"I'm only 2,000 steps behind Julia, I have to keep going so I can beat her before I go to bed," my wife proclaims as she walks back and forth in the long hallway of our first floor apartment in New Jersey.

This is typical evening conversation in the Johnston household where Fitbit rules and couch potatoes drool. My wife is part of a group of people at her job who have banded their Fitbit bands together in the virtual world to create some healthy competition. And as a result of that competition, they're exercising a ton more.

Fitbits are, of course, those trendy little colored, computerized bands people wear constantly to help them count their steps and measure general fitness statistics throughout the day. They're part of a huge line of wearable fitness trackers hitting the market these days including, of course, the Apple Watch that just debuted.

These fitness trackers record all sorts of activity throughout the day including general exercise, but what my wife — and many others — focus on is the built in pedometer, or step tracker. The Fitbit records each step you take via a three-axis accelerometer. Basically, the device knows when it's shifting its own orientation. That allows it to predict the movement of your feet based on the way your wrist is moving with the Fitbit strapped on.

There’s an emerging movement in health and fitness for people to start tracking the steps they take in their everyday lives. And there's a magic number many people are working toward: 10,000 steps in a day.

As the Fitbit blog notes, 10,000 steps per day is the number used by the American Heart Association as a benchmark for improving health and lowering your chances of heart disease. The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) has also conducted studies as backing for its own 10,000 step program and found significant improvements in weight, high blood pressure, waist size, and BMI just from walking. 

Fitbit bands connect to your phone and operate through the Fitbit app. There's tons of stuff within the application, but one of the most interesting aspects is the ability to add friends who also have a Fitbit and compete with them for steps on a daily basis.

My wife is part of a group of co-workers who all have Fitbits and have connected to each other through the app. Each day, a leaderboard is populated with each of their names organized in order of how many steps they have. The members of the group compete to climb higher on the leaderboard and get more steps. The more steps, the more frequently you win the day's challenge, and as a result — the healthier you get!

I asked some of the members of the group about how it impacts their daily lives. 

"I'm a mildly competitive person with others, but intensely competitive with myself, so hitting my daily and weekly personal goals matter most, despite what others may be doing or not,"Julia DiNardo, who competes in multiple Fitbit groups per day, told me. "It is a good benchmark to see where I rank amongst others, and to push myself to take the long way, one more time, to the office kitchen."

My wife also feels motivated by the leaderboard and step counts. "Having a leaderboard makes me feel more accountable than I would if it were just me and the Fitbit," she said. "Even if it doesn't matter to them, I know they can see if I've been slacking in my steps and it makes me want to try harder. Also, I can set mini goals for myself if I find out I'm not too far behind the next person. For example, if I'm number 2 on the list and number 1 has only 1,000 more steps than I do, I might set a goal to do 1,000 or even just 500 more before I can sit down again."

She continued: "I mostly use it just to track steps, but I think it's a great reality check to know that by 4:00 p.m., I normally have around 8,000 steps, so if I check at that time and only have 2,000 steps, I know I need to get moving."

It's worth noting that the concept of competing for fitness goals through a mobile app is not new. For example, I'm a huge fan of cycling app Strava, which records bike trips and enlists you in challenges to ride more miles than other users all around the country.

But Fitbit is, in many ways, a leader at the intersection of technology and fitness because of its widely known brand name and the popularity of its device. And based on the research we have on the health improvements that accompany a greater focus on consistent walking during the course of the day, there are a lot of positives here.

"Fitbit, for me, is like a coach on my wrist - it makes me feel very accountable for everything I do or don't do in terms of movement and eating," Susan Kaufman told me. And it's hard to argue with that.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch looks far more useful than people realize

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The prom is one of the most anticipated events of a high schooler's life, and the accompanying photos can live forever. The emphasis on image during prom season is intense for many teens.

So it's no surprise that some might take to Google in search of quick-fix solutions for weight loss. 

Trainer Karen Jashinsky of O2 Max Fitness is hoping they'll stumble upon her PromFit program first, rather than dangerous weight-loss supplements or fasting guides.

Jashinsky, of Santa Monica, Calif., started offering prom-centric workouts to local girls at her own studio in 2008.

She provided students with a combination of in-person training and online workout guides.

Soon, she realized there was even more demand online than in person. She now offers four-week fitness and diet plans with complimentary dress consultations to girls around the country.

Four weeks might not sound like enough time to make a lasting difference.

