Here’s How Pinterest Can Help You Practice Pilates

If you’re a Pinterest user you likely already know and love the site’s convenient way of helping you discover online content and save it for later. What you may not know is that Pinterest is a great way to discover fun new workouts, such as Pilates. Here are some of the best Pilates Pinterest boards that will show you how to establish a healthy workout routine!

The Inspirational Board
This Pilates board is filled with inspirational quotes that will help to motivate everyone from the novice who isn’t sure about Pilates to someone with a seasoned practice who simply needs an extra boost to squeeze in that daily workout. There are also many photos that show the positive effects that Pilates has on the body.

The Workout Board
If you’re already motivated to work out and you’re looking for great Pilates routines to do at home, this board can help. It features step-by-step instructions for how to do each pose, as well as high-quality images to help you visualize the way the poses should look. This board also incorporates yoga and barre workouts into its arsenal of Pilates routines.

Did You Know?

Louisville's Main Street has the second largest collection of cast-iron storefronts facades. Only New York City has more!!!

Learn About Chess Variants Online

Chess variants are other games derived from or inspired by the game of chess. Most of these games use different pieces, have different game boards, or use different rules from traditional chess. Whether you already play and love chess or you simply can’t get into the game, just about anyone will love to play these exciting and logical alternatives to the historical game of chess.

Chess960
Chess960 is a chess variant that uses the same pieces and the same game board, but the pieces in the first rank are randomized, with opposing pieces mirroring them. This is a great game for expert chess players, because it makes it impossible to memorize opening lines.

Glinski’s Hexagonal Chess
This derivation of chess uses a unique hexagonal board instead of the standard square chess board. The board contains 91 cells in three different colors, and it uses the usual chess pieces, with the addition of one extra bishop and one extra pawn. Glinski’s chess is an incredibly popular variant, especially in Eastern Europe.

Apocalypse
Apocalypse is played on a much smaller scale than regular chess, using only a 5×5 board and two horses and five footmen on each team. The two players make their moves simultaneously, and the game is over when one player captures all of the other player’s footmen.

Fans of Avana Southgate

Don't forget to tell your friends and family to "like" us on Facebook, and become a fan of Avana Southgate!!!

Summer is Finally Here!

It's official, Summer is finally here! What is your favorite summer activity? Do you have anything special planned for Summer vacation?

Exercising Outdoors? Here’s How to Beat the Heat

Once summer comes back around and each day seems hotter than the last, it can be difficult to find the motivation to work out outside. If you want to maintain your pre-summer running regimen without risking a heat stroke, there are a few things that you can do to stay cool and comfortable. Here are three tips to help you beat the heat.

  1. Choose the right time of day. Though every summer day is hot, certain times of day are much hotter than others—and potentially hazardous to your health. Opt to work out in the early mornings or after the sun goes down to steer clear of those harmful UV rays.
  2. Wear loose clothing. Loose, breathable fabrics can make all the difference when it comes to staying cool during a workout. Choose natural fabrics or running clothes specifically designed to wick away moisture.
  3. Stay hydrated. Sure, you may chug a bottle of water after your daily run, but that’s not enough on a very hot day. Drink a glass of water before embarking on your workout, and be sure to carry a bottle with you as you go. Take a drink every 15 minutes throughout your workout, even if you’re not thirsty, to prevent against dehydration.

8 Tips for Exercising in Summer Heat [Active]
Top 5 Tips to Staying Cool During Your Summer Workout [American Heart Association]
Heat and Exercise: Keeping Cool in Hot Weather [Mayo Clinic]
Hot Tips for Summertime Fitness [Northwestern Medicine]

How to Find a National Park Site Near You

Whether you're seeking fresh air, exercise, or an educational outing, the U.S. National Park Service has you covered. With a presence in all 50 states, the National Park Service comprises 401 monuments, parks, historical points of interest, battlefields, scenic trails, and of course, the White House.

Curious what national parks exist near you? The U.S. National Park Service hosts an interactive park map on its website. You can search parks by activity, name, location, and topic, or if you prefer, you can simply click your state to browse national park sites in your area. Clicking your state will lead you to an interesting "By the Numbers" feature that lists your state's total number of parks, plus statistical data regarding visitors and tourist dollars from the previous fiscal year.

For supplementary info, visit the National Parks Conservation Association's website to find a similar map.

Find a Park [National Park Service]
Exploring Our Parks [National Parks Conservation Association]

Enhance your Thursday!

We have some riddles to enhance your Thursday!

-You throw away the outside, and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside, and throw away the inside. What did you eat?

-What can you catch, but not throw?

-What travels around the world, but stays in one spot?

4 Fun Ways to Recycle Old Magazines

We all have a stockpile of magazines somewhere in our home. Sure, you could simply toss them in the recycling bin, but why not use them in creative ways around the house? Check out these great uses for old magazines.

Use magazines as gift wrap. It seems to be the law of nature that you always use up a roll of wrapping paper halfway through wrapping a gift. Stop buying that expensive wrapping paper and use old magazines. The glossy pages make the gifts fun and bright. You can even turn magazine pages into gift bows. Check out an easy tutorial here.

Make a paper flower centerpiece. Flowers are an easy way to brighten up your home, but they tend to die quickly. Make flowers that last forever out of old magazines. It's easy and quick to do; just follow the instructions here.

Design your own jewelry. Make your own one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry out of paper. Experiment with different color and sizes to design bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and more. Watch this great YouTube video to learn how to make paper beads.

Make unique coasters. Protect the table surfaces in your house with recycled coasters. These coasters are made by weaving strips of paper together. All you need are some magazines and scissors. Check out these great instructions. If you're feeling especially crafty, make a whole set. These coasters also make great gifts.

Make a Gift Bow Out of Scrap Paper [Crafting a Green World]
How to Make Flowers with Magazine Paper [Fab Mum]
How-To Make Recycled Paper Beads, Threadbanger [YouTube]
Start Weaving Magazine Coasters [Fidgety Fingers]

Online Knitting Resources for Any Level

Whether you want to learn to knit or you’re already churning out scarves and blankets galore, there are always new things to learn about this wonderful hobby. There are numerous online communities devoted to knitting, and they can provide helpful tips, tricks, and patterns to improve your knitting. Here are two wonderful online knitting resources.

Craft Yarn Council
This informative site is packed full of everything you need to know about knitting, from the very basic techniques to more advanced patterns. Craft Yarn Council provides information about the best places to purchase yarn and needles, detailed descriptions of DIY projects, and even lists of yarn guilds and groups to connect you to other knitters in your area.

Knitting Help
If you’re a beginning knitter who wants to pick up new techniques, this site is full of fun instructional videos for all skill levels. A friendly forum allows users to exchange tips and questions with fellow knitting enthusiasts, and, of course, there’s also an assortment of free patterns to help you find your next project.

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