I can’t remember the last time I used a piece of fitness equipment that required electricity. It must have been sometime in the winter when it was too cold and wet to run outside and I attempted to run on a treadmill.

Every morning I walk past gyms crowded with equipment in San Francisco’s Financial District. From the outside it reminds me of staring into a hamster’s cage while it runs around and around on its wheel. I don’t know whether I should be entertained or feel sorry for those people stuck in a tiny space sweating with 20 other strangers on a Tuesday morning.

Less than a mile away is one of the most popular places to go to run, ride a bike, or exercise: the Embarcadero. Whenever runners pass me on the way to the beautiful street that follows the piers and the bay, I instantly want to drop everything and follow them.

I’m not sure I could ever go back to being another hamster on the wheel after so many months of learning to love exercising outdoors or at least in open gyms without any equipment that runs on electricity.

To put it simply, this book made me want to drop everything I was doing, grab some hiking boots and a much lighter pack than the one she carries, and get hiking. “Wild” is not a how-to guide for surviving the trail, but rather an interesting and thought provoking look at what pushed one woman, Cheryl Strayed, to hike for months on her own in the high mountains that follow the Pacific Coast.

I recently started CrossFit again since coming back from school, and the transition has been brutal. I’m no stranger to sore muscles after nine years of competitive basketball, swimming, and all of the other activities I’ve fallen in love with. But over the years I have accumulated quite a few tricks to prevent sore muscles or help ease them if it’s too late.

How to ease sore muscles naturally

1. Hydrate! Be sure to stay hydrated before, throughout your workout, afterwards. When I really pound back water after a workout I feel a noticeable difference in soreness than when I don’t. Coconut water is another great way to rehydrate. Throughout the day try to drink half an ounce of water per pound of bodyweight (meaning if you are 200 lbs you should drink 100 ounces). For more intense workouts, some trainers recommend drinking 3/4 ounces for every pound.

2. Warm up. Before you start working out, be sure to warm up your body gently. After you workout, keep your body warm to prevent muscles from tensing. A heating pad (you can make you own by pouring rice inside of a sock and heating it in the microwave) can also help to relieve tight muscles.

3. Stretch. Be sure to gently stretch your muscles. There are a lot of great poses or movements for specific muscles online. Just search the muscle group or area you want to stretch and carefully try a few out.

4. Magnesium. Found in many sports drinks, coconut water, and other foods, magnesium helps to release muscle tension. Calcium and magnesium work together to help your muscles move. Calcium makes the muscles contract, and magnesium makes them release. When I am really sore or my muscles feel incredibly tense I take a supplement. Just be careful, magnesium is one of the main ingredients in laxatives and it is easy to overdo it or throw off your bodies balance. Start with the smallest dose possible before finding your optimal level.

5. Rub it out. Self- massage can be a great way to release muscle soreness and tension.

6. Roll it out. My foam roller is my best friend. I foam roll before and after workouts as well as before bed. Foam rolling is essentially like massage in that it presses on the muscles and helps to release knots and tension. I also roll my calves on a 3 inch diameter PVC pipe. My trainer recommended this while I was battling shin splints, and it makes a huge difference.

7. Rest. Listen to your body. When you are sore your body is telling you it’s time to take a break and let it rebuild.

To be honest I was terrified to try this. I thought it might ruin it for me, but it ended up tasting just as good, if not better than the one I buy. The only thing to note is that it does separate a bit when it’s in the fridge. Be sure to shake it real quick before you drink it. 


Coconut water is not only a great way to rehydrate throughout the day, but it is also a great addition to your after-workout recovery. I also like it as a light dessert after meals.

It’s no secret that we are addicted to caffeine. Energy drinks and now shots line the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants, and even board rooms. It has become completely aceptable to live off of these synthetic stimulants, and now they aren’t just being marketed to office workers who are feeling a little sluggish on the job. Commercials are constantly asking if we are “tired” have that “3:30 feeling” or “need a nap.”

Coconuts are the newest health food craze and miracle problem solver. They are everywhere from the personal care aisle to cooking. As much as I hate to admit that I am going along with what is most likely a trend, I’m in love with coconut water for a post workout pick me up and coconut oil for just about everything.

When I found this list of 52 uses for coconut oil I couldn’t stop myself from sharing some of my favorites.

1. Hair and scalp treatment: on weeks when I have multiple workouts  or I have to straighten it, my hair gets incredibly rough and my scalp itches like crazy! I heat up a tablespoon of the oil and rub it on my scalp as if it was shampoo and through my hair. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before you wash as normal. My hair stays soft for days and my scalp is significantly less oily than normal and not itchy.

2. Hair styling: just a little bit tames fly aways and makes my hair look shiny and smooth

3. Incredible for cooking and baking

4. Shaving cream: the warm oil makes shaving less painful and my legs are wonderfully moisturized afterwards.

5. As a “lotion”

6. Make doors stop squeaking

7. Dry skin moisture balm

To see the rest, check out Delicious Obsessions

I am ticking off the day’s until my summer break officially starts, but for everyone else who is already heading out to celebrate here is a quick guide to protecting yourself from the sun.

How to protect yourself without slathering up:

What to watch out for:

9 surprising truths

1. There’s no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer.

2. There’s some evidence that sunscreen might increase the risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer in some people.

3. There are more high SPF products than ever before, but no proof that they’re better.

4. Too little sun might be harmful, reducing the body’s vitamin D levels.

5. The common sunscreen ingredient vitamin A may speed the development of cancer.

6. Free radicals and other skin-damaging byproducts of sunscreen.

7. Pick your sunscreen: nanomaterials or potential hormone disruptors.

8. Europe has better sunscreens (and more options)

9. The 34th summer in a row without final U.S. sunscreen safety regulations.