Jashinsky has tried offering three-month plans, she said, but she found those plans didn't catch on, because prom dieting doesn't usually occur to girls until about a month before the big day.

"People don't plan that far in advance," she said. "It seems too long and they want quick results."

Despite the speedy four-week timeline, quick results are not necessarily what Jashinsky wants for her students.

Instead, she hopes the four-week plan will make them feel fit and healthy and get them started with a more permanent lifestyle change. 

"While they might not see a ton of results very quickly, they start feeling differently," Jashinsky said. "So it's more about getting them from that perspective rather than promising they'll lose x-amount of pounds in this amount of time, because that's not really a good message to send and it's different for everybody."

Many girls continue to use O2 Max long after prom ends and into their college years. Jashinsky makes success stories available on her website, and some of the college-aged clients volunteer to help younger clients and give them pointers.

"We want to be that safe but cool and fun outlet," she said, "where parents are comfortable that their daughter wants to sign up for the program, but it's cool enough that students want to do it, too."

O2 Max's PromFit program costs $49 for four weeks and consists of one-on-one online consultations between Jashinsky, her licensed helpers and the clients. Jashinsky and the other coaches talk to girls about their daily schedules, their fitness goals, and manageable ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into their daily routines.

Personalization is one of the most important aspects of the plan, because it keeps girls' expectations realistic, Jashinsky said.

"You can do the same workout as your friends and eat the same things, but you're built differently, so you'll get different results," she said.

Of course, no matter how good Jashinsky's intentions are, some would argue that the mere existence of a prom fitness plan is enough to make some girls feel insecure. 

Dr. Carol Langlois, a youth, culture and self esteem expert and author of the book "Girl Talk: Boys, Bullies and Body Image," had some concerns about the implications of a pre-prom workout.

Here is an excerpt from O2 Max's webpage about prom season:

 Girls are already obsessed with getting the perfect prom dress and many feel the need to get thin before the big day approaches.  It is a time where many girls begin to either take an extra interest in getting in shape or, in some cases, even take fitness and weight-loss to an extreme. The pressure for young women today is tremendous, especially with all the selfies and social media access they all have. What they wear to prom and how they look will live online forever.

Jashinsky feels such rhetoric — "don't crash diet, work out instead"— could cause anxiety for girls who aren't already thinking about pre-prom weight loss.

"I think it's really unfortunate that [the program's literature] is putting it out there that girls are going to be binge-dieting and doing these things, because maybe they're not," Langlois said. "Maybe they're just excited about prom."

The four-week limit, she said, could also "set girls up for failure," which is something "this age group already loves to do to themselves."

"They're already like, 'oh my God, if I get my bracess off and cut my hair and lose 10 pounds, I'm going to be perfect,'" Langlois said. Easing girls into a permanent, lifelong transition by setting small, manageable goals is much healthier than promoting a four-week program, she concluded.

But according to Jashinsky, that's what PromFit is all about. Jashinsky hopes that the four-week prom program will instill a love of exercise in clients. In fact, she said, girls will likely begin to enjoy the mental and emotional benefits of eating healthy and exercising before they even notice physical changes or weight loss.

Jashinsky is also adamant that many teens are already Googling around for weight-loss tips — whether their parents know it or not.

"The reality is because teens are so tech-driven and pretty much all of them have access to the internet, social media and smartphones, they can do their own search and come across whatever they come across," Jashinsky said. "We're really trying to be that positive force. You can let them find their own way, or take a proactive approach and really use it as an opportunity to really educate them on all the different facets, rather than just losing weight for prom."

SEE ALSO: Teen suspended after using fake explosives in prom proposal

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NOW WATCH: This simple exercise will give you a total body workout and show results super fast

Tony Horton's workout programs are famously varied.

The most renowned of these, P90X, includes a mix of all sorts of exercises. One day you are weight training, the next session might be yoga, and then you get hit with a day of cardiovascular-heavy, mixed martial arts-style moves.

During the workouts he seems to have an intense passion for every single exercise he teaches.

So when we talked to him recently we couldn't help but ask what kind of exercise — behind the camera — is his personal favorite?

Here's what he told us:

"I like anything and everything that feels like a gymnastics workout. I love climbing ropes and dip walks on parallel bars… high bars and rings. I’ve always been an admirer of the fitness of a gymnast — it’s so impressive to me. And I would say number two would be track athletes 'cause I love the physique of a track athlete — I mean they’re very similar but doing very different things.

