Last but most certainly not least is our final Gift Guide for the season: The Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide. For many, stockings are the best part of Christmas. Don’t you love finding those little gems for each member of your family, especially those that do not cost a fortune?
Here are some great finds to fill everyone’s stockings:

 
FOR HER

 
Hopscotch Necklace – Do not let the price fool you. This chunky geometric wooden bead necklace would be a stylish complement to a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Buy from Fleet Collection. $16.00

 
Password Book – If she is anything like me, I [...]

By Kristin Fast, Lifestyle Editor and In-House Wit-Cracker
So you want to practice yoga?  You want Jennifer Aniston’s arms and Ashley Judd’s legs and inner peace and so you decide, like 15 million other Americans, to take up the practice of yoga.
Welcome.
I too, want all those things and at 41, the beginning twinges of sore knees and an achy back have finally compelled me to visit the options for a healthier lifestyle. I have always had a loose relationship with fitness and if I could have a mere nickel for every dollar spent on gym memberships, class sessions, and [...]

WE HAVE OUR TWO WINNERs! CONGRATULATIONS Kolpin & Jenn!
You have each won a $50 Certificate of ActivewearUSA!
The winner was selected at random using the Random Integer Generator ( chronological order). This giveaway CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED but do subscribe via RSS or email to get updates on new giveaways as they get posted. Thank you all for playing!

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We have written about ActivewearUSA in the past, featuring their fantastic Yogoco yoga bags and now, the company also offers an amazing selection of fitness wear [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
I do not consider myself a yogi, but I do practice yoga and also teach it. I feel I have a good understanding of asanas (poses) and their Sanskrit names. I understand the different styles of hatha yoga; Ashtanga, Iyengar, Viniyoga and Anusara to name a few. I understand what pranayama is. I have studied the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Eights Limbs of Yoga. I have read the

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor
You’ve seen people of all ages wear these “rubber” bracelets, anklets and necklaces with holograms on them, and you knew it wasn’t just another Livestrong copycat. But what are these things? Well, let me tell you…
My son has been wearing a holographic necklace for years. Designed for surfers, he swears by Power Balance to help him with his balance in such sports as surfing, skimming, skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding. The website explains how it works and it’s pretty straightforward: the body’s cells naturally generates electro-magnetic energy, which is essential for the body’s performance [...]

I’m no good on my own. For yoga and working out, that is… If I can’t make it to class and need to work out at home, my workout is invariably interrupted by any variety of suddenly important events (excuses, all of them).  I had been downloading podcasts of yoga classed through iTunes, hoping that these would give me the semblance of a class framework while at home. But, I was never enthralled by any of those and quickly gave up on that.
Now, as the iPhone app world is exploding, there are some better choices… I like the Yoga Stretch [...]

I hold a special place for Lady Guru. Hers was one of the first brands that I featured when I had the gift shop. Now, Karen, aka Lady Guru has introduced an Affirmation Card Deck, which features 49 cards, 7 cards for each corresponding chakra. The cards reflect Karen’s mission to “inspire people to find compassion, acceptance and peace within themselves and others”.
Each affirmation card features a yoga pose and an inspiring quote such as:
“Blossom… and suddenly you are expanding your own potential. Bloom into the flower you already are!”
“Forgive… and suddenly you have set yourself free. Release the prisoner [...]

Jennifer Bloom, the creative director for Om the Go®, had been teaching yoga for about 5 years when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Her yoga practice saved her life. Almost five years later, she is back to teaching, this time with a more contemplative, quiet, accessible and joyful yoga.
“After seven years of teaching yoga in studios and classrooms, I grew tired of preaching to the choir. I wanted to create a yoga practice that everyone could use, and find the time for… Americans are stressed and taking it out on each other. A calm, beautiful and full life is [...]

Some 18 million people are now practicing yoga in the U.S. (well, some more regularly than others) and that means that there are a whole bunch of used yoga mats out there. Just as runners need to replace their running shoes every now and then, so do yogis need to replace their mats. So, what happens to all these unwanted mats?
Until now, perhaps nothing except for seeing the bottom of a trash bin. That is, until Stephanie Stano launched “Recycle Your Mat”, a clearing house for used yoga mats which sorts and processes mats for manufacturer re-use.
The nascent Recycle Your [...]

Yoga feels good, does us good, helps us look good.  What’s not to love? So, to start the year off just right, I thought that I should offer some motivation to make yoga even more appealing… by introducing some of my favorite indie suppliers of yoga accessories. Yoga is perhaps the most rewarding and stress-free way to achieve physical – and mental – fitness. And, why not practice yoga in style to feel and look extra fabulous?