SkyMall Monday: Arm Exercise Weights

by Mike Barish on

SkyMall Monday has a rich history of promoting fitness equipment that combines wellness and the workplace. From the Sit Fit to the Trekdesk and the Springflex UB, we’ve enjoyed showing you how to use SkyMall products to maximize your time at the office. However, we’ve only covered cardio and heavy resistance workouts. What about those of you who just want some low-impact exercise to keep yourself looking and feeling good? We’re not all gym rats who want to get huge, right? Thankfully, there’s something for the normal folks who want to exercise at work without looking like an idiot (or breaking a sweat). The next time you head into the office feeling flabby, you can battle the bulge with the Arm Exercise Weights.Working out doesn’t have to be difficult. Now, it can seamlessly become a part of your day. Are you spending hours on a spreadsheet? That’s a workout! Three-hour conference call? That’s a workout! Shaking off after peeing? That’s an intense workout! Tying exercise to mundane aspects of your day helps you sneak fitness into your routine without even realizing it. It’s like finding out that someone put broccoli in your cupcakes!

Think that the office is no place for exercise? Believe that you need to truly push your body to see results? Well, while you’re sweatin’ to the oldies, we’ll be reading the product description:

Wear your workout wherever you go with Remedy Arm Weights! Turn normal everyday activities into fat burning workouts. A must have if you don’t like to exercise, but want to lose weight. Keep in great shape!

Imagine the everyday activities that you can turn into exercise by adding extra weight to your forearms!

But I still don’t understand how effective the product is. If only it gave me some idea of how using it compared to doing real exercise. Oh, here we go:

Wearing them for just 10 Hours a Day is Equal to a 2-mile Run

So efficient! Replace twenty minutes of exercise – a pleasant and healthy escape from stress – with 10 hours of doing the things that you have to do but with some extra weight attached to your sweaty forearms. Do they make a set for my calves, too?

Finally, we can work out at the office in 10-hour intervals. Dreams, my friends, do come true! We’ll be thin in time for retirement!

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Giddyup! Core Exerciser

by Mike Barish on

The best pieces of exercise equipment incorporate a healthy dose of sexual innuendo. It keeps the user motivated and makes for great people watching at the gym. I mean, isn’t that basically the whole idea behind the Shake Weight? Here at SkyMall Monday headquarters, we try to keep our exercise low impact, but we always keep an eye out for new and erotic ways to stay fit. Thankfully, SkyMall has introduced us to a fantastic piece of equipment that will keep our muscles ripped and our loins burning. Why just lift weights or do situps when you can writhe around rhythmically while riding the Giddyup! Core Exerciser?We all want rock hard abs and something firm between our legs. Sadly, neither one of those comes easily. But, thanks to the Giddyup! Core Exerciser, you can have your cake and ride it, too.

Think that exercise equipment should be chaste? Believe that mechanical bulls only belong inside sawdust-covered bars? Well, while you mall walk with arm weights, we’ll be reading the product description:

Get all the strength-building benefits of horseback riding without leaving your home. Giddyup! Core Exerciser simulates the motions of horseback riding, causing muscles to involuntarily contract and relax as you balance and stay upright.

You don’t see very many fat cowboys (or adult film stars), right? That’s because horseback riding (and frequent fornication for the entertainment of others) work your core and keep you slim.

How does it work? Thankfully, the Giddyup! Core Exercise comes with an instructional video. So, hold on to either the front or rear straps and take a ride. Fitness is just a gyration (and a series of double entendres scored to a strong bass riff) away!

Was it good for you?

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Sit Fit Exercise Device

by Mike Barish on

Now more than ever, we all spend way too much time at our desks staring at computers. That means that we have less time for long walks, brisk jogs and other aerobic exercise. All of this leads to weight gain, diminishing health and lazy lifestyles. With winter just around the corner, exercising outdoors becomes more challenging. That means that we have to get more creative about how we find time to take care of ourselves. Longtime fans of SkyMall Monday know that we’re huge proponents of fitness equipment that can be used to build muscle at the office and increase cardiovascular health at our desks. That’s why we’re not the least bit surprised and couldn’t possibly be more excited to see that SkyMall has once again made exercising at the office easy, fun and completely normal. The next time you’re whiling away the hours at your desk, leave the snacks in your drawer and instead use the time to get into shape with the Sit Fit Exercise Device.Many people spend more time at work than they do in their homes. How are we supposed to take care of ourselves when we’re stuck at the office for hours on end? It’s time to start multitasking at work (and I’m not talking about playing Minesweeper while you’re on a conference call). Exercising while working is simply the best way to be productive and healthy.