"It’s all “fast-twitch” exercise but different kinds of fast-twitch exercise. So, like a long run to me or a half marathon or a 10K, it’s just not who I am! It kind of depends on your genetics. Some people are just born to run and others are born to do a 90-second high bar routine.

"I love rock climbing and I love rope climbing, I love that kind of stuff, but I also train my weaknesses which is my lower half and endurance with my legs ‘cause I’m a skier. So you know, on Monday night I did an hour and 15 minute plyometric routine which I absolutely despise, because it’s just so taxing. You’re just bent over in between exercises heaving - heaving in air.

"But when it’s done, my 56-year old legs are infinitely more powerful and explosive, and my lungs and my heart just have a greater capacity to being able to fly down a mountain as fast as I want, and that’s exciting. So sometimes you have to put in the work in the arenas where you’re not that thrilled because it helps you be a better athlete, it helps you perform, it helps you have experiences you wouldn’t have otherwise."

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ClassPass, the startup that offers users a selection of workout classes from various gyms, has apologized for a post it published earlier this month encouraging "single bros" to join the service and use it to hit on women taking classes.

"We're sorry if our blog post about finding a date was offensive," ClassPass tweeted. "We've edited it & we hope you use ClassPass to find new workouts & friends!"

The blog post in question was written by Brian Levine, a member of the ClassPass customer experience team. Levine described attending a ClassPass class and overcoming anxiety about his "red-in-the-face, wring out your t-shirt, two-towels-needed" sweat tendencies in order to ask a fellow fitness freak out on a date.

But the post's second paragraph rubbed many people the wrong way. Its contents have since been edited, but it originally read:

"... for you single bros out there, where better to meet a lady than at a fitness class? Between the sweat, endorphins and the potential for less clothing than usual, the stage is set for us guys to make your move."

The remainder of the post was a personal recounting of his experience with asking the woman out and receiving a response of, "Sure, why not?" It ended with Levine acknowledging that he was glad he'd joined ClassPass because it "allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, both in terms of physical fitness and social interaction," he wrote.

Twitter users who stumbled on the post felt either perplexed or offended.

Well, except one or two...

Shortly after we contacted ClassPass for comment on the post, the apologetic tweet was sent out and the offending paragraph removed mention of skimpy clothes and single bros. It was switched to this:

"... if you’re single, it’s an opportunity to meet other singles who might be in your class. I decided to go for it in a class I took recently – here’s what happened[.]:"

In addition to their tweeted apology, a spokesperson from ClassPass clarified with us that the point of the blog post was for one member to share their story. It was not part of an effort to encourage men to join so they could hit on the women, she said.

ClassPass issued the following statement:

"At ClassPass we've built a like-minded community of people that enjoy getting fit and discovering new and exciting ways to work out. Often, members in our community have established friendships with other members and in some rare cases, romantic relationships. The blog post was not part of a concerted marketing effort, it was merely a personal story from one of our team members about his experience. We are sorry that it came off as insensitive and want to reiterate how important it is for us that all of our members feel comfortable and at ease in our classes." 

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NOW WATCH: This simple exercise will give you a total body workout and show results super fast

Ever found yourself losing weight at the start of a diet and then felt dismayed by the fact that the pounds simply seemed to creep back on?

Here's the good news: It probably isn't your fault. 

Most diets, it turns out, are designed only to help you lose weight in the short term, not to help you keep it off over the long term, Traci Mann, a University of Minnesota psychologist and eating researcher recently told the Washington Post.

As a result, popular diets can often have the exact opposite of the desired effect, according to Mann.

The act of dieting, or restricting the amount of calories you take in on a daily basis, unleashes a series of shifts in the body that make it "practically impossible to keep the weight off,"Mann says.

Here are some of the biological changes that can occur when you diet: 

1. Your brain becomes more aware of food."Your brain becomes overly responsive to food, and especially to tasty looking food," says Mann, "so the thing you're trying to resist becomes harder to resist."
2. Your hormones levels change, often making you feel hungrier no matter how much you eat."As you lose body fat, the amount of different hormones in your body changes," Mann explains. "the hormones that help you feel full ... decreases. The hormones that make you feel hungry ... increases."
3. Your metabolism slows down, and more of what you eat gets stored as fat. When you diet, you're effectively convincing your body that it is starving, Mann says. Your body responds by running as efficiently as possible (i.e. burning the fewest calories possible). This shift "would be good thing if you're starving to death," says Mann, "But it isn't a good thing if you're trying to lose weight."

