Data from over 100 million reservations made this year by ClassPass users is in and proves that people across the country used the membership service to mix up their routines and crush their fitness goals in 2019. ClassPass users booked a combined total of over one billion (!) minutes of workouts from January through November, and the most popular way to sweat: strength training. While last year treadmill classes saw the greatest popularity spike of any type of class booked on ClassPass, 2019 w

The holiday season brings with it festive treats, sparkling lights, and The Radio City Rockettes. And, for many of these high-kicking dancers, running throughout the year ensures they can perfectly execute their routines multiple times a day all season long. In preparation for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the women spend months rehearsing for six hours a day, six days a week. During the height of the Christmas season from the beginning of November through the beginning January, the 3

As runners, we know building a strong core will help us run better and stay injury free. But let’s be honest, basic crunches can get tedious and boring. The good news is: You’re not tied to the floor. You can actually work your core in a functional way with standing abs exercises. If you’re tired of doing the same predictable seated abdominal moves or have other reasons your current core routine isn’t cutting it, a good way to switch things up is by incorporating standing ab exercises into your

Running has many benefits: It can boost your mood and brain, and, when combined with a healthy-eating plan, can even help you lose weight. For new runners, weight loss is just second to exercise as a reason for pounding the pavement, according to the Running USA’s 2017 National Runner survey. But as anyone who has tried to drop a few pounds knows, losing weight can be difficult. That’s where weight loss apps come in to lend a helping hand: No matter your goals, these dietitian-approved weight

“After suffering from a hamstring injury and being unable to run the Chicago Marathon. I need to find my love for running again.” —gazzellesb3 “I’m running this streak WITHOUT timing myself... I need to run to breathe fresh air, and just be in the moment... be happy just being. I hope one day to get back to running another marathon!” —healthyzyialife “I’ve been a runner since I was 11 years old but hadn’t done a marathon until this June, but that capstone event was frustrating instead of joyou

• A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology looked at how low-carb and very-low-carb diets, such as keto, affect the body. • They found that long-term, carb-restrictive diets had no benefit over other types of diets for weight loss. • Low-carb diets, such as keto, may also restrict intake of other nutrient-dense foods that are important for heart health. A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology looked at how low-carbohydrate (10 to 25 percent of tot

• A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology looked at how low-carb and very-low-carb diets, such as keto, affect the body. • They found that long-term, carb-restrictive diets had no benefit over other types of diets for weight loss. • Low-carb diets, such as keto, may also restrict intake of other nutrient-dense foods that are important for heart health. A recent review published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology looked at how low-carbohydrate (10 to 25 percent of tot

• According to preliminary research presented at the annual meeting for the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior in Utrecht, Netherlands, regular aerobic exercise like riding can help your brain function more optimally by regulating its response to insulin. • Insulin response can play a role in perceptions of hunger, suggesting that improving insulin sensitivity through exercise can help control weight, too.

The Versa is Fitbit’s sleekest smartwatch you can wear all day (and night). Though the squircle-shaped accessory doesn’t have built-in GPS, riding with a phone will allow you to track your pace, distance, and route stats in the FitBit app. Strap on the lightweight watch to get Strava access, or use Fitbit pay (included in the Special Edition) to grab some midride fuel. You can also track your every waking and sleeping move without feeling tethered to a charger—this tracker has four days of batt

It’s possibly the most underutilized—and often forgotten about—piece of gym equipment: the jump rope. You might’ve played with one as a kid, but when’s the last time you incorporated this secret weapon into a workout? You’ve heard that jumping rope can be a good workout, but how good a workout, really? That’s what one Runner’s World reader asked in an Instagram story callout for questions—can a jump rope session really take the place of a run if you can’t pound the pavement that day? We tapp

There are few things that scream “summer” more than a refreshing slice of juicy watermelon. But it turns out, you should actually be incorporating this hydrating fruit into your diet on the regular. The research shows that there are many benefits of watermelon we should take advantage of, so we tapped a dietitian to find out why you should feel good about grabbing some watermelon before or after your next workout. Watermelon is made up of mostly—you guess it—water, about 90 percent to be exac

• A report from the New Food Economy found that molded-fiber bowls used by the likes of Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and Dig contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. • PFAS are manmade chemicals that have been linked to many health problems, such as cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and liver damage. • While you may not actually have to worry about direct contamination from the bowl to your food, the “forever chemicals” in the bowl will eventually end up in the environment.

• A study published in the Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine looked at the effects of a keto diet on exercise efficiency and running speed. • During moderate intensity runs, the participants’ exercise efficiency stayed the same as they did when they ate their normal diet. But when they performed more intense runs on the keto diet, it decreased. • Their running speed also decreased by 5 percent on the keto diet in comparison to their normal eating plan.

The RW Takeaway: These lightweight, buttery soft shorts will keep your thighs from chafing during a long run in the heat. • Two side pockets and three waistband pockets. • Long length is on-trend and saves you from any chafing. Editor’s note: After an outcry from readers who voiced the Gore R7 three-inch inseam was too short to negate chafing, we researched and tested bottoms that have more coverage while still keeping you cool on summer runs. With a 10-inch inseam, we understand the Lululemon

• Jessica Anderson was ineligible for the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon run in a nurse’s uniform at the London Marathon because her scrubs did not meet current record requirements for what the uniform should look like, she was told. • Her London Marathon time of 3:08:22 was faster than the current record time of 3:08:54, which was set in 2015. • The Guinness World record requires that participants wear must include a blue or white dress, a pinafore apron, and a traditional nurs

• A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that skipping breakfast and eating a late dinner can lead to worse outcomes after a heart attack. • People with those eating habits were five times more likely to die, have another heart attack, or experience chest pains 30 days after their hospital discharge.

• Research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, Scotland, linked obesity and sedentary car-commuting to early death and increased risk of death from heart disease. • Obese individuals who commute by car had a 32 percent higher risk of early death than healthy-weight individuals who commute by cycling or walking. • Normal-weight car commuters had a 21 percent higher risk for early death compared to their active commuting counterparts.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when anthocyanin was added to one’s diet, it slowed lung-function decline in older adults. Consuming two or more servings of blueberries a week was associated with the slowest rate of annual decline in lung function.

• A video posted over the weekend on Twitter has gone viral, racking up over 21.3 million views. It shows a woman pouring dish soap on her floor and using the slippery surface as a makeshift treadmill. • Not surprisingly, that is not the best way to get an at-home workout in. The do-anywhere moves below can help you get your heart rate up in a less dangerous and more effective way. Plenty of people don’t want to pay for a gym membership, or don’t have time to make it every day, which means imp

• A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who did not eat breakfast were 87 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease and stroke than those who ate breakfast every day. • If you have a morning ride planned, either eat your breakfast about two hours beforehand to prevent GI issues, or eat something smaller to hold you over until you are done. In the ongoing debate about whether breakfast is best, new data is pointing towards some