Washingtonian Well+Being Blog

Bike to Work Day Breaks Ridership Record (Slideshow)

Melissa Romero — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:45:26 -0500

Clear, sunny skies this morning welcomed the more than 12,000 people who commuted by bicycle in honor of the annual Bike to Work Day, an event that promotes bicycling as a green-friendly commute option—a record number of participants, according to Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Riders

Healthy Recipes: 3 Easy and Delicious Strawberry Recipes

Melissa Romero — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:55:43 -0500

It’s strawberry season, and we are all for it. The red berries are low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, and rich in vitamin C, folate, and fiber—plus they’re a healthy and tasty way to satisfy one’s sweet tooth. But while strawberries are great on their own, they’re also a

10 Gym Bags for Men

Melissa Romero — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:47 -0500

Like your workout, that gym bag eventually hits a plateau after months of CrossFit training, early morning yoga classes, and trips to the gym. As we head into summer, ditch that old duffle for a new tote that includes breathable mesh for your sneakers and plenty of pockets to

12,000 Commuters Will Bike to Work Friday

Melissa Romero — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:02 -0500

A record-high 12,000 commuters in Washington have already signed up for Friday’s Bike to Work Day, an annual event that promotes bicycling as a green commute option. Bikers are welcome to go by any of the 70 pit stops in DC, Maryland, and Virginia for refreshments, entertainment, and prizes.

An Under-5-Minute Arm-Chiseling Workout

Melissa Romero — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:47 -0500

Last week we shared local personal trainers’ favorite arm exercises, from pushups to pullups. This week, trainer Laurent Amzallag has put some of his favorite arm-toning exercises—tricep dips and bicep curls included—into one super-quick strength session. Tack it onto your next workout and feel the burn.

14 Local Fitness- and Nutrition-Focused Instagram Users to Follow

Melissa Romero — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:30:16 -0500

A study published earlier this year found that social media is a powerful weight-loss tool. Researchers found that obese men and women who had a support system through Twitter were more likely to lose weight. While weight loss isn’t everyone’s goal, being fit and healthy is something we can

Food Diaries: How a Healthy Dinner Party Hostess Eats for a Day

Melissa Romero — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:28 -0500

Sarah Waybright founded WhyFoodWorks as a way to show others how it’s possible to eat healthy “without sacrificing taste or [spending] hours in the kitchen.” Her own diet is built around produce and protein, and you’ll never catch her munching diet foods or gulping down energy drinks. When she’s

Angelina Jolie Not Alone in Decision to Undergo Double Mastectomy

Melissa Romero — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:30:05 -0500

Christy Teal, GWU's chief of breast surgery, underwent a double mastectomy in 2011. The number of women who undergo the procedure has increased dramatically in the last decade. Photograph by Stephen Voss.Actress Angelina Jolie announced Tuesday that she had a double mastectomy after learning she had a 87 percent

Why Edible Bugs Are All the Rage

Melissa Romero — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:57 -0500

We should welcome the 2013 cicada season with open, er, mouths. At least, that’s what the United Nations recommends in its report released today, which states that insects are a readily available, yet often ignored, source of nutritious and protein-rich food. While the thought of eating a grasshopper or

Lunch Break: 9 (More) Healthy DC Food Trucks

Chris Campbell — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:05:00 -0500

A while back we featured ten of the healthiest food trucks in DC, with some of our favorites such as TaKorean and Hula Girl making the list. But that was almost a year ago, and since then we’ve deemed plenty more trucks worthy of the list. For local fare

8 Easy, Healthy Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes

Melissa Romero — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:00:08 -0500

There are plenty of places to take your mom for brunch this Mother’s Day. But if she’d rather spend some quality time at home with the family, make sure she doesn’t lift a finger this Sunday by whipping up these healthy, super-simple brunch recipes.

The Scientifically Proven 7-Minute Workout

Melissa Romero — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:00:38 -0500

A workout recently published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but we busy Washingtonians may appreciate that it takes just seven minutes, requires barely any equipment, and works the entire body. Now there really are no excuses. Using high-intensity circuit training,

DC Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield Still Healthy After Surviving a Stroke

Melissa Romero — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:00:12 -0500

DC Superior Court chief judge Lee F. Satterfield began the morning of November 28, 2011, with “a pretty good headache.” “I thought it had to do with all the things I had to do that day, and I hadn’t eaten breakfast,” he recalls. On the agenda for Satterfield: delivering

Why Mom May Be Your Best Running Partner

Melissa Romero — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:30:00 -0500

Running with a partner is just another form of therapy, a chance to spill your guts to the person next to you while racking up mileage. But when your running partner is your mom, an afternoon jog takes on new significance. I found that out in 2008, when my

8 Fitness-Focused Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day

Melissa Romero — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:25:20 -0500

Mother’s Day brunch: good. The extra calories that come with it: not so good. The solution? Fit-friendly Mother’s Day alternatives that’ll let you enjoy a guilt-free brunch after. Hit up your local barre studio together, run a race, or channel your inner oms as one. Run the Mother’s Day