All of Mann's points are grounded in scientific research. A 2013 study comparing the brain scans of people who've dieted with those who haven't, for example, found that dieters tended to show more of a response in the areas of their brains linked with processing rewards and less of a response in the parts of their brains linked with a sense of control. Hormone levels, too, can shift in response to diet,as can metabolism.

Still, this advice shouldn't be taken as a doomsday scenario for people trying to lose weight.

Biological changes don't mean long term weight loss is impossible

Instead, it points out the problems with focusing entirely on changing what you eat rather than taking into account other behavioral patterns.

These include when you eat, how much you exercise, and whether or not your friends and family members support your health goals. These factors, often called "behavior modification," are the focus of programs like Weight Watchers, for example, and they workfor thousandsof people.

"Most of us know people — friends, family members, colleagues — who have lost weight and kept it off for years by changing the way they eat and boosting their physical activity,"writes David H. Freedman, a consulting editor at Johns Hopkins Medicine International, in a post for the Columbia Journalism Review.

"They can’t all be freaks of biology,"says Freedman.

UP NEXT: Everything that's wrong with doing a 'detox' diet

SEE ALSO: Here's the best time of day to work out to lose weight

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NOW WATCH: The pros and cons of drinking protein shakes after a workout

Tony Horton has long been known as one of the most visible people in American fitness.

He created P90X, one of the most successful home workout programs of all time. But Tony doesn't try to hide the importance of diet in fitness, weight loss, and life in general.

We recently asked him the $1 million nutrition question: What does Tony Horton's diet look like?

We talked to him around 12 p.m. Pacific time, and this was what he told us about what he had eaten — and was going to eat — that day:

"This morning I had scrambled eggs with ground chicken sausage ... a slice of avocado, and thinly shaved Parmesan cheese with some peppers and onions.

"For a midday snack I had a handful of pistaccios, pecans, almonds, and cashews. Lunch will be a burrito filled with brown rice, grilled peppers, chicken, avocado, in a gluten-free wrap.

"Tonight I’ll have a piece of salmon, a bunch of broccoli, some quinoa, and a big old salad that consists of kale — which I don’t necessarily like — but I surround it with basil, that way I don’t really taste the kale that much. Then I’ll add some kind of blueberries or strawberries in there and little cherry tomatoes, and some red onions, in some kind of balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

"And then I’ll follow that up with a big old gorgeous, gluten-free, Chocolate chip cookie. Because you know I’m a human — I look at desserts as a reward food. I’ve eaten a clean and healthy breakfast, I’ve had a clean and healthy snack during the day. And I’ll probably have a little shake with blueberries, strawberries, vegan protein powder and egg white protein powder, with some cashews just to kind of make it creamy.

"So I’ll get my 3 meals, I’ll get my snack, I’ll get my shake, and I’ll get my sweet thing at the end — my chocolate cookie or my thin slice of key lime pie. That’s the reward for doing well all day long.

But most people eat garbage all day long and then they pile dessert on top and they wonder why they have a stroke or heart attack at 52."

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NOW WATCH: The pros and cons of drinking protein shakes after a workout

Two months ago, I signed a waiver acknowledging the possibility of serious injuries or death before running my first Spartan Race on an island in the Bahamas.

My only goal for the race: survive. 

Spartan Races are broken into three categories based on distance and number of obstacles:

1. You realize the actual meaning of "being a team player."

I helped my mom over the eight-foot wall — and she helped me, too. We hear words like teamwork tossed around at the office all the time, but they take on a whole new meaning after an experience like this.  

2. You build major mental and physical endurance. 

Toward the end of the race, my energy was in short supply, but I continued to push through. In life, we often experience never-ending weeks that leave us wishing we could crawl into bed and sleep for hours. Building physical and mental endurance helps us survive until the weekend. 

3. Failure is NBD. 

If I had quit after my first failed obstacle, I would have lost out on the rush of crossing the finish line. Even the toughest racers were forced to do burpees after a failed an obstacle (like the almost-impossible spear throw). Learning to overcome failure and grow from it builds character and strengthens self-worth. 

4. You become your biggest cheerleader. 

From struggling during the rope climb to panting toward the finish line, I was forced to keep moving forward. When you’re self-motivated, you are more likely to persevere and achieve your goals.

5. You find new ways to cope with stress.

I signed my life away before the race. Believe me, I was stressed out before I started running. But once the race got going, I discovered my coping method: laughter. Being able to smile in the face of extreme obstacles is half the battle.    

Many people think you finish these races covered in mud. I came out of my first race mud-free and damp because of water obstacles, but that may be different for future races – it's all part of the thrill. 

