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Marketing Melodie’s SweatGuru Guide to Staying fit at SXSW

March 3, 2014

March is officially here! For many of us that means spring is almost here, Mardi Gras is coming up and so is St. Patrick’s Day. For those of us who work in the digital space and love interactive technology, March means SXSW! Last year SXSW Interactive attracted over 30,000 attendees to Austin and I was one of them. I brought my yoga knowledge to SXSW and had the honor of teaching  fellow tech-crazed and social media savvy attendees at the conference. It was great to be surrounded by so many like minded people in the technology space and even better to create a deeper connection with those who are also interested in yoga and meditation.

I’m very excited to announce that I’m returning to SXSW Interactive this year and I’m once again hosting a yoga and a mediation session. I also just announced that I’m a SweatGuru expert when I shared 5 yoga lessons that will help you grow your business. Now I’ve partnered with SweatGuru to help you stay fit at the festival. At a conference filled with free BBQ and booze, sometimes it’s hard to keep up your healthy lifestyle, but it’s possible and here are some ways to do it in my SweatGuru Guide to Staying Fit at SXSW Interactive.

1. Practice yoga or try yoga for the very first time– Take my yoga class at SXSW Interactive. Yes you heard right, yoga classes are included with your conference badge! Yoga was developed thousands of years ago as a way to prepare the mind and body for enlightenment. What better way to prepare yourself for all the new ideas, insights, and people you will encounter at SXSW? I’ll emphasize techniques that are easy to replicate at home and at work. This is an all levels class. Whether it’s your first time practicing yoga of you’re a seasoned yogi, you’ll enjoy this fun and relaxing class. No special clothing or equipment needed, just come as you are! My class is Saturday March 8th at 9:30am in room 8A at the Convention Center. You can add it to your schedule here: SXSW Yoga

If you can’t make it to my class or would like to take more than one class, daily yoga classes are offered. Just search “SXSW Yoga” on the schedule to find all the classes.

SXSW Yoga

Makreting Melodie teaching SXSW Yoga in 2013

2. Take a break to sit there and just do nothing aka Meditate!- “Meditation- It’s not what you think” is my favorite meditation quote. I saw it on a bumper sticker once and thought, what a perfect way to describe meditation! Like any powerful tool, the human brain needs a bit of a tune-up now and then. Take a break from the bustle of SXSW and give your mind and body a chance to assimilate all the new ideas and energy at the conference. This will be an all levels class, where I’ll teach a variety of techniques. My meditation class is Sunday March 9th at 11am in Room 8A at the Convention Center. You can add it to your schedule here: SXSW Meditation 

If you can’t make it to my class or would like to learn different meditation techniques, daily classes are offered. Just search “SXSW Meditation” on the schedule to find all the classes.

Meditation at SXSW

Marketing Melodie teaching SXSW Meditation in 2013

3. Connect with like-minded peopled– Sometimes staying healthy is easier if you meet others who have the same goal in mind. Here is a list of some panels and sessions that are related to fitness and health. Most likely the people interested in these sessions are also the ones who lead an active lifestyle like you. Learn about the role of technology in fitness while networking with other fitness enthusiasts.

Healthy Snacks4. Snack smart- So many companies will be luring you to check out their event, booth or attraction with free food.  I know it can be tempting to eat every bite of free food that comes across our mouths but do your best to eat the free food in moderation. Here are a few snacks I recommend you pack in your suitcase: small bag of raw almonds, cashews or another favorite nut, apples, clementine oranges (easy to peel!)  and maybe some healthy snack bars (be careful with snack bars though, some of them have as much sugar and processed ingredients as a candy bar. Look for ones that are all natural with organic ingredients). If you stay fueled with healthy food throughout the day you’re less likely to overeat when presented with the BBQ buffet and dessert bar.

5. Drink plenty of water– Water is your best friend at SXSW! And no, an alcoholic drink on the rocks doesn’t count as water. “Drink water” is such a simple tip yet it’s one of the top reasons why people may feel light headed or sick during or after the conference. A few tips on doing this:

  • I always travel with a small reusable water bottle. This way, if water is available I’m ready to fill up. Instead of ordering a cocktail on the plane I always ask the flight attendant to fill up my bottle with water. I have even seen many airports now with a filtered water fountains.
  • If you normally drink a lot of coffee, instead of drinking the extra cup of coffee grab a cold water bottle. The temperature of the water will wake you up and the consumption of the water will provide fuel to refresh your body.
  • If you have access to a car, stock up on a few big gallons of water to stash in your room. End your night and start your day drinking it. This way you’ll always avoid those overpriced hotel prices for water and have plenty on hand.
  • We all know open bars are readily available at SXSW. To me, water at those open bars is even more valuable than an extra shot. Replace one of your drinks with a bottle of water.

Make sure you find me at the conference and Tweet me to let me know if you can make one of my sessions. I’ll be giving away some fun prizes and swag from SweatGuru that you won’t want to miss. If you have any other tips for staying fit at SXSW Interactive, I would love to hear them.

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