Secret Turn-Ons: Real Women Dare to Bare All

 

Turn ons are quite an individual thing, and you may be worried that you have quite unique tastes. If you’re concerned about the state of your sexual and mental wellness, fear not; these readers have dared to bare all – figuratively speaking – and reveal their most secret turn-ons.

 

1. Randy and Sandy: Reader Kori R notes, ‘As a Jersey girl, hitting the shore every summer is a must. While we’re down the shore, I’m definitely in the mood, but it’s on the hour-plus ride back home that I really can’t control myself. I can still smell the salty air in the car and on our clothes. My husband looks forward to coming home from the
 shore almost as much as going there!’

 

2. Wild, Wild West: ‘Several years ago, my husband and I went to a photographer specializing in Old West photography,’ reader Suzanne B recalls. ‘We wore costumes that looked like they were from the 19th century, and my husband’s included a cowboy hat. In true 1800’s fashion, we didn’t smile in the photo. I can’t tell you how much it turned me on to see my husband in that cowboy hat with a smoldering look on his face! He looked so sexy that I went out and bought him a cowboy hat to wear sometimes when we’re getting crazy.’

 

3. The Secret Garden: Reader Eileen D admits, ‘I love how laundry smells when it’s in the dryer and the aroma of fabric softener infuses the air. In my imagination, I’m in a garden, and it’s the perfect romantic atmosphere. The flowers make me feel beautiful and clean.’

 

4. Fuzzy Wuzzy: ‘When I put my arms around my boyfriend’s waist, I like to caress a little hairy patch on his lower back,’ reader Jackie W reveals. ‘It feels so soft, and I love the amazing curves of his body. He’s threatened to shave it off, but he knows I how much I like it. He keeps it there just for my pleasure!’

 

5. In His Shoes: Reader Nancy I details, ‘I get turned on when I see his empty shoes in front of the closet door; specifically, his old, worn moccasins. I picture him putting them on to go off into the world, and then slipping out of them when he returns to tell me about his day. I also look at those moccasins and remember all the places we’ve been together.’

 

6. It’s the Little Things: Reader Jennifer D says, ‘I love walking in after work and seeing my husband unloading the dishwasher. I’m so happy I don’t have to do it that I think, “He is getting some tonight!”’

 

7. Playing Hardball: Reader Joy H notes, ‘I dated a car salesman, and sometimes when we were on the phone, he’d say, “Hang on,” then to someone in the background, “You tell him our bottom-dollar is $28,500.” Whew, did I get turned on hearing him negotiate!’

 

8. Whisked Away: ‘When I met my husband 18 years ago, all the guys I knew drank beer, and I thought it was so gross,’ says reader Carolyn C. ‘Mario was different; he drank whiskey. Now when he pulls out his bottle of Jack, I flash back to our first dates. I remember the times we shared before kids, bills, and all the other stuff that comes with being adults. It reminds me of being young and crazy.’

 

9. The Polyglot: ‘My man speaks several languages: English, Danish, Spanish, and Punjabi,’ reader Ebony S details. ‘Out of all those languages, it’s the Danish dialect that really turns me on. What really gets me going is hearing the way he greets his mom (weird, I know) when she calls. When he says, “Hi, Mor,” I really get hot under the collar!’

 

Categories: beach, cowboy hat, crazy nbsp, husband, nbsp, reader, real women, secret, secret turn, shore, turn-ons

Sun, Sand and Health Benefits: You’ll Love Beach Volleyball

If this winter weather has you dreaming about sun, sea and sand, why not indulge your fantasies by considering a summery fitness trend, like beach volleyball. Not only does it get you out on the beach, which does wonders for anyone’s overall sense of wellbeing, but beach volleyball has a number of wellness benefits. Women can expect to burn up to 495 calories per game, while men might burn a whopping 550 calories. However, according to Linda Drummond, wellness expert and fitness writer for Body + Soul, that’s not all.

 

Drummond notes, ‘In an average match you work your cardiovascular system and tone your core, glutes, lower back, thighs and calves, but in a low-impact fashion. You can also tone the muscles in your upper body: pecs, shoulders, arms and upper back. The benefits aren’t just physical; the game’s also a great way to improve hand-eye coordination and boost mental agility. Flexibility and physical agility are also improved with regular play. Injuries from playing beach volleyball are rare, and that plenty of people recovering from injury take up beach volleyball to maintain their fitness and aid their recovery.’