SEE ALSO: 'Obstacle Course' Gyms Offer A New Kind Of Workout

SEE ALSO: 7 ways to stay motivated and accomplish anything

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NOW WATCH: Ballet's 'It Girl' Misty Copeland's Advice On How To Stay In The Zone

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Behind The Brand sat down with fitness guru and entrepreneur Chalene Johnson. Here is how she knows when to give up on a good idea.

WATCH MORE: The Full Interview With Chalene Johnson

Behind The Brand takes you behind the scenes at some of the coolest brands as well as talk with world-class thought leaders and entrepreneurs so you can get an inside look at how they do it.

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This full-body workout is meant to burn calories and activate your whole upper and lower body. This is a circuit workout that can be done at home or in the gym. You will do each movement for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. Once you complete each circuit 5x through, you then go into the sit squat. The sit squat should be held as long as possible. 

1. Squat Jumps
2. Burpee with 10 High Knees
3. Push-up with Core Rotation
4. Supermans
5. Sit Squat (until failure)

Video courtesy of CJ Koegel 

Visit Koegel Fitness for more customized meal plans and workouts 

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Tracy Anderson, America's top celebrity fitness trainer with an A-list roster of clients including Christy Turlington, Kim Kardashian and most recently Lena Dunham, reveals the three basic rules she lives by to build her brand.

Produced by Alana Kakoyiannis. Edited by Jason Gaines.

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If you’re feeling tired and run down, can exercise actually make you sick? And should you wait until you’ve completely recovered before putting those runners back on?

Like many things in life, moderation and common sense are key. If your symptoms are above the neck – a runny nose, nasal congestion and a sore throat – you’ll still be able to manage a workout, though at a lighter-than-normal level.

The human body is constantly under attack from bacteria, viruses and fungi that encourage an infection. The common cold is the most common type of infection worldwide, with most adults succumbing to at least two to three colds a year. Thankfully, most people’s immune system helps to protect them.

But exercise can both help and hinder our immune system. People who perform moderate exercise regularly catch fewer colds than those who are either inactive or perform high-intensity or long-duration exercise. So, a little bit of exercise is good, but too much may be bad.

The body’s response to exercise

Simply speaking, the body’s response to a one-off workout is similar to being injured or fighting off an infection. Inflammation increases the blood levels of different parts of the immune system, providing us with a positive “boost” to help restore the body back to its normal state.

This boost doesn’t last much longer than a few hours before returning to pre-exercise levels. But when repeated regularly, and with sufficient rest in between, each bout of exercise improves immune function that accumulatively leads to a 20-60% reduced risk of infection.

In contrast, athletes and heavy trainers who regularly perform either very intense and/or long-duration exercise are two- to six-times more likely to get sore throats and flu-like symptoms than the rest of the population.

This is most likely caused by the exercise also triggering“stress hormones.” Using the inflammation analogy above, imagine you were constantly injured; this depresses some of the many functions of our immune system and thereby limits recovery back to normal.

What else I should know?

It’s not all about the exercise. Many of the accompanying behaviours associated with people being moderately or highly active could also explain some of the changes.

Those training too much, including athletes, might not be taking enough care of their diet, or could be suffering from impaired sleep or encountering raised levels of mental stress.

At the other end of the scale, those beginning an exercise regime might be making positive changes to all the above.

Diet, sleep, mental stress, poor hygiene and contact with other infected people (large crowds, mass transport such as planes, trains and buses) are all known to influence immune function.

While you may have seen adverts claiming that supplement X can improve your immune function and protect against infection (think probiotics, green tea or berry extract), none appear to provide the same benefit as a healthy, well-fed and active individual.

However, something you can do is keep well-hydrated during your workout. If that comes through the use of a sports drink, it may not be a bad thing – taking in some carbohydrate doesn’t only keep your blood sugar steady, it also lowers the stress hormone response that could take the edge off any immune function depression during recovery from exercise.

Who benefits?

The good news is that no matter whether younger or older, male or female, or the type of activity you do (gym, aqua-aerobics, playing a sport, gardening, dog-walking, being intimate with your partner, and so on), at least 20 minutes of something that gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster should provide the same benefit.

Although most of the research conducted and guidelines tend to promote cardio exercise, the limited research looking at lifting weights (resistance exercise) suggests a similar benefit to immune function and therefore reduced risk of infection.

When should I not exercise?