Think that working out while at work is unprofessional? Believe that sweating on your TPS reports is unsanitary? Well, while you wipe down your equipment, we’ll be reading the product description:

The Sit Fit is designed to be used while sitting. Watch TV or use your computer and get a low-intensity aerobic exercise to help weight loss, burn calories and increase blood circulation.

Until you learn to type with your feet, you might as well use them to exercise while your upper body continues to be your body’s breadwinner. You should also upgrade to a transparent desk.

If you’re confused about how the Sit Fit works, the good folks at SkyMall were kind enough to post a video on their site demonstrating the device. Sadly, I have some bad news: the video cannot be embedded here on Gadling. The good news is that I found a version of the video on YouTube that can be embedded. The best news is that the only embeddable version of the video that I could find is in Spanish!

Thankfully, you only need to see the Sit Fit in action to understand that it’s the best workout that your legs could possibly get while under a desk. Stop making exasperated faces and wild gesticulations at your desk because you’re tired of sitting still.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Talking Hand Exerciser

by Mike Barish on

I hate working out. I’m not proud of that and, despite my aversion to exercise, I do engage in quite a bit of it. I enjoy long bike rides, hiking and getting caught in the rain. That said, staying fit can be tedious. Perhaps that’s because exercise equipment is so dull. Treadmills? Without outdoor scenery, running is the fitness equivalent of watching paint dry. Plus, they confuse cats. Elliptical machines just look like medieval torture devices. And free weights? Talk about a death trap. On top of all that, gyms smell like BO and make me itch in my special areas. However, I understand the importance of maintaining my health, so I’ve been searching for a piece of exercise equipment that seems logical and will hold my interest. Thankfully, SkyMall will help us all break a sweat without ever having to step foot in a gym (which is great, because I hate having to leave SkyMall Monday headquarters). Put on your Spandex unitard, do some stretches and prepare to get into the best shape of your life with the Talking Hand Exerciser.We all tend to neglect our hands when working out. Most people prefer to focus on their vanity muscles: abs, biceps and tongue. Our hands, however, do all of the heavy lifting. Improving hand strength is critical to personal development. In fact, I’ve been working out my hands since I was about 13 or so. Back then, I could pump out some reps a few times a day. Now, I tend to need more recovery time in between workouts.

Think that hand exercises are stupid? Believe that fitness equipment should be seen but not heard? Well, while you’re sweating to the oldies, we’ll be reading the product description:

Work to increase your grip force and improve your hand and finger strength with this easy-to-use hand exerciser. Featuring an LCD display plus voice announcement, the Talking Hand Exerciser will tell you the number of grips, grip force (current and accumulated) and max grip force.

How many times have your doctors, trainers and clergymen told you to work on your accumulated grip force? Isn’t it time that you stopped shaking their hands flaccidly and started taking their advice?

Plus, who has time to count their own number of grips? Not me. No, I need my max grip force announced in a voice that (I presume) sounds like Stephen Hawking.

Crush those around you by getting your hands in shape with the smartest pieces of exercise equipment in the world today. It sure beats whatever the hell is happening at this spin class.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

Knocked up abroad: prenatal care and pregnancy advice in a foreign country

by Meg Nesterov on

See part 1 of Knocked up abroad: getting pregnant in a foreign country here.

One of the best parts of my experience so far with pregnancy in a foreign country has been the excellent medical care I have in Istanbul. Like many other expats before me, as soon as I took a positive pregnancy test, I called up the American Hospital for an appointment. The hospital treats many foreigners each year, is renowned for infertility treatment as well as other quality medical care, and is popular as part of Turkey’s growing medical tourism (the cow pictured at right is in the hospital lobby; you can tell how serious he is because of the glasses).

