SkyMall Monday: Sit Fit Exercise Device

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

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.

Bronx Zoo cobra on the loose takes Manhattan…and Twitter

On Friday, an adolescent Egyptian cobra escaped from New York’s Bronx Zoo.

The reptile house closed immediately after her escape, and zookeepers are saying she could take weeks to come out of hiding. While we can’t vouch for the authenticity of the snake taking Manhattan, you can follow her adventures on Twitter, where @bronxzooscobra has been chronicling the travels of the errant snake with over 25,000 followers and counting. So where does a young snakess on the town go?

She first mused over a Broadway show, then taunted followers with her location in front of “the original” Ray’s Pizza (good luck checking all 46 locations claiming to be the first). After taking in the other wildlife at American Museum of Natural His(s)tory, she went downtown for a workout at Equinox Gym and a slither atop the High Line park. The Bronx Zoo cobra then tweeted about getting tickets for Jimmy Fallon before spotting Tina Fey at Rockefeller Center and heading back downtown to Wall Street. Despite asking for a vegan restaurant near Union Square, she ended up way uptown at Tom’s Restaurant from Seinfeld, where she may have found a hiding spot for the night in an unsuspecting apartment. Where will she go today?

Any New York travel tips for the cobress? Have you spotted any snakes, tweeting or just taking in the sights? While she is just 20 inches long, she is venomous, so watch your ankles!

Playing Baseball in Greenland


“Hey, batter, batter, batter . . . saa-weeeeng!” doesn’t translate directly, but the Greenlandic word for it is Anaasilluni, meaning to swing or to hit.

When I saw these kids batting around in the schoolyard, I smiled and thought, “Hey, isn’t that cool? They’re playing baseball!”–but actually no, it’s not baseball. The game is called Anaalerooq, or “hit ball” and it’s played all across Greenland. It might look and feel like baseball-here they’re using an aluminum bat and a yellow tennis ball-but the rules are a little different. For one, there are only two bases, or “points”.

I happened upon this outdoor gym class right at the start of the school season in a village so remote it took me three flights, two helicopters and a two-hour boat ride to get there.

When you arrive, Tasiusaq feels like it’s the last village in the world. In fact, it’s not even a village, but rather a “settlement” at the edge of Tasermuit (“small fjord”). A single dirt path runs between two lines of compact wooden homes, all brightly colored and with steep roofs. There were fish drying out on the clotheslines next to the clothes, and a few perky dogs tied up. Beyond that, the world was just bright blue sea and the grey granite pinnacles of a million unnamed mountains. In the far distance, there was a hint of white and the coolness sweeping off the ice cap.

I was told that only 67 people live in Tasiusaq and that 13 of them were students in this bright red schoolhouse. It’s impossible for me to fathom what life is like in such an isolated place, but I do know that the inhabitants of Tasiusaq can’t ever complain about the view. %Gallery-102341%

Save on water – Hotel tip

Looking for a way to reduce your travel bill but still remain hydrated? You don’t have to buy the water bottles in the room for five to ten bucks apiece, or resort to the hotel’s bathroom tap.

Go check out the fitness center in your hotel first! Most fitness centers will have a water dispenser — use that to fill up your reusable bottle, and you’ll not only be assured that you are getting it from a reliable and uncontaminated source, you could save quite a load on your bill.

[Photo: Flickr | Jason Pratt]