Well, you should probably swap your training for some R&R if your symptoms are below the neck (chest congestion, cough, stomach problems such as vomiting or diarrhoea) or you have a fever, muscle aches or widespread fatigue.

Similarly, if symptoms get worse with exercise, stop and rest, and if they continue beyond a few days, make an appointment with a doctor. Remember, you can always restart your routine gradually when you’re feeling better.

The bottom line

Where exercise is concerned, if you want to prevent infections it’s better to be fitter and exercise most days of the week, while making sure you rest and recuperate sufficiently.

As long as you only have mild symptoms above the neck (runny nose, nasal congestion or sore throat), there’s no need for these to be your excuse from meeting up with your friends at the gym.

But don’t think that your workout alone equals a healthy lifestyle. Don’t neglect a varied and balanced diet, good sleep and hygiene habits, and your psychological and social well-being.

Toby Mündel is Senior Lecturer, School of Sport and Exercise at Massey University.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

SEE ALSO: 7 easy ways to get more out of your workout

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Fashion critics may have to change their stance on whether leggings qualify as pants. 

As designer leggings fetch prices equal to and exceeding the cost of a pair of Manolo Blahniks, the $1.1 billion industry is booming.

Why are people paying $500 to $1,000 (or more) on what's basically stretchy workout pants?

With the "athleisure" trend holding firm, designers have given the gym staple a brand-new look, mixing materials, adding patterns, and playing with texture.

Selling for $1,150 and $550, respectively, Brunello Cucinelli and Donna Karan have gone as far as designing cashmere leggings. But make no mistake: those high price tags aren't limited to leggings made from expensive fabrics and skins.

A standard pair of black, pull-on Givenchy leggings goes for $1,175 on Farfetch.com. And Alexander McQueen gets $1,385 for its brightly colored leopard leggings, pictured above. 

As noted by the New York Post, celebrities and stylish city-dwellers are hitting the red carpet and the street in their high fashion leggings. According to Brook Jaffe, fashion director of Bloomingdale's, whom the paper spoke with, the sneaker trend has helped popularize printed designer leggings, which are flying off the department store's racks.  

But many will say that it all started with lululemon and its $100 yoga pants, which begat similarly priced workout pants from brands like Stella McCartney (Adidas by Stella McCartney), Free People (FP Movement), and, just recently, ROWLEY Fitness, by Cynthia Rowley.    

Whether you believe leggings are pants or not, they're not going anywhere. In fact, they could even start replacing pants.  

SEE ALSO: Lululemon's men's line has a big problem

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NOW WATCH: This Smart T-Shirt Can Actually Make Your Workout More Effective

Celebrity trainer Tony Horton is best known for his very successful P90X at-home fitness program.

It was followed by P90X2, P90X3, and a number of smaller programs. Many have found success with the programs over the years, but they are definitely not easy.

We spoke to Tony recently and asked him what exercises people starting his programs have the most trouble with.

Here's what he told us:

"Well, I don’t like to say there’s a universal truth there, because you know — different athletes, different people, different stages of life ..."

"So, the ones that I hear about from different groups - plyo (plyometrics) is a bear. If you haven’t jumped off the ground in your life and I’m asking you to get up in the air and then learn how to land softly so you don’t hurt your knees, that can be very problematic for some people initially so they have to modify, especially if they have a lot of weight to lose. But if you’ve been a track athlete or someone who’s had explosive leg activities in your life, parkour or whatever, then plyo is hard but it’s still do-able."

"Chest and back is another one too, I would say that the pull-up is a conundrum for a lot of people, especially women who have a lot of weight to lose. It just feels like it’s impossible. I have a friend, this girl Paige, she couldn’t do a pull-up at all. She had to use a pull-up assist band, she had to put all three of the little assist bands on there - she could do like 8 or 9, and now she can do like 4 - doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you think about it, she lost a lot of weight and went from using a band to not having to use it at all. And she’s a 42-year-old mother of 3, who looks like she’s like a professional rock climber. I mean it was a solid 9 months before she went from ‘couldn’t do it’ to 4, but she just didn’t miss a day, you know."

"So for some people it’s plyo, for some people it’s pull-ups, and most certainly it’s the yoga. The yoga is a crusher for a lot of men who’ve never done it before. A lot of big, strong, powerful, fast, athletic dudes - they do that hour and a half yoga class and they feel like absolute neophytes - fitness neophytes. And the smart ones come right back and do it again and again and again."

