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The Body and Machine Section is the place to hang out and grab pertinent information for everything from motorcycle maintenance to fitness to very cool stuff to know about! Don't forget to search our archives to the right for past posts. |
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“Otterbox”
Tough Cases for Tough Girls.
By Sara Liberte
Have you ever gotten ready for an extreme workout like rock climbing or a long hike through the woods, or maybe a white water rafting trip and decided you wouldn’t take your ipod with you just in case something were to happen? How about getting ready for a road trip on your bike, something inside you tells you to leave that expensive ipod at home so you don’t have to worry about breaking it. Where’s the fun in this? The days without your gadgets are done; take your ipod, blackberry or your iphone with you and never worry about damage again!
We just found a company that sells some protective cases that stand-up to the challenge of extreme situations and protect like none other on the market. Tough cases for tough girls!
“OtterBox” offers serious protection, so you can include your device during a run, hike, rafting or simply just working out at the gym, it even protects while swimming laps. OtterBox comes in rugged and semi-rugged cases built to withstand any workout. |
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The OtterBox Defender™ Series provides sleek, slim-fit protection for on-the-go lifestyles. Your device is protected by a polycarbonate shell that snaps together to encase it and defends against dirt, dust and scratches. A silicone skin then surrounds the outside to adsorb bumps and drops. Your Screen and click wheel are covered by a thin membrane that keeps them protected, while allowing full access. Additional accessories include belt clips and armbands, holsters and clip stands.
The OtterBox Armor™ Series offers an absolute, rugged safeguard from all the elements. These cases are completely waterproof and submergible up to three feet. Combine with waterproof headphones, available at www.otterbox.com, for your next water workout. Included belt clips provide hands-free carrying and optional holster and mounting systems allow you to attach your device to your handlebars and hit the trail or open road. |
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What really caught my eye about these OtterBox cases are the new Avon Breast Cancer Pink Strength Cases. Having had a hand in helping several groups raise money to find a cure for breast cancer I was excited to see these cases. Having the strength to overcome obstacles can be one of life’s biggest challenges. But imagine the amount of strength it would take to overcome breast cancer. For all the lives impacted by breast cancer every year, the word strength takes on a whole new meaning.
Otterbox is stepping up to help provide strength for those in the fight, with every purchase of an OtterBox for iPhone or iPod nano 3rd Generation Defender™ Series Strength case, 10% of the purchase price will be donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to support access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved.
I personally put the Otterbox Armor case for my ipod nano to the test. I used it at the gym during a circuit-training workout and at the track for a 2-mile run. I dropped the case at the track and was relived to notice my music didn’t miss a beat and of course my ipod didn’t suffer a single scratch. The Otterbox case didn’t show any wear signs either. I think this case is ready to hit the road with me! |
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8 easy daily steps to a healthier you….
By Sara Liberte
Here are a few things that you can work into your daily routine to get you on a path to a healthier you, making these small changes can make a big difference in your health, in as little as a few weeks you’ll notice an improvement in how you feel.
- Ride a bicycle to work, (this will help to save on gas) or park an extra block away from work for a few extra steps on the way in.
- When thirsty opt for water instead of sugary drinks or worse soda
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Park further away at the grocery store or department store to get a few extra steps in for the day
- Stay away from sugary snacks in between meals, reach for fruits or veggies
- Take a few breaks at work to stretch throughout the day, everything from neck rolls, to chest expansions, to leg stretches
- Try to get at least 20 min. of exercise in each day, walking, running, riding a bike, hitting the gym, or catching a show on FIT TV.
- Get to bed early and wake each day at the same time
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Yoga!
By Sara Liberte, (Some Yoga facts by Ann Pizer.)
So many people these days are jumping on the Yoga train. I’m one of them, I’ve been taking some yoga classes and I love it, I’ve learned so much about my mind, my body and the whole idea of trying to “balance” my life out. The other day a friend asked exactly what is Yoga, so I figured this would be a good topic for Garage-girls.
The word yoga means "union" in the language of ancient India where yoga originated. I think it’s obvious why it means “union”; the practice is about trying to find that union between mind, body and spirit.
Another common word used in Yoga is Asana, which refers to the practice of physical postures or poses.
Asana is only one of the eight "limbs" of yoga, the majority of which are more concerned with mental and spiritual well being than physical activity. Over here in our western world asana and yoga are often referred to as the same. |
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Even though stretching is involved, yoga is really about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement (vinyasa-style yoga) or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose. The poses are a constant, but the approach to them varies depending on the tradition in which the teacher has trained.
Yoga teachers will often refer to "your practice," which means your individual experience with yoga as it develops over time. The amazing thing about yoga is that your practice is always evolving and changing, so it never gets boring. Although the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to them will. Anyone can start a yoga practice, even if you don't feel like you are very flexible or very strong. These things will develop over time. Another great thing about thinking about "your practice" is that it encourages the noncompetitive spirit of yoga. One of the most difficult, but ultimately most liberating things about yoga is letting go of the ego and accepting that no one is better than anyone else. Everyone is just doing their best on any given day. I love this, I think too many people focus on what other people can do, or can’t do, I think we should forget that just focus on ourselves and trying to do the best we can.
in addition to practicing the poses, yoga classes may also include instruction on breathing, call and response chanting, meditation, or an inspirational reading by the teacher. The variety and amount of this will depend on the individual teacher and the yoga tradition in which he or she has trained. Typically, a yoga class at a gym will be more focused on the purely physical benefits of yoga, while one at a yoga center may delve more into the spiritual side. Some people find that the physical practice of yoga becomes a gateway into a spiritual exploration, while others just enjoy a wonderful low-impact workout that makes them feel great. Finding a yoga class that gets you what your looking for may take some time, do some research, checkout the classes see what the teacher has to offer and then sign up, it’s a great experience, a good workout, and a great way to devote some time to yourself! |
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Take Time to Say Thank You….
Garage-girls is focused on trying to find that balance in our lives. Balance is not just in how we take care of our bodies, it’s also in how we live out our daily lives. The balance exists in how we treat ourselves and how we treat others around us.
The other day at the Gas pump I witnessed some disgusting behavior. I was filling up at a local station that offers Fuel Perks, for every $50 I spend at my grocery store I earn .10 off every gallon, Everyone is taking advantage of this offer so of course the gas station is extremely busy with people trying to fill up and save as much as they can. So big deal you’ll have to wait a little longer in line. One guy was done filling up and tried to back up to get out of the spot and let the next guy in, problem was the guy behind him refused to back up to let him out, not sure what he was being so stubborn about, well of course some words were exchanged back and forth, as I watched in disbelief all I could think to myself was, is this what we have become, fighting over fuel like a mad max movie? |
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While were all here safe in our country driving to the grocery store and gas stations complaining about the economy we might have forgotten what’s happening in the world.
Forget the bad weather, forget the poor choices we have as candidates, forget rising prices at the grocery store and at the pump. Remember our troops! Take a minute to say Thank you to our Men and women serving overseas through a website called Let’s Say Thanks!
The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.
The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.
All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.
Xerox is committed to helping people across the nation express their gratitude to our troops overseas. The launch of this program is aimed at reminding them how much Americans appreciate their service. So take some time and Let’s say Thanks. http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html |
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