Work It Out

Get a killer workout in San Antonio with these top fitness suggestions

JoyRide Cycling Studio indoor bike cycle instructor 2015

Try JoyRide for a motivating group workout environment.

It's that time where we collectively start thinking about goals for the emergent new year. Exercising and improving our health are always top of mind, and gyms start to overflow with good intention.

We've been working out in preparation for you to take advantage of our research, and hopefully hang on for longer than just January. Lock down your goals for good with this handy guide to getting your sweat on in San Antonio. Good luck, and may you all achieve the best version of yourselves — whether that involves a workout or not.

High Intensity Interval Training Workouts
No wonder it has an acronym: HIIT can be done at the gym or in your living room with a live feed off YouTube. The purpose is to alternate high intensity with moderate intensity levels. An example of a workout: one round of burpees, sit-throughs, grasshoppers, and mountain climbers in sets of 10. Take a 90-second break, then start over. Need guidance? Find it at one of the 15 San Antonio-area Gold's Gyms.

Cycling
Cycling is our favorite group workout. JoyRide Cycling Studio has two locations where you can spin your face off. If you're short on time, you're in luck: JoyRide offers amazing 50-minute classes where you spin in the dark. There are also themed rides galore — think Beyonce vs. Jay Z. Check out Leah's classes, because she never fails to motivate and nails it every single time.

Barre
We all think of ourselves as graceful and slender ballerinas, and a barre class will help you achieve it to some degree. Elongating and strengthening work are at play as pliés, weight work, and mats make for toned legs and a strong core with a combination of yoga, Pilates, and ballet techniques. Try Smart Barre at one of its three San Antonio locations.

Pilates
Core Physique offers a more intense form of Pilates. This local studio promises strength building and toning without straining a thing, although it's quite a workout with the integration of Pilates, strength work, and some cardio. Core Physique focuses on full-body conditioning — we definitely felt a little reformed after the class.

Fitness apps worth the download:

Radius brings you personalized programs with celebrity trainers. If you've always dreamed of burning it up with the trainer your fave celebrity uses, this is the app for you.
The Daily Burn gives you community support with hundreds of nutrition and workout programs, with the bonus of celebrity trainers as well.
Couch to 5K is an oldie but a goodie, helping you determine what your week looks like and showing you how your commitment to fitness will help you finish that race with your friends.
My Fitness Pal reminds you to take that extra walk while also analyzing your food for the day.
Burn This gives you motivational quotes and integrates both Pinterest and Instagram into your workout.

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Fight This Fly

Wildlife officials warn Texans to look out for parasitic screwworm

U.S. Department of Agriculture/aphis.usda.gov

The the New World Screwworm (NWS) is a parasite that turns into a fly.

It probably won't take much to convince Texans to stay away from the latest invasive species from Mexico, once they hear about the symptoms. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) says to look out for evidence of the New World Screwworm (NWS) affecting animals, especially near the state's southern border.

So far it sounds like the NWS is still relatively far away, having been spotted in a cow at a checkpoint near the border between Mexico and Guatemala. It was eradicated from the United States in 1966, according to TPWD, but it is being tracked northward from South and Central America.

Although it's called a worm, it is really a parasitic larva, and this is where things get disturbing.

Before the "worms" become the NWS fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), they lay eggs in open wounds or orifices of live tissue. They are called screwworms because they screw into the flesh, worsening injuries and causing a painful condition called NWS myiasis. An infestation can even lead to the death of the animal.

The larvae drop to the ground after feeding, and emerge as flies that can travel long distances, so the movement of livestock — not just contact among them — is a concern.

If you don't own livestock, you're not quite out of the woods. Although the NWS does affect those animals the most, it also affects wildlife like deer and birds, and even pets and humans. Hunters should also keep an eye out, as well as any "outdoor enthusiasts," says the release.

From the release, here are some things to look out for:

Irritated or depressed behavior
Loss of appetite
Head shaking
Smell of decaying flesh
Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds
Isolation from other animals or people

To keep the flies away, especially when traveling to NWS-affected areas like Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and South American countries, TPWD says it's important to clean and cover all wounds. Travelers should also use insect repellant on outdoor clothing.

Anyone who suspects signs in wildlife of NWS should report their findings immediately to a local wildlife biologist. Reports about livestock should be directed to the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Those enjoying Texas’ natural resources have an opportunity to serve as the first line of defense in protecting wildlife, livestock, and human health,” said TPWD wildlife veterinarian Dr. J Hunter Reed in the release. “Their eyes and ears will be critical to quickly responding and managing this threat.”

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