"I do event after event where people have my programs and know my stuff and have been through several rounds and I’ll look out and there’ll be 2,000 people out there and half of them are men or more and everyone knows up dog from down dog from chaturanga, from savasana from a reverse warrior 2 — they know what I’m taking about, they can all do it and 5, 6, 10 years ago they had no idea what I was talking about, couldn’t even get close to it. There is a trend, it’s changing and more men are getting it. But I would say it’s those three: yoga, pull ups, and plyo."

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For those who work out regularly, constant traveling can throw a wrench into their routine.

But just because it's hard to stay fit on the road doesn't mean travelers don't want to try.

When Jason Moskal, vice president of lifestyle brands for hotel chain EVEN Hotels, spoke to guests, he began to realize a need that the hospitality industry hadn't completely met.

"One thing we heard from travelers was, I have a real tough time staying focused in terms of my well-being — whether it be fitness or rest or productivity — when I'm on the road," Moskal said.

"It became clear that there was a need and an opportunity to develop a hotel that could deliver in helping them stay on the wagon and stay focused on their wellness and fitness regimens when they're on the road."

These conversations sparked the launch of EVEN, a wellness-focused hotel chain owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group in the summer of last year.

But Moskal says that these types of fitness and wellness hotels are more than just the latest trend to hit the industry: They're becoming a necessity for hotels to stay relevant and competitive in the current market.

"I'm viewing it really being a paradigm shift in the mentality of people and how important it is to stay well," Moskal said. "I think more and more people are moving towards this idea of it's not just in my everyday life at home, but it's also when I'm on the road."

EVEN isn't the only hotel chain to notice this need though. 

Multiple hotel chains have started to accommodate fitness-oriented travelers: TRYP by Wyndham (part of Wyndham Worldwide Corp.) has provided guests with fitness rooms since 2010. And the Westin brand (owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.) launched runWESTIN — a program that provides guests with three and five mile run routes and group runs led by a run concierge — in 2007, partnered with New Balance for a workout gear lending program in 2010, and has since launched other fitness programs.

And now new players are entering the hospitality industry: upscale fitness companies Equinox and Soul Cycle.

According to Travel and Leisure, Soul Cycle is opening a 2,600-square-foot facility in the brand new 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami Beach. The facility will include a 54-bike studio, locker rooms, and an apparel boutique.

Equinox is going a step further. The company plans to launch a luxury hotel brand, where each hotel will have its own Equinox club. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company expects to open its flagship hotel in 2018 in New York City at Hudson Yards. Future locations will include Los Angeles, London, and Miami.

But these hotels won't simply be about providing gym access to guests. Instead, they're planning to offer full wellness experiences.

The Equinox hotels will be designed by Yabu Pushelberg and will provide guests with everything from personalized one-on-one in-room training to a restaurant serving nutritionist-approved options, juice bars, and even apparel.

The concept of a full wellness experience is also key to the EVEN brand. According to Moskal, the chains' two locations in Norwalk, Connecticut, and Rockville, Maryland, aim to help guests not only stay active, but also eat well, feel rested, and be productive. Their fitness offerings include a fitness studio, chief wellness officers who lead guest classes or runs, and in-room fitness equipment (available in all rooms at the chain's two locations) for those looking for a quick workout.

TRYP by Wyndham has a more narrow focus on fitness. TRYP's signature fitness rooms — a guest room with an elliptical, treadmill, or bike and free workout gear — are available at nearly all of the chain's 120 worldwide locations. 

While Westin also offers both gyms (WestinWORKOUT fitness studios) and guest rooms featuring exercise equipment (WestinWORKOUT rooms), the hotels cater to an even more niche group of fitness-centric guests: runners. Global brand leader Brian Povinelli describes the runWESTIN program — which is available at every Westin property worldwide — as an "alternative to the drudgery of a gym workout." There are morning group runs led by the hotels' run concierges, or for those who prefer to run alone, there are 3-mile and 5-mile jogging or walking courses, which were created on every property through Westin's partnership with New Balance. The partnership also allows guests to borrow both running shoes and exercise gear for just $5.

For extra ambitious travelers, Westin even partnered with running series Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons to offer guests a VIP marathon package, which includes transportation to and from the race, a pre-race pasta dinner and warm up run, and access to the hotel's VIP recovery tent at the race.

Recently, the brand launched a series of wellness retreats, called Westin Wellness Escapes, which are led by experts who focus on meditation, strength training, nutrition, yoga, and running.

Although different from one another, the fitness and wellness options offered by more and more hotels have one thing in common: They're an answer to travelers' growing need to seamlessly maintain the healthy lifestyle they live when they're not on the road.

