Thanks to all who came out to the Ayama Yoga Grand Opening Celebration. Everyone had a great time exploring Ayama Yoga's beautiful new location and partaking in healthy snacks, beverages and some of Ayama Yoga's fine classes. 

Check out these pictures from the event! And make sure to visit Ayama Yoga on TourDeFIT.com for the quintessential yoga experience in North Miami Beach! Right now they are offering a new student special- a month of unlimited yoga for only $30! 

The media mentions keep rolling in for TourDeFIT.com, and this time we got a nod from the one and only Fitness Magazine! Check us out on page 50! 

Fitness Magazine, which reaches over 1.5 million readers a year, delivers strategies and tools that help women make little changes to achieve big success. The magazine empowers women to embrace fitness as a lifestyle — not an age or dress size — and to change the conversation from "skinny" to "healthy". TourDeFIT.com is proud to be mentioned in such a wonderful publication. 

Kit Hoover is an American television personality, sportscaster and broadcast journalist. She’s contributed to MTV, Fox News, ESPN and TV Guide, and is currently the co-host of the hit show Access Hollywood. Besides having what she describes as her “dream job,” Kit is extremely passionate about fitness. TourDeFIT.com was lucky enough to sit down with Kit to learn about how fitness and wellness have played a pivotal role in her success. Read below to learn how Kit grew to love fitness, how she finds time to exercise as a working mother and how she stays fit on the road. 

Kit on her fitness background: “I’ve been running before running was considered cool. I began running at 8 years old because my dad was a marathon runner. This was in the 70’s when people didn’t really run or work out like they do now and we were always the weird family running in the rain and snow. Fitness has just always been part of my life. My family would run road races on the weekends and we had tennis courts in our backyard where we would play doubles tennis. Fitness has never been something I thought about, we were just constantly playing sports and running around. Now, later in my life this is just who I am. My earliest memories are of my parents going out on their runs and if the sun was up we were playing outside.”

Kit on how fitness has influenced her career: “I would never have my dream job without my running background. Going on live television everyday is the equivalent of a race for me. When I hear “5 minutes to live” I instantly go back to my high school days when I would hear “5 minutes to the 1600.” Its the same game time mentality and you get the same high from being on live television as you do from a race. Also, after being on live television my adrenaline gets so high that I need to run to zone out. I consider it my meditation and my therapy. I couldn’t live life without exercise.”

Kit on her current fitness regimen:  “Typically I’ll go for a 5-mile run about 3-4 days a week. Some days I go harder than others. I’ll also do sit-ups and push-ups at home with my children. I enjoy hiking and if I do a morning show I’ll often go for a hike in Runyon Canyon before the show. It clears my head and its truly fun for me. It doesn’t feel like a chore. If I get to run I consider it a reward.”

Kit on being a working mother and fitness: “My fitness routine didn’t change when I became a mother but it did change when I became a working mother. This is only because I have extreme mommy guilt since I was used to being a stay at home mom. When my babies were little I was always with them, plus I was in great shape because I would run around with them and push the triple stroller all around. Now when I’m finished work I don’t work-out because I just want to go home and be with them.”

Kit on her diet:  “As far as food goes I should be better. Every morning I do have a green drink with kale and flaxseed so I start off strong but some days I’m better than others. For example I did have a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich today so I’ll try to have a healthier dinner. I drink a lot of water and eat fruits and vegetables but overall I’m not too picky about food. I eat what I want when I’m hungry. Food isn’t something I think about but I try to do the best I can with eating healthy.”

Kit on passing her passion for fitness onto her children: “I absolutely hope I can pass my love of fitness onto my children from both my husband and myself. They see us going on runs on the weekend and we are always outside playing with them. They already play three sports during the proper seasons and love athletics. I think when they see us working out they want to emulate us. I want them to grow up with it so its always in their lives.”

Kit on how she stays fit on the road: “The best way to stay fit on the road is running. You don’t have to pack anything or find a gym. You just need running shoes. Plus I’ve seen some of the coolest things in my life just by running around different cities I’ve never been to before. During the royal wedding last year my boss and I went on runs and it really made us feel like we were part of everything that was going on. You can also find the hidden gems like restaurants and shops that you wouldn’t typically know about. My life has always been about staying active and being outside.”