 

Convinced? Of course you are! But how does it work? ‘The game of beach volleyball is similar to the indoor version,’ Drummond explains. ‘Each team is allowed three hits of the ball before returning it to the other side of the net, and no player can hit the ball twice in a row. The ball is generally returned over the net using the hands and arms, but it is permissible for any part of the body to be used to hit the ball. Teams can only score when they’re serving and the first to 15 points, with a break of two points, is the winner. However, there are differences between beach and regular volleyball. Beach volleyball is played on soft sand, between 30 and 40 centimetres deep, and is traditionally played outdoors.’

 

Drummond continues, ‘Players of beach volleyball have no set positions and are free to move around the court to attack the ball. At an elite level, beach volleyball is played by two teams of two very athletic players, but beginners can have six a side. The soft sand court surface of beach volleyball makes for spectacular play, with players able to fling themselves around and dive for the ball in order to score a point without the same risk of injury as indoors.’ In fact, spectators have enjoyed watching beach volleyball since the late 1800s, when volleyball enthusiasts saw the opportunity to spend even more time on the sand and shifted the sport seaside. Richie “Doc” Coles is an instructor with the Sydney Beach Volleyball School and says that what he loves about the sport is it gives him the chance to get on the sand at every opportunity.

 

So that’s the benefits of beach volleyball, how it works and where it started, but how do YOU get started? Here are Drummond’s tips for having a go at beach volleyball:

 

1. Know the terrain: ‘Familiarise yourself with the soft sand, Drummond advises. ‘Go for sprints, long, endurance runs or jump in the sand.’

 

2. Give your fitness an edge: Drummond recommends, ‘Use stairs to increase your all-round fitness for the game. Run up them, jump, hop or crawl up them.’ She adds, ‘The higher your level, the more physically demanding the game becomes, so prepare your body with strength work in the gym, agility training and some flexibility work such as Pilates or yoga.’

 

3. Talk to your team: ‘Communication is key,’ asserts Drummond. ‘Talk to your teammates and learn to shout out for the ball. It’s the first thing beginners need to master.’

Categories: ball, beach, beach volleyball, drummond, heart health, nbsp drummond, sand, soft sand, tone, volleyball

Sea, Sand and the Best Circuit Workout You’ve Ever Had

There possibly isn’t a more fabulous place to work on your wellbeing than at the beach. Think about it; with all that soft sand, hard sand, water of varying depths and benches, you’ve got a natural circuit training session for free! Don’t believe me? Let’s turn to the fitness experts and a few “Ironman” competitors who have graciously shared their tips on beach exercise, and why it’s so rewarding for your wellness.

 

1. Soft sand running: According to Ironwoman Naomi Flood, soft sand is a killer to run in, but the unstable surface forces your body to really work at balancing and remaining upright. Still, there’s a trick to soft sand running. ‘Soft-sand running is quite taxing on the body, so stabbing your toes into the sand and running mainly on the balls of your feet is the best way to float across the sand,’ Flood advises. ‘Soft-sand running is great for fitness and also builds strength in the calves, ankles and quads.’ Linda Drummond, wellness expert and fitness writer for Body + Soul, adds, ‘Don’t limit your running on the sand to the regular one-foot-in-front-of-the-other scenario. Try running sideways: leaping in the air and bringing your feet together to tone and hone your thighs. Or draw lines in the sand and sprint forwards for 10 to 25 metres, before running backwards to the start.’

 

2. Strength exercises: According to Drummond, the sand is a great place to work on your strength. ‘Push-ups on the unstable surface of soft sand not only tone your arms and shoulders,’ notes Drummond. ‘But if you switch on your core while you’re doing them, you’re getting a core workout as well. Walking lunges on the sand will also make you work extra hard. Add in a couple of deep squats, some tricep dips on a bench, stair, or just the sand, then perform a hover on the sand and you’ve worked most of the main parts of your body.’