Povinelli says this need is pervasive, specifically among higher income guests. "We have found that more than 80% of consumers express a strong interest in improving their personal wellness." He refers to wellness as an "intensifying global macro trend, especially among affluent consumers who will pay a premium to look and feel good."

And while both Moskal and Povinelli agree that, as of right now, the majority of hotel guests who take advantage of fitness offerings are business travelers, Moskal says he's seen a minor increase in leisure travelers who are interested. Povinelli thinks that Westin's growing resort portfolio could also lead to an increase in leisure travelers utilizing workout options.

Pricing for these fitness hotels varies greatly by location and time of booking. EVEN's wellness rooms (which include fitness equipment) run from $140 per night to $180 per night. A fitness room at one of TRYP by Wyndham's New York City locations, on the other hand, is around $440 to $480 per night. 

SEE ALSO: 50 incredible hotels you should sleep in during your lifetime

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Under Armour has recently passed Adidas to become the second-largest athletic brand. We asked our lifestyle team why Under Armour is so successful.

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A few things to know about me: I like to wear dresses, get manicures, and do Spartan Races that leave me covered in bruises.   

Why do I do them? Because they make me feel like I can conquer the world (like this guy on the right).

There are three types of Spartan Races: 

The Spartan Sprint: 3+ miles, 20+ obstacles 

The Spartan Super: 8+ miles, 25+ obstacles

The Beast: 13+ miles, 30+ obstacles

Complete all three in the span of one year and it's a trifecta — talk to me in November and I'll let you know how that feels.

Participating in a Spartan race is a cultural experience. Spartans are a group of people who go beyond their comfort zones and challenge themselves both mentally and physically to achieve greatness. They speak a certain language, participate in pre-race rituals, and have built a strong community across the nation and in Europe. 

This past weekend, my family and I reunited in Burnet, Texas (near Austin) and ran a Spartan Super, a 9.5 mile course with 27 obstacles.

On race day we woke up to thunder, lightening, and sheets of rain. But like true Spartans, we drove (and hydroplaned) to the course. Interpreting the rain as a bad omen, a sliver of me hoped the race would be canceled. It wasn't.

The rain eventually stopped, and by 9:00 a.m. I found myself surrounded by men and women of all ages and athletic abilities at the race's base. 

There were teams dressed in custom T-shirts; family and friends supporting racers; a DJ blasting today's hits, booths set up with water, food, and Spartan gear; and of course, a huge medical tent. 

Minutes before our start time, my family and I downed three shots of complimentary pre-workout supplements, jumped over a four-foot wall into what can only be described as a holding pen, and waited anxiously to start the race. I looked at my mom and knew we were thinking the same thing, What on earth had we signed up for?

Before every race, an announcer conducts pre-race chants to fuel the energy. When asked what our profession is, we shout, "We are Spartans! AROO AROO!"

After chanting, high-fiving, and mentally preparing, we were set free and took off running on a trail resembling melted fudge. (Mother Nature's morning storm had made for an extra muddy pathway.)

Within 30 seconds, all my nerves escaped through laughter and I was excited to attack the obstacles.  

I hoisted myself over eight-foot walls (using my mom as a step stool, and vice versa). I flipped giant tires. I shimmied across a horizontal rope suspended over the ground. I crawled in the dirt and stones under barbed wire. I carried a bag of wet sand through a river. I hiked up hills and rocks. I climbed cargo nets. And for every failed obstacle, I did the required 30 burpees that left me sopping in mud. 

Water stations were set up every few miles between obstacles, and about halfway through we refueled with a handful of energy chews. 

Three and a half hours after starting the race, I could finally see the end. 

Coated in dirt, caked-on mud, and sweat, I jumped over fire, landed in a pool of murky water, and crossed the finish line. With sediment nestled in every crevice of my body and a Spartan medal hanging from my neck, a feeling of accomplishment surged through me. I survived.

And though I was left covered in bruises, bug bites, and scrapes, I would do it all over again tomorrow. 

In fact, my family and I are training to take on the Dallas Beast Spartan Race on October 31st. Until then, you'll find me in a gym lifting and outside running.

I may be a girly-girl, but I'm not afraid to get dirt under my manicured nails. 

SEE ALSO: This obstacle race is the ultimate test of mental and physical strength, and it involves lots of mud and jumping over a fire pit

SEE ALSO: 16 insane photos from the 'toughest race in the world'

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