TourDeFIT.com® was profiled in the May 2012 issue of Marie Claire Magazine, which hit newsstands this week. Known world-over for providing the best in health, beauty, fitness and more, Marie Claire is a trusted source for readers worldwide looking to improve their health and their lives. 

So check us out this month, on lucky page number 272!

You can also find us in the June issue of Fitness Magazine!

Fitness Magazine, which reaches over 1.5 million readers a year, delivers strategies and tools that help women make little changes to achieve big success. The magazine empowers women to embrace fitness as a lifestyle — not an age or dress size — and to change the conversation from "skinny" to "healthy". TourDeFIT.com is proud to be mentioned in such a wonderful publication. Here we are on page 50!

TourDeFIT.com also received a write-up in the May 2012 issue of American Way Magazine, the in-flight magazine of American Airlines and American Eagle. You can check it out right here. With hundreds of thousands of people flying with American Airlines every month, TourDeFIT.com is proud to be recognized as a leading consolidator of deals and fitness and wellness reservation information for those who need to stay FIT all over the World.

And speaking of international travel, we are also lucky enough to be mentioned in the May issue of International Travel News Magazine. Here were are on page 49!

But that's not all! Look for us this summer in SHAPE, Travel & Leisure and AAA Magazine!

We all know that one of the crucial components in maintaining a long term fitness regimen is variety. It’s hard to stay excited about getting fit and active when you’re doing the same treadmill/weight workout every time you hit the gym. Trust me, I would know- after a few months of a tired cardio and strength routine, I recently began to feel sluggish and unmotivated when workout time rolled around. I needed to spice things up a bit.

Luckily, on a recent trip to Atlanta, I had the chance to visit one of our Provider Partners, Atlanta Rocks! This beautiful indoor climbing gym boasts more than 12,000 square feet of professionally- designed, seamless climbing surfaces. With more than 50 top-rope stations, unreal overhanging lead routes and hundreds of different and challenging climbs to try, I knew that I had found my spice.

Suiting up was no big deal. My two colleagues and I were strapped into harnesses that would ensure our safety when climbing. Having never been rock climbing before, I was surprised by how comfortable the harness is. Even while climbing, it does nothing to restrict your movement but leaves you feeling safe and secure, ready to tackle the most daunting climbs. We were helped out by a very friendly young woman who “showed us the ropes” and also assisted in our climbs as a spotter. 

Worried that I might be feeling just a bit too confident (as I am occasionally one to do), we decided to start with a beginner climb. I volunteered to go first, and after chalking up my hands for grip, I attacked the wall like Colin Farell at an open bar. 

This climb was more challenging than I thought it would be (what a surprise!). Although I was tall enough to advance up the wall, I didn’t realize how much physical exertion is actually involved in pulling your entire body weight up a vertical wall.  I was told immediately that the key is to always keep your feet stable and push with your legs, so that’s the strategy that I went with. I made it to the top but was pretty winded and a bit sweaty when I dropped down- definitely didn’t see that coming.

For our next wall, we decided to go for something a bit more challenging. The particular wall that we selected jutted out so that at one point you had to climb and overhanging part of the wall. Pretty intimidating! Still, I resolved to conquer it. 

The climb started out pretty smoothly, but once I hit the overhanging section, I ran into difficulty. I found it impossible to keep my feet anchored while climbing up the overhang- gravity just makes this too difficult. Without my feet properly under me, I quickly slipped and was caught by my line. Let’s hear it for spotters!

I actually tried this wall again with similar results- I couldn’t make it past that overhang. One of my colleagues actually made it up so I feel that we were successful as a team even if I got my butt kicked ;)

So would I recommend indoor rock climbing to those looking to freshen up their fitness routine? Absolutely. First of all it was an incredible workout. I mean, I was sore the next day- really sore. Rock climbing definitely gets you in shape- I mean look at Stallone in Cliffhanger.  But more than that, it truly is fun. It doesn’t even feel like a workout because it lacks the boring, repetitive, mechanical moves that we’ve all learned to associate with our gym routines. It’s fun and fresh every climb, so you know you’ll “get high” every time. 

If you’re in Atlanta, I highly recommend you check out Atlanta Rocks! There’s a reason they’re the most popular indoor climbing facility in the Southeast- they simply provide the best rock climbing experience around. Stop by, you won’t be disappointed.