 

3. Balance exercises: It’s not just your strength you can work on when you’ve got sand between your toes; your balance can greatly improve with Drummond’s on-sand routine. ‘Stand in the soft sand on one leg, arms by your sides, and keep your eyes on the horizon,’ she instructs. ‘Then see if you can close your eyes and maintain your balance. Or take it another step and lean your body forward, with the opposite hand straight out in front of you and your other leg raised parallel to the sand. Hold, then swap sides. An early-morning yoga session on the sand also bumps up the benefits. Thirty minutes of yoga poses can start your day off in the most invigorating way.’

 

4. Work out in the water: You know that swimming is an amazing way to give your body an all-over workout, but walking or running in the shallows can add resistance, which helps tone your feet, ankles, calves and thighs and makes your heart pump faster. ‘Body surfing can also provide an intense workout,’ says Drummond. ‘Get the most out of a body surfing session by striding out through the waist-deep water, with your arms ploughing through the water for added resistance. Or if you’re really keen, swim out past the breakers for deep-sea swimming. You’ll tone most of your muscles and give your cardio system a workout, particularly if you’re swimming against any currents.’

 

5. Take Care: When at the beach, make sure you don’t do more harm than good by following our health tips…

• Always wear sun cream when outside, even if it’s not that hot or sunny.


• Keep hydrated by sipping water before, during and after a workout.


• Scan the sand for hazards, especially if you’re going barefoot.


• Swim between the flags or learn to read the water if swimming in an unpatrolled beach.

Categories: beach, body, body surfing, Running, sand, sand running, soft, soft sand, Soft Sand Running, Strength Training, unstable surface, Workout

Life’s a Beach...Run It! The Pains & Gains of a Beach Run

If you want a hardcore way to improve your fitness levels, as well as your wellbeing, try running on the sand. This is the mantra of Mike Musso, a lifeguard in North Wildwood who’s aiming to run his first marathon this autumn in two hours and 45 minutes (if you don’t run marathons, believe me, that’s a good time). According to Musso, speed work on the water’s edge is an integral part of his training and wellness and he’s not wrong – beach running isn’t easy!

 

Beach running is like ‘running with weights on your ankles,’ explained Dr. R. Amadeus Mason, a team physician for USA Track and Field and an assistant professor of orthopaedics and family medicine at Emory University. Whether you go barefoot or wear shoes, Dr. Mason notes ‘it’s harder to get your foot planted into the ground, and it’s harder to get your foot up off the ground.’ Dr. Thierry M. Lejeune, of St. Luke’s University Clinics in Belgium and lead author of a study on beach running that appeared last year in The Journal of Experimental Biology, to run on sand you need 1.6 times more energy than you would to run on a hard surfaceyou’re your ‘muscles perform more mechanical work when running or walking on sand than on a hard surface.’

 

When running on a hard surface, it’s most likely that you’ll hit the ground with your heel first, as this is what most runners do. Your momentum and forward-moving weight then causes your foot to go flat, then forward to the toes, which pushes your body up off the ground and into the next stride. However, the soft and shifting beach surface means that your foot has to work hard to displace the sand, and so your muscles can’t work as efficiently. Dr. Mason says, ‘When you’re on soft sand, your heel strike doesn’t come down and hit that firm surface.’ As a result, your body relies on the small ankles around your ankle to keep your foot steady, and your calf muscles come into play because your foot can’t go flat on the sandy surface.

 

As your calves work so hard to normalise this motion, and then get the toes up off the ground again, you may notice they’re more sore than usual after your run. Dr. Mason comments, ‘When you go for toe-off, some of the sand gets on top of your muscle and you’re not able to bring that toe up as easily. That’s where the calf muscle starts to work more, because you have to lift your toe up as you’re doing your normal toe-off.’ Even if you usually strike the ground first with the middle or front of your foot, you will still have to work harder to gain a solid footing. ‘The sand will cause some spreading of your toes, and that can be uncomfortable,’ Dr. Mason points out.