My first prenatal appointment was scheduled for Thanksgiving Day, and while many Americans were getting up to stuff the turkey, I confirmed I was six weeks’ pregnant (you’re welcome for sparing the “bun in the oven” puns). My very charming and English-speaking Turkish doctor gave me the usual pregnancy advice/warnings*, all peppered with only-in-Turkey bits:

  • Eat lots of dairy like ayran (yogurt drink Westerners often hate because it’s not sweet), yogurt, and cheese. While pregnant women should avoid unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses, you won’t find many of either in Turkey (or in the U.S.) unless you are looking for them.
  • No undercooked or raw meat like çiğ köfte, a popular raw meat and bulger-wheat snack served all over Istanbul (I first tried it outside a trannie bar here). I’ve discovered that the primary concern with sushi is an elevated risk for food poisoning; there is no additional or specific risk to the fetus. Sushi fish is often flash-frozen when caught, therefore it contains lower levels of bacteria. Use your judgment when ordering raw sushi, or stick to California rolls.
  • It would “be a crime to not eat fish in Turkey,” according to my doctor, but stay away from the big ones like shark which have high mercury levels. 1-2 servings of salmon or tuna per week is fine.
  • Sadly, especially in a country with excellent produce, eating unpeeled vegetables or salads in restaurants is a no-no, due to the hepatitis risk. While most restaurants are very clean in Turkey, when you are in a country with some traditional “natural-position” (aka squat) toilets still in use, you run the risk of some food contamination that’s riskier for expectant women than the general public.
  • Like many Europeans, I was told that 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks a week is okay, such as a glass of wine with dinner. Moderation and common sense are key, and it’s always best to err on the side of caution.
  • Caffeine is also fine in moderation: 1-2 cups of coffee, tea, or sodas are allowed per day, though I’m not convinced that a piping hot, two-sugars-no-milk glass of Turkish çay isn’t higher in caffeine than your average cup of tea.
  • Light exercise like yoga, pilates, and swimming are fine, but no “jumping exercises.”

My other concern was, of course, travel, but that was given the green light as long as I have no complications. Most airlines allow travel up to 28 weeks without a doctor’s note and up to 35 weeks with medical clearance. Whether your flight is short or long-haul, it’s advised to get up and move around every hour or so (good advice even for non-preggos) and choose the aisle seat. As I get bigger, I find puffing out my stomach as much as possible helps to get baggage assistance, and seats on the subway is good too.

The costs of prenatal care in Turkey are low: each of my appointments to a top-end private hospital cost just over $100 USD even with NO insurance (my U.S. insurance treats all international care as out-of-network and thus, out-of-pocket), even with ultrasounds at every visit–most American women get only a few over the course of the pregnancy. I’ll pay less for childbirth with a private room and catered meals for the family than I would for a shared room in a New York hospital. I rarely wait more than a few minutes to see the doctor, and the facilities and equipment are new and clean.

So far, Turkey has proved fairly easy to navigate as a pregnant person. I’ve never had a doctor who I could easily email with problems (such as which cold medicines were okay to take when I was sick in Russia), and everyone I meet is helpful with my concerns and questions. Istanbul is built on hills, so walking to the store can mean a fairly strenuous hike, but modern Turkey accommodates with online food and grocery delivery. Organic food is cheaper than at home, and nearly all of my cravings have been satisfied so far (though I could go for some American mac-and-cheese). I’m not yet halfway through the pregnancy but wouldn’t hesitate to reassure another expat that Turkey is a fine place to have a baby.

*Note: none of this is intended to be taken as medical advice, but rather my personal experience and anecdotal evidence. Talk to your own doctor about warnings and concerns before traveling to a foreign country, pregnant or otherwise.

Stay tuned for more on pregnancy travel, including Turkish superstitions and customs, where to travel in each trimester, what to eat when pregnant abroad, where to do pre-baby shopping, and more on having a baby in a foreign country. Check here for further updates.