Earbud Workout

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

LA Fits In

Looking for the latest trends in the wellness / fitness sphere? Go west. According to Refinery29, Los Angeles is where tomorrow’s trends are already trending. Los Angelenos are saying goodbye to physical trainers and hello to anxiety coaches, who specialize in “giving daily advice and strategies for how to handle feelings of anxiety.” They’re also joining the Coconut Cult. It’s not actually a cult, though – it’s a vegan, super-probiotic coconut yogurt. Kundalini, a type of yoga involving movement, breathing, meditation, and chanting mantras, is also on the rise. Finally, there’s a new kind of studio that’s getting hot in SoCal: meditation studios, where you can bliss out in a serene atmosphere.

Gettin’ Hygge With It

LA isn’t the only place to explore when it comes to wellness. Iceland has a lot going for it, too – did you know that it’s the happiest country on earth? According to Elite Daily’s Georgina Berbari, it all comes down to a Nordic way of living known as “hygge,” a state of mind that prioritizes anything in life that brings you contentment and joy. “The presence of hygge is so strong in Iceland, and the Nordic word essentially translates to finding immense pleasure in comfortable, cozy, enjoyable, and soothing things — or the absence of all things overwhelming,” Berbari writes. Sounds good to us. Learn more.

Google’s Fitness Game

Getting motivated to work out can be the hardest part of the whole process. But what it fitness was … actually fun? To that end, Google’s revamped Google Fit app is turning fitness tracking into a game. Gizmodo has the details: “Move Minutes is a simple stat that tracks how often you walk around, with the goal of encouraging people to move more and sit less. Meanwhile, Heart Points tracks how often you raise your heart rate and then awards you points—one minute of moderate excessive is worth one point, while more intense activities like swimming or boxing will accrue double the points.” Also cool: Google Fit will share data with other major fitness apps, including Strava, My Fitness Pal, Runkeeper, and Endomodo.

Earbud Workout

Audible is probably the best-known audiobook app. Now, they’re getting into the fitness game, with programs from professional trainers who guide you through a series of progressively challenging workouts. “The first three courses are aimed squarely at beginners interested in outdoor running and stress-relieving meditation,” writes Engadget’s Jon Fingas. “But follow-ups in the weeks ahead will address more challenging issues, such as the boredom that sets in with an all-too-familiar gym routine.” The best part? These new fitness programs are currently free to Audible subscribers.

Weekly Moment of Zen

Pumpkin spice latte season has arrived. Here’s how to make it healthier.