January 28, 2016 - Tanya's Ski Trip to Vail & Breckenridge, Colorado - Day 14

Tanya's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN: BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO

The Benefits of Skiing

​So here I am still in Colorado.
​Hi there :)
Breckenridge to be exact.
We left SoCal 2 weeks ago and headed for the Rockies.

We're having a great trip and enjoying ourselves thoroughly.
Plus we still have 4 more days to go until heading back to SoCal!
And can you believe that in a week from today, we'll be heading back out on our next trip/adventure!
​
Flying out of LAX and into JFK, then taking the Adirondack, which is often considered one of the most scenic train rides in the world.
From Penn Station to Montreal on our journey up to beautiful Quebec City for one of the world's largest winter carnivals! ​

Oh well, I'm not gonna focus on that trip quite yet. I'll be in full swing and giving you the Daily Scoop LIVE from Quebec soon enough.

Shifting gears back to the lovely Breckenridge, yesterday was pretty much a day of relaxation. Not to say that we didn't get our exercise in - we did go to the Fitness Center after all.

I mean if we're not spending the day burning calories huffin' and puffin' down the slopes then we best be workin' our muscles and cardio in the gym!

If you didn't realize skiing can be done a number of different ways all according to your personal preference and/or ability...

There are the cruisers, the wahoos, the scary beginners (or better known as 'The Accidents Waiting To Happen') and then according to Buzzfeed.com - here are some of the 
​30 People You’ll Meet On Every Ski Trip

• The friend who manages the best wipe-out.
• The person who really hasn’t grasped ski lifts.
• An older couple who are doing precisely one run a day before getting drunk in a mountain restaurant.
• A group of teens building tiny jumps next to the slope.
• A group who are continually trying to out-do each other, until someone gets injured.
• The person who fails to notice that other people are skiing on the same bit of snow.
• A snowboarder who’s going down the slope sideways and evenly scrubbing off the snow.

​And to summarize the wonderful benefits of why skiing is so good for you NAOMI COLEMAN of the DailyMail.co.uk writes -  
Apart from burning up to 3,000 calories during six hours of skiing, you can lose up to five pounds of weight in a week, tone your stomach muscles, boost your immunity and even relieve depression!

• TONES YOUR STOMACH MUSCLES            The art of skiing is to keep yourself steady on the slippery slope. To help balance yourself, you naturally engage your core stability muscles - the sheath of deep muscle that starts either side of your spine and runs around your body, ending up in your pelvic region.  These are key stomach muscles which, when strengthened, act a bit like a corset, compressing the lower abdomen (which means a flatter tummy), toning your stomach muscles and stabilising your spine to protect it when you bend down or fall over on the piste.

Mastering your core stability will also help you balance on the piste and improve your overall coordination.

• IMPROVES YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM                                         Whether you're a beginner or an advanced skier, you will be giving your cardiovascular system a good workout on the piste.  Improving your cardiovascular system means elevating your heart rate which increases blood circulation, bringing more nutrients and oxygen to your tissues and helping to remove waste from the body more quickly.

Working out in this way also means your muscles are able to draw in more oxygen and blood which produces more capillaries and allows your muscles to expand, and, in turn, burn up calories more quickly.​

• ​WORKS YOUR MUSCLES                   Although skiing exercises all our major muscle groups, it particularly targets the inner and outer thighs, hamstrings and buttock muscles - thanks to the crouching position that skiing involves. Skiing also stretches your upper and lower arms. As you grip your poles and steer around moguls you use your triceps (backs of upper arms), biceps (front of upper arms) and lower arm muscles to control your speed and direction.This action also engages your shoulder blades and lower back giving a good overall workout.
• HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT              According to fitness experts, you can lose up to five pounds during a week's skiing holiday. This is because a typical day's skiing can burn up to 3,000 calories - far more than a session at the gym. Bethony Garner of Ski Club of Great Britain says the steeper the slope, the more calories you'll burn because your body has to work harder to keep your body balanced. 'Experienced skiers are also more likely to negotiate moguls - which use up even more muscle power and so burn even more calories,' she says.

Not only that, but being exposed to sub zero temperatures means your body is forced to raise its own body temperature and it does this by burning off even more calories!

