Wendy’s Picks

Taking Water with You
Walkers need to drink a cup of water each mile to stay hydrated. Carrying it with you is the best way to guarantee a water supply. Hydration systems come in all shapes, sizes, and carrying capacities.

—Wendy Bumgardner
www.walking.about.com

Camelbak Pixie I bought one and loved it so much my entire walking team has bought them and we’ve had to embroider our names on them. This versatile hydration pack may end up being your everyday sling bag or mini-backpack. The 1 liter/35 oz. Omega water bladder carries as much as two water bottles. The two zippered compartments are great for organizing and carrying essentials for your walk or to use in place of a purse. The length is perfect for women with short torsos. Using the sipper tube, I drink more with this hydration pack than I do when having to fumble for a water bottle. www.camelbak.com
Ultimate Direction Access Groove I’ve used Ultimate Direction Access fanny packs for years. The 20 oz. water bottles are especially durable and leak proof, and the new design with the Kicker Valve improves on them further. The Groove is designed for those who listen to tunes on the move with a neoprene pocket to hold an MP3 player or cell phone securely and a mesh pocket for head phones. The water bottle is at an angle for quick access and replacement. Other designs of the Access have a pocket for essentials and/or a gel flask. www.ultimatedirection.com
Amphipod RunLite Trail Runner The Amphipod RunLite system allows you to add water bottles, gel flasks, and extra pouches. The water bottle ingeniously clicks in and out securely. The setup for the RunLite Trail Runner is ideal for me for a walk of an hour or so. The two flasks total one standard water bottle, and the trail pouch with two zippered compartments is the ideal size to hold my absolute essentials: wallet, cell phone, keys. It truly is stable, no-bounce, and easy to click the water flasks in and out. A real keeper. www.amphipod.com
FuelBelt MP3 Hydration Eliminator FuelBelt offers versatile setups for its hydration belts. This design is good for walks of an hour or so. It has two small 7 oz. water bottles held securely in elastic holders. The neoprene pouch is designed to hold an MP3 player or cell phone with a port for a headphone cord. The pouch size worked well for wallet and keys or cell phone as well. I found it difficult to replace the water bottles one-handed, but loved the stable no-bounce setup. www.fuelbelt.com
H2O at Hand For those who want to go light with no belts or packs, the H2O at Hand is a literally handy choice. This 12 oz. water bottle is carried in your hand as you walk. www.H2OatHAND.com
Aquaclip The Aquaclip is an ingeniously simple device. You clip it to any bottle and then hang it in your waistband or from your belt. Transform your favorite bottled water or sports drink into a carry-along. www.aquaclip.com
Hydrapak Chute The Hydrapak Chute is capable of carrying 50 fluid ounces and weighs only 8 oz. This is it’s smallest and lightest pack. It has a fully insulated reservoir compartment with a wide opening for easy filling and for turning the reservoir inside out. There are no more dangling tubes. The Chute has a new angled EasyFlo™ valve for over the shoulder routing. www.hydrapak.com

Zola Açaí —
Brazilian Superfood

If you are tired of the same old smoothie there is a new juice on the market. Zola Açaí (pronounced AH-sci-EE) made from unfiltered Açaí berries from the Amazon, is a delicious power juice. The berries are grown in the Amazon rainforest and have more antioxidants than blueberries and pomegranates, plus healthy omega fatty acids, fiber, iron, and calcium. Zola is also loaded with Omega-6 + Omega-9 fatty acids, 8 of the 9 essential amino acids, and replenishing electrolytes.

Açaí has been a staple food in the Amazon region for hundreds of years and in the past five years the popularity of Açaí has exploded in Rio de Janeiro and other beach and metropolitan cities, and is fast catching on here in North America. Zola Açaí is available coast-to-coast in more than 1,500 stores including Whole Foods, New Seasons, and Wild Oats.

www.zolaacai.com

Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workout for Moms

I recently received the new DVD Sara Holliday’s Stroller Workout for Moms, which includes an audio CD. The DVD is the latest release of personal fitness products by “Fitbysara.” The DVD is a complete 60-minute workout, combining various cardiovascular and toning exercises, plus yoga. The CD offers an easy-to-follow routine. I am able to get my workout in, enjoy the fresh air, and spend time with my nine-month-old son, Griffin. I have always been athletic, but with a baby and working as a pediatric nurse, finding time to exercise is a challenge. When the weather doesn’t cooperate I then have the DVD as a back-up to exercise indoors. Visit www.fitbysara.com for more information.

— By Abra Seitz, Santa Fe, NM