 

So if it brings so many aches and pains, why on earth would runners like Mike Musso bother training on sand at all? While the side effects are there if you’re not used to it, these are often temporary and can translate into a faster time. Dr. Mason asserts, ‘There’s more drag on your feet as you’re doing that training, so when you’re in an environment where there’s not that drag, your legs will not fatigue as easily. When beach runners get on the normal pavement, they move even more quickly because there’s not that kind of impediment.’ Musso can attest to that fact, as he notes, ‘I’ve been getting faster every year.’

Categories: beach, Beach Running, Better Performance, dr mason, foot, hard surface, mike musso, muscles, Running, sand, surface nbsp

Environmentalist Shares Good and Bad News from Expedition

An unusual expedition recently brought environmental wellness experts and artists together to witness and respond to beach trash on the shores of southern Alaska. One such attendee was marine biologist Carl Safina, the founding president of the Blue Ocean Institute and a research professor at Stony Brook University, who came home from the GYRE expedition with good and bad news for the planet’s wellbeing.

 

Safina details, ‘We travelled from Seward in southern Alaska and headed southwest for about 300 miles, with stops, to the shores at Gore Point on the Kenai Peninsula, Wonder Bay on Afognak Island, Blue Fox Bay on Shuyak Island, and Hallo Bay at Katmai National Park. We met concerned citizens — paid and volunteer — who collect and catalogue trash on some of the more accessible beaches (a very relative term in a roadless region where every beach requires a boat or an airlift). At Katmai’s Hallo Bay, rangers had worked for a week to pile and bag stuff that doesn’t belong on a beach or in a national park; we hauled four tonnes of trash from a four-mile beach. That’s a lot, and on some of the coast there certainly is a lot of trash…Yes, we found soft-drink and plastic bottles (how could we not?). But a lot of it was fishing net floats, fishing nets — old driftnets and new trawl nets — buoys, ship bumpers, and dock lines. There were also cargo nets and products that had spilled from shipping containers washed from freighters in storms.’

 

With the vast amount of litter on the seemingly deserted beaches, Safina found himself asking the question: If rubbish washes up on a beach so remote that no one is there to see it, does it make a mess? ‘This is not a deserted place,’ Safina asserts. ‘This is the last best megalopolis of life for hundreds of species of bird, fishes, and mammals long since driven from their strongholds farther south by human crowding and destruction of their living places…How we treat our lands and other living inhabitants reflects how we treat other peoples and how we treat one another. That’s why trash, even on a “remote” beach, insults our dignity and sullies our humanity…Before it gets ashore, [plastic] causes harm and suffering to seals, turtles, fishes, and seabirds who die from tangling in it and from the consequences of eating it and who feed it to their young. I’ve seen all of these creatures in trouble with trash.’

 

Clearly, then, plastic is a problem for animal wellness, as well as human health. Safina explains that plastic ‘greatly resists getting metabolised by bacteria or chemically degraded. It doesn’t go away. It just gets smaller. Animals eat it, and even at the scale of molecules, it’s still plastic. Plastic polymers have been found circulating in the blood of mussels. Some plastics are non-toxic; some have toxic additives like lead and metals. We found both of those additives in some (though not all) of the samples we tested.’ So with what did Safina come away from the expedition? A call to arms.

 

‘It’s time for environmentalists to stop simply categorising the human-made debris,’ Safina argues. ‘We need to start understanding how and where it gets into the ocean. The US government has observers on fishing boats to monitor catches; why isn’t there a question on the form asking captains how many nets they’ve lost in the last year? Why not a survey asking if they’ve ever dumped an old net because on-land disposal is too expensive? Why no adequate sampling and surveying of rivers for plastic outflow rates, no adequate dialogue with shipping companies to understand rates of container loss? I’d rather not land on another beach where a person with a clipboard is counting how many bottles have Chinese lettering, unless that person has a colleague studying whether those bottles come from rivers or fishing boats, and what can be done about it.’

Categories: beach, fishing boats, GYRE Expedition, hallo bay, national park, nbsp, plastic, Remote Location, safina, southern alaska, trash

How to Burn Off Those Extra Calories With a Bootcamp

There are all kinds of ways to help you lose weight and boost your fitness, but a new craze that is springing up – called boot-camp – could be the best way of all. Not only will the strength, agility, resistance and cardio moves from the workout help you burn some serious calories, they will also help you to tone up and get the body that you deserve.