NOT TOO SHABBY HUH?!

And that my peeps is exactly where you'l find us today...back on the slopes!

Catch ya back here tomorrow with more SCOOP from today,
​-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 52 DAYS

Fun in the Sun in February

GOOD DAY TO YOU!!
Hope your day is going well.  I'm just glad to see that this snow is fading away.  

My opinion is, if you can't go out and play in it, there is no point to have the mess!

And I'm sure my dear cousin would agree with that, as she is romping around Colorado on the ski slopes!!

With all this snow talk from both me and Tanya, it got me thinking about how nice it would be to be on a sun-drenched beach right about now!

Relaxing on a lounge chair by the shore with a tropical drink in my hand!

January is quickly coming to an end but Winter is still in full swing. So, why not think about a quick getaway to warm beaches and sunny shores?!

Proximity is the key to an extended weekend getaway to a rejuvenating tropical mini vacay.

Consider the R&R possibilities of some Caribbean fun in the sun and steamy nights at one of the 

           Five Closest
   Caribbean Islands For            
​          New York City    
​            Getaways:

1. Cuba - 1300 miles from New York
For a while, this destination was not on the radar when thinking about a trip to the Caribbean, but today, many Americans are visiting this nearby island for all it has to offer in white-sand beaches and turquoise water.

​Havana, the capital, has much to offer both day and night to visitors including museums, theatres and concert halls, art galleries and cultural institutions are popular venues, while some—such as the National Ballet of Cuba, House of the Américas, Foundation of New Latin American Film and National Folkloric Dance Group—have won international acclaim.  

In 1982, Old Havana, the city’s historic centre, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

If you are intent on traveling to Cuba, American citizens are required to have a U.S. Treasury Department license to travel directly to the island.

2. Cayman Brac - 1500 miles from New York
The Cayman Islands are situated south of Cuba, northwest of Jamaica and approximately 450 miles south of Miami, Florida. 

Cayman Brac, is the most easterly of the Cayman Islands. With a total land mass of 14 square miles, it is popular with scuba divers, anglers and hikers.

(credit: alertdiver.com)

In addition to gorgeous beaches, "The Bluff" or "Brac" (in Gaelic) is one of the most notable features on this island. This dramatic limestone formation dominates the middle of the island, standing at 150 feet above sea level at its highest point.

The caves of "The Brac," as this island is commonly referred, is also known for its numerous caves, a half dozen of which are accessible for cave hunting.

3. Hispaniola - 1555 miles from New York
Did you know that the island of Hispaniola is not only the second largest in the Caribbean (next to Cuba), but that Haiti occupies about 1/3 of the island, while the Dominican Republic controls the balance of land. 

(credit: worldatlas.com)

If you are looking for a close tropical get away Santa Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic is the closest to travel to from New York. 
Not only is it the oldest city in the New World, possessing a unique blend of the historic and the modern, but The Santo Domingo Colonial Zone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

These beaches are located in the nearby towns of Boca Chica (30 minutes by car) and Juan Dolio (45 minutes). There are numerous all-inclusive resorts to choose from if you are intent on being on the beach!
 

4. Jamaica - 1556 miles from New York
Known for lush topography of mountains, rainforests and reef-lined beaches, this island's closest city is Montego Bay, which is home to many all-inclusive resorts.

There is no shortage of activities and amusement in Montego Bay and throughout this, the third largest and of the Caribbean islands and the largest of the English speaking islands.

Popular beaches include Doctor’s Cave Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach, home to an amusement park. There’s snorkeling and diving at coral reefs in the protected waters of Montego Bay Marine Park.

If you are looking for some hustle bustle,  Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay is the place to go, lined with various shops and boutiques selling souvenirs.  


5. Puerto Rico - 1600 miles from New York
The fifth furthest from New York City, Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. territory, with its capital and largest city, San Juan is known for its beach bars, nightclubs and casinos.

The island possesses landscapes of green mountains, waterfalls and the tropical rainforest of El Yunque National Forest. Popular for snorkeling, diving, surfing and sailing, it is  known for its white-sand beaches and coral reefs.

If I cannot be on a beach, I can at least fantasize about it!!!

See ya back here tomorrow!!

-E
xoxo