my head. I couldn't take it any longer. I borrowed a sewing machine and headed to the fabric store for supplies. I sat down at my kitchen table and Sweaty Bands were born!! I started wearing them to teach my classes and my students wanted them! I was creating quite a scene selling them right out of my gym bag. I knew I was onto something! 2. What was the most exciting and most surprising thing about starting a business? Without a doubt the most exciting thing was watching people try one on for the first time! EVERYONE said "OMG...they don't slip!!" so that became our tagline. People were in disbelief that they actually held true to the non-slip promise! 3. What was your biggest difficulty or learning curve? Building the website was the most difficult challenge for me. I have zero technical skills but was determined to learn. I paid a friend a couple hundred dollars to teach me how to build my first website. It looked pretty bad but I had a sale the first day it was launched!! 4. Tell us about a fun place you've been to while selling Sweaty Bands. We have been to so many beautiful cities to sell Sweaty Bands. Manhattan Beach, CA was our first stop so it will always hold a very near and dear spot in my heart. Charleston, SC is so charming; I stayed at the cutest little B&B. The Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX is a very fun place. I also enjoyed New Orleans and Las Vegas... but my favorite city of all is my hometown of Cincinnati, OH! 5. Name your top three favorite Sweaty Bands at this moment. My top 3 Sweaty Bands are all new releases: Gypsy Girl, In Disguise and In Living Color. Overall, my most-loved style is Wicked! Anytime I have leggings or a tank with a busy pattern I reach for my Wickeds. 6. What are you most looking forward to in Sweaty Bands' immediate future? Soooooo looking forward to the launch of our new product, BE! It has received rave reviews from customers during our test launch and we hope you love it as much as we do. We also have a few other surprises up our sleeves for the near future... Stay tuned! 7. What is some advice you'd pass on to others trying to start their own business? You can do it! If you have a product or service that you truly believe in you will become unstoppable. Nothing can get in the way of a determined woman (or man)!! Xx, Donna

My friend Katie and her daughter recently returned from a mission trip in Roatan, Honduras! We were thrilled when she asked if they could take along Sweaty Bands to give to the children in the four schools they visited. They also distributed TOMS, backpacks, paper, toothbrushes, markers, books, underwear, rubber bands and of course lots of Sweaty Bands. Katie and her group of 40 from the National Swim Association wanted to teach the kids to swim! “Some of the children knew how to swim but some were scared to put their faces in the water! One mom stood and watched her son get a lesson for an hour and cried in thanks to the teacher at the end,” said Katie. They brought suitcases full of bathing suits and goggles. The kids were amazed by the goggles!! The main goal of the trip was to raise funds to purchase new computers for the schools. Currently the schools can only teach up to 8th grade. In order to teach up to 12th grade the government says they have to have 10 computers. The swim school is figuring out a plan to make this happen!! On the final day they were in town and were thrilled to see all the kids show up for the celebration wearing their Sweaty Bands! xx, Donna

What is the meaning of Yin yang? Have you always wondered but never had more than a basic curiosity? Well this is your chance to gain some serious knowledge in a bite sized nugget! I found this graphic on Pinterest and wanted to share. To dive a bit deeper Yin and Yang are age old principles of Chinese philosophy. They work together creating harmony and balance. Yin and Yang are complementary opposites such as; *moon and sun *negative and positive *female and male *night and day *cold and hot Yin is seen as dark passive and feminine. Yang is light, active and feminine. When I first started sewing Sweaty Bands I actually designed our first logo in the spirit of Yin Yang. The S filled up the entire circle and the drops of sweat replaced the circular shapes inside Yin and Yang. Over the years we needed to morph the logo to what it is today but I still see it. It makes me happy! As normal people we are always seeking light but the darkness creeps in. Yin and Yang will always remind me to seek a life in balance! Xx, Donna