 

The best news of all is that you don’t actually have to go to a boot-camp session. You can do your very own boot-camp at home, just by following these simple moves.

 

First of all, do you live near a beach? If you do, then you absolutely have to make use of this in your workout. Working out on sand is a lot harder than working out on a flat surface as you are constantly having to adjust your stability, and the sand also makes the surface a lot less buoyant. You really have to work hard when you run across sand!

 

The best way to incorporate the beach into your workout is to do some strength and cardio training together, like little mini drills on the beach by yourself. You can do short-distance runs (50 – 200 yards for example) and then intersperse these with a few reps of something like lunges, squats, mountain climbers and so on. The cardio and strength training combined is the best way to burn fat and get lean muscle.

 

There are also plenty of things that you can do around the house, if you don’t have a handy beach nearby. For example, when watching television you can try some simple but very effective resistance moves, such as the plank. In the plank, you get into a push up position but with your arms further in, underneath your shoulders, and then push up and hold for as long as you can. You could also stand up and do some lunges whilst watching TV, ironing or doing the dishes, as these are great for toning the thighs and bum area.

Categories: beach, boot, boot camp, bootcamp, calories, camp, exercise, nbsp

Bicycle Safety 101: Staying Safe While Sharing the Beach

 Biking along the beach can be filled with scenic beauty and fresh air. However, staying alert, wearing the proper safety equipment and watching out for other motorists can make your excursion safe and incident free. According to personal injury lawyers Charleston South Carolina beachgoers rely upon, as population increases, the chance of being involved in a biking accident increases with the increased traffic on the beach. The following are 10 tips to staying safe while sharing the beach.

1. Obey the Laws

In many states, motorists and bikes have similar laws. Familiarizing yourself with these regulations can help you avoid an accident.

2. Stay Alert

Warm weather brings out a host of activity around the beach, and you need to stay alert to other pedestrians. When navigating around other beach goers, always pass to the left and notify them of your intentions.

3. Avoid Distractions

When traversing around a busy beach on a bike, you need to remain focused on the activity around you. Cellphone usage, texting and wearing headphones can put yourself and others in danger. They may also be illegal, dependent on the state where you reside.

4. Walk Your Bike

When biking through a busy sidewalk along the beach, you need to walk your bike until the pedestrian traffic has thinned out. When it’s clear, you can resume biking until you get to another busy walkway.

5. Wear a Helmet

A bicycle helmet can save lives, and it’s mandatory for those under the age of 18 in most states. Protecting your most valuable assets by wearing other safety gear can prevent a serious injury, especially around high traffic areas.

6. Be Visible

Whether you’re riding during the day or at night, you want to wear clothing that keeps you visible. Bright or contrasting colors can be seen by pedestrians and motorists and can make you visible when traversing the beach.

7. Bike WITH Traffic

It’s a state law that bicycle riders must follow the flow of traffic when riding. This is an excellent way to see what lies ahead and alerts you to any problems you may encounter.

8. Slow Down

When riding around a busy area such as the beach, you’ll want to reduce your speed. Sandy beaches are typically filled with families and friends out for a day of fun in the sun. Leave your speed riding to a bicycle path that is geared strictly for riders.

9. Use Signals

A safe bicyclist is someone who knows the proper signals on the roadway. Riding through a busy intersection or beach walkway can make it difficult to ascertain what a rider is intending to do. You can take the guesswork out of your ride by utilizing the proper signs and hand gestures.

10. Door Zone

One of the most frequent causes of accidents is the “door zone.” This is an area where a motorist fails to notice a biker rider and opens their car door. If a rider isn’t paying attention, they can crash into the door of the vehicle.

Because you share the walkways and roads around the beach, you and your fellow motorists need to practice common courtesy. The laws and regulations are geared toward bike safety and intended to keep riders, motorists and pedestrians safe.

Melanie Fleury loves to bike along the beach with her family of four kids. Howell & Christmas, personal injury lawyers Charleston South Carolina based, warn bikers that, although Charleston has miles and miles of bike trails that seem safe, safety rules need to be followed to avoid a preventable accident.

Categories: beach, bike, Safety