{ New Blog Column! } Five Things Wellness

A happy life clearly isn’t all about clothes, bags, and beauty products (though they help). It’s about treating yourself well. That includes what you eat, drink, think, and do to take care of yourself. Trend Hungry contributor Melissa Quin is our go-to gal for all things wellness. She’s always trying out new healthy lifestyle trends and can be found around Philadelphia drinking organic juice, joining a workout meetup, or blending fitness and fashion in an athleisure look (she told me what athleisure was, by the way!!). Inspired by Melissa’s blog, SkinnyAffair, once a month she’ll be bringing a dose of the wellness scene to TrendHungry.com. Now read on and stay well!   – JH

March is the beginning of S P R I N G! Philadelphia’s still a bit too chilly for regular outdoor workouts, but there are still a ton of ways to keep healthy and happy while warm weather is on the way. I’ve rounded up five wellness trends to transport you to warmer days ahead. Here’s the skinny…

1. Sick Day Tea

Lately, the changing weather has been making me feel way under the weather. When I start to feel sick, I drink warm lemon, ginger, and honey water. Ginger strengthens immunity, lemons are rich in vitamin C, and honey can help soothe a sore throat. It’s simply a twist on the classic warm lemon and honey tea recipe. My favorite type of lemons are Meyer lemons – they have a thinner skin and taste sweeter.

Get the recipe here.

2. Matcha Tea

Matcha is a finely ground powder made from green tea leaves. One glass of matcha has as many antioxidants as 10 glasses of green tea. Here are 15 matcha recipes that’ll help you get in on this trend.

My favorite way to enjoy Matcha is in a latte. Try DAVIDsTEA’s Grand Cru Matcha with The Matcha Essentials.

3. Tiffany Cruikshank x Liquido Active

Wearing color and print may cure your cold weather blues and help you think warm thoughts. International yoga teacher, wellness expert, & YogaMedicine.com founder Tiffany Cruikshank has teamed up with fashion brand Liquido Active on a limited-edition activewear collection. The line is really fun and has a boho-chic vibe for the babe on a budget. The collection ranges from $31 – $81. Check out these beautiful workout tops under $40.

Click to shop the collection and read my interview with Tiffany. 

4. Barre Classes

WARNING: Barre classes are addictive. They’re usually about 50 minutes long and very intense. I think the best way to describe a barre class is that it’s kind of a mixture of ballet, yoga, and pilates. Don’t laugh – you’ll be using either 2 or 3 lb weights and it’s really tough. You’ll put on some sticky socks, your muscles will end up shaking, and you’ll do a lot of this thing called tucking. They play really fast-paced music and I usually walk out feeling like I want to go dancing. SO. MUCH. FUN.

Try PureBarre (national) or Focus Barre & Yoga (Philadelphia area). 

5. Quick At-Home Workouts

Experts recommend adults get at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity. That’s about 10 minutes per day.  When you’re pressed for time and looking for a few workouts to squeeze in, try quick bursts of workouts.

 I’ve put together a list of my favorite YouTube workouts for when you’re short on time – each are 15 minutes or less and they’re free! All you need is a mat and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to watch it on. 

What’s your favorite way to stay active? Share in the comments below